brown stains on bottom (pebble tec)

Stains on the pool surfaces, pool equipment
or on the swimmers, or off-color swimming pool
water. Discolored but clear pool water.
Buggsw
Swimming Pool Superstar
Swimming Pool Superstar
Posts: 421
Joined: Sun 13 May, 2007 23:26

Postby Buggsw » Sat 16 Jun, 2007 13:07

No, you don't use acid to wash a vinyl pool. You can use acid in the water to lower pH but not as an acid wash like you can with a plaster pool.

With a vinyl pool you don't want your pH to be lower than 7.0 and should keep it at 7.2 or above.

If your chlorine is low raise it with liquid chlorine - this should also raise your pH a little. Whereas the powder shocks will lower your pH.

So, bring your chlorine up to shock level, brush the stain.


pool party in ne

what can be done for stining once the pool is up and running

Postby pool party in ne » Wed 27 Jun, 2007 08:13

when my pool was opened i noticed the staining (brownish, metallic looking). i asked my pool service what had happened. they said it was the water. i guess there is a lot of minerals in my local water and it can stain the pol. is there any way to get rid of it other tahn acid washing? also it is worse around the edges of the pool, particularly where the water is being recycled. all of my chemicals are perfect and the water is crystal clera. i hate having to explain to people that the water is fine.
any suggestions.
thanks
dazed and confused

metal stains

Postby dazed and confused » Wed 27 Jun, 2007 11:23

I recently got rid of a stained pool liner by adding Ascorbic Adic ($60-)bought at Leslies. Someone else told me that I could get cheap vitamin C pills in a Target or Kmart for just a few bucks. Will the pills be just as effective? If so how would I apply in pool? You guessed it, my liner stained again, just not as bad and this is only 3 weeks later. Whats up with that???
Backglass
Swimming Pool Superstar
Swimming Pool Superstar
Posts: 727
Joined: Tue 29 May, 2007 09:02

Postby Backglass » Wed 27 Jun, 2007 18:29

FYI: You can buy Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) in bulk from The Chemistry Store.
CrazyPoolMom

Postby CrazyPoolMom » Sat 30 Jun, 2007 15:19

This sounds like what I have been fighting with my water, and I have Iron in the water.
It sounds like you got staining again because you did not get a metal sequesterent added to the water, I just used the cheap hth metal control from walmart, a double dose, and dropped my PH to 7.0. I also couldn't find absorbic acid so I used a Bioguard product called Stain Remover from the pool store, it cost 22 bucks. I ended up with beautiful crystal clear water. I had to vacuum the bottom of the pool though, from the rust that had already fallen out of the Iron water. I am no expert, just using advise from forums like this:)
ice3

never buy anything pool related from walmart

Postby ice3 » Mon 27 Aug, 2007 20:16

never buy anything pool related from walmart
susanm

I have the same problem

Postby susanm » Thu 06 Sep, 2007 15:56

Did you get the brown spots taken care of?
nsalerno

Stains in pool

Postby nsalerno » Sat 23 Feb, 2008 11:32

You need to use acid and apply it directly to the spot. I use a piece of PVC in order to get the acid through the water to the correct spot. My uncle uses a dropper bottle and actually goes under water and applies it directly to the spot.
Guest

Postby Guest » Sun 16 Mar, 2008 04:56

Weeniehead wrote:I work for a major pool builder and see this issue every day.

What you are describing is what is known as Dirt Scale.

Basically, a thin layer of calcium buildup has trapped the dirt on the surface of the pool. This is the reason you cannot brush it away. It's sort of like painting a coat of polyurethane over a spot of dirt on the wall. Unless you break down that calcium buildup, that dirt is not going to go away.

Most people only pay attention to how clear the water looks. If the water is clear, the water chemistry is good. It's not as simple as that, but it is easy.

If you don't already have one, get to your pool supply store and purchase a chemical test kit. The test strips will work, but if you want a more accurate test result, get a kit that includes the drops.

Once you have a test kit, you will want to test the water at least 2-3 times a week. The most important things to pay attention to are PH, Total Alkalinity and Hardness. It is important to keep the PH around 7.2-7.6 to avoid the buildup your seeing.

BTW, there is a very simply way to get rid of that scale. It will take some time but it will work if you put the time and effort into it. All you need to do is drop your PH level to about 6.8-7.0 and BRUSH BRUSH BRUSH. Test the water even more frequently during the process. Like I said, you probably won't notice any improvement right away, but over the course of a few weeks, it will start to fade away.

If you want a "quick fix", you can contact a pool service company (one who knows what they are doing) and they can drain the pool and do an acid wash which will do the same thing as the first method, only faster.

Good Luck!



I wonder if the above is still valid for a quartzon pool surface. I went to some pool shop and they sold me a bottle of Citric Acid (Granules) and told me to sprinkle it over the stained area and brush.

I am still a little bit sceptical about using it. Although my pool is a year old and I tried to contact the Buider "Concept Pool" of Sydney and the Quartzon of Brisbane for help, but none so far, what a after sales forget service of the builder and supplier.

