Vitamin C, Metals, and Chlorine/Shock - Green Pool

mbh3282

New member
Aug 8, 2024
4
Montgomery, AL
I have had a pool for three years. For the most part, not a huge issue. But I have one lately. It is a vinyl pool, salt water system, I am guessing 20k-30k gallons.

Had the typical yellowish stains on the steps. Bought some vitamin c (see photo), used a healthy amount of it all over the pool (let's say less than half a gallon), got rid of all the stains on the stairs the best I have ever seen (even vs. using Varnish Pool stain remover which I used in the past) plus clears the liner at the deep end which I had never been able to get rid of. So I am super excited. Pool looks great for like two days, no issues. Then one day it gets cloudy. I took a measuring, no chlorine. I think I add like a pound or two of shock. Clears up. No issues. Still looking good. Gets cloudy again maybe two days later. Measure it, no chlorine - which I thought was odd considering normally with shock that recent, I should show something. I add two pounds of shock that night. Wake up the next morning. Pool is green (this is like two days ago now at this point).

Other info - I live in Alabama. Extremely hot. Temperatures have been in the high 90s consistently. CYA is 0. (I had ordered some, it arrived, but then the green pool issue some I am waiting to move forward.) Just consider chlorine is at 0. I just vacuumed some algae clumps out of the pool (which I almost rarely get).

Did some research online, and I know there is a connection between Vitamin C, metals, and chlorine that can go wrong if not done right. My question is, based on where I am at now (see photo of pool) -

1. How do I get out of this mess? The more specific instructions the better.
2. The staining is returning. Once I get out of this - to a clear pool, how do I get the stains out again (using the Vitamin C) without it returning?

Thanks,
 

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Last edited:
Welcome to TFP!!!

Yes, with the AA treatment, your fc got low. We recommend AA treatment when water is cool/cold.

Get a test kit. Link—>Test Kits Compared

Add 5ppm of liquid chlorine per day until it arrives.

If you have a recommended kit, or when it arrives, start the slam process. Link—>SLAM Process
 
Welcome to TFP.

The ascorbic acid in the Vitamin C you put in your pool consumes chlorine for some time after. You need to be feeding your pool more chlorine then normal, using liquid chlorine, or you end up with an algae problem, which you did.

You need to follow the SLAM Process to get your pool algae free.

The Vitamin C lifts the iron off the pool surfaces and puts it back in solution. You need to use a sequestrant to keep the iron in solution or it will redeposit back on the surfaces.

Or you need to drain your pool to get rid of the iron and refill the pool with iron free water.

Or you can try filtering the pool water with Polyfill which has worked for some and not for others.



 
Thank you. I have been reading your information and preparing for the slam process. Three questions first.

1. If you look at my story, the pool turned green overnight after I added a couple pounds of shock. Did the pool turn green because of the shock that I added or would this have happened regardless because of the vitamin C I added a few days before?
2. My cya is at 0. I added CYA this morning to my pool to get it to around 30 as recommended for the slam process. but from everywhere I’m reading it could take a couple days to a week for it to show. Can I begin the slam process now or do I need to wait till the CYA reads 30 which could be again a couple days or a week?
3. I have bought liquid chlorine, but I can’t find anywhere where it says how many gallons I actually need to add or at what rate to get to the desired slam level. Any help would be appreciated.
 
1. If you look at my story, the pool turned green overnight after I added a couple pounds of shock. Did the pool turn green because of the shock that I added or would this have happened regardless because of the vitamin C I added a few days before?
Would have turned green because of the lack of chlorine due to the AA.
2. My cya is at 0. I added CYA this morning to my pool to get it to around 30 as recommended for the slam process. but from everywhere I’m reading it could take a couple days to a week for it to show. Can I begin the slam process now or do I need to wait till the CYA reads 30 which could be again a couple days or a week?
Start the slam. Consider your CYA to be 30.
3. I have bought liquid chlorine, but I can’t find anywhere where it says how many gallons I actually need to add or at what rate to get to the desired slam level. Any help would be appreciated.
Download pool math, configure your pool, enter your test results, then click on FC and select SLAM. Link-->PoolMath
 
Just a little gut check here. The pool turned green overnight right after adding chlorine right after an AA treatment. It might be the iron coming out of suspension.

Might want to consider some form or water exchange before the SLAM.
 

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