I would appreciate any help

Thanks
Scott S.

Dirt Scale???

Postby Scott S. » Mon 12 May, 2008 13:57

Thank you in advance for any advice ANYBODY can offer on this issue:

I believe I have the "Dirt Scale" problem Weeniehead sites in this post.

25,000 gal gunite inground pool. Opened for the Spring. High ph (8.2+) high Alk (180+), High Hardness (550). Approx 40% of all upward facing surfaces (bottom, stairs) stained with what looks like beach sand.

Tried the Vitamin C test and the Ph- in a sock test. No change.
Tried the chlorine puck test. No change.

I've reduced my ph to 6.8 or so (Alk down to 60 now). I've been brushing for a week... no fading, yet.

Questions:
1. How long can I safely keep the Ph at 6.8 or lower and keep brushing?
2. Any other ideas for me to try prior to giving in to the Acid Wash?

Thanks again!



Weeniehead wrote:I work for a major pool builder and see this issue every day.

What you are describing is what is known as Dirt Scale.

Basically, a thin layer of calcium buildup has trapped the dirt on the surface of the pool. This is the reason you cannot brush it away. It's sort of like painting a coat of polyurethane over a spot of dirt on the wall. Unless you break down that calcium buildup, that dirt is not going to go away.

Most people only pay attention to how clear the water looks. If the water is clear, the water chemistry is good. It's not as simple as that, but it is easy.

If you don't already have one, get to your pool supply store and purchase a chemical test kit. The test strips will work, but if you want a more accurate test result, get a kit that includes the drops.

Once you have a test kit, you will want to test the water at least 2-3 times a week. The most important things to pay attention to are PH, Total Alkalinity and Hardness. It is important to keep the PH around 7.2-7.6 to avoid the buildup your seeing.

BTW, there is a very simply way to get rid of that scale. It will take some time but it will work if you put the time and effort into it. All you need to do is drop your PH level to about 6.8-7.0 and BRUSH BRUSH BRUSH. Test the water even more frequently during the process. Like I said, you probably won't notice any improvement right away, but over the course of a few weeks, it will start to fade away.

If you want a "quick fix", you can contact a pool service company (one who knows what they are doing) and they can drain the pool and do an acid wash which will do the same thing as the first method, only faster.

Good Luck!
cde

Pool Stains

Postby cde » Mon 12 May, 2008 13:57

I spoke w/ my local pool supply store re: the same problems.

She had me use "Metal Free" in the pool wait 24 hours and then take a powder stain remover, put it into a sock and rub it over the stains on my pool. It took a little bit of rubbing on the bad spots, but it did work.
Scott S.

Dirt Scale???

Postby Scott S. » Fri 16 May, 2008 14:04

Thanks cde,

I now think I may be dealing with something different than "Dirt Scale"... but, I'm going to keep ph at 6.8 and brush for another week or so.

I think I may have precipitated copper into my plaster when I shocked upon opening the pool... Not positive, but I think I remember adding a Winter Algaecide when I closed, and it 'may' have been a copper type.

Rather than start dumping in a bunch of chemicals until I guess right on the stain cause, I may just do an acid wash, pool is 10 years old and could use a good wash.

Thanks again,

Scott
Shel-Shel

Trying to get rid of the stains

Postby Shel-Shel » Sun 25 May, 2008 16:26

I am trying to get my pool opened but these stains everyone is talking about is what I have on my above ground pool. The pool is currently empty and I am not sure if I should go ahead and fill it up and try to get rid of the stains or leave it empty and keep on scrubbing on it??? They are awful! Any and all help would be appreciated.
Guest

Postby Guest » Tue 27 May, 2008 15:44

Shel-Shel,

I am in no way an expert on this, just a frustrated 'stain scrubber'.

I went ahead and drained and acid washed my pool last Friday. It looks like new, no more stains, and it was very easy. Cost me about $150 bucks for a 25,000 gal in-ground pool. I KNOW I would have been sold at least that much in chemicals in an effort to 'lift' the stains without draining the pool.

I was very suprised to find that when I started to do the acid wash, when I compared a section just washed to a yet to be washed area, it was obvious that over the years my pool had experienced some 'metal' staining issues..... light green/teal colored stains covered the entire pool surface.

Of course, the acid wash also removed the 'sand colored' stains, which I believe were a darker copper stain that I precipitated into the plaster by just throwing a bunch of shock into the pool upon opening, without first testing the water for balance. My bad.

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do. IF you decide to treat the stains with chemicals after filling.... AND HAVE SUCCESS, would you mind posting back so we all can learn what worked?

Scott S.
Guest

Re: brown stains on bottom (pebble tec)

Postby Guest » Thu 25 Sep, 2008 09:23

estler wrote:I woke up yesterday and had a few stains on the bottom of my pool, now today they have multiplied. It almost looks like rust stains. They will not brush out. The pool is clear but has a high PH. Can anyone tell me what it is and how to get rid of it? :(

Return to “Pool Surface Staining & Discolored Pool Water”

Who is online at the Pool Help Forum

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests