A swimming pool can be a wonderful addition to a home. It provides exercise and enjoyment for the homeowners and their guests. However, pools require a certain amount of maintenance to ensure that everyone using it remains safe. This includes keeping the pH at a certain level and regularly cleaning the pool. The result of this maintenance will be clean, clear water that will be a joy to enter. Over time, your pool may develop some stains. There are various reasons why your pool may stain, and the color often can tell you the problem. Here are some of the common stains you may experience and how to treat them.
Blue-Green Stain
If you notice there is a blue-green stain appearing on the surface of the pool or in the water, but the water isn’t cloudy, this is a sign of the intrusion of copper from algaecides, heat exchangers, or old copper plumbing. This can be treated with the application of citric acid and ascorbic acid on the stain. You may require a sequestering agent which will assist the filtration system trap to avoid the metals combining with the water. If the water appears cloudy in addition to the stain, the problem is likely algae. In this case, you’ll need to apply an algaecide.
Purple Solid on Pool Water Surface
If the cyanuric acid level reaches above 100 ppm, you might notice a purple solid substance on top of your water. This essentially means that there is the existence of copper in the water that must be removed. Reduce the level of cyanuric acid to around 50 ppm. This can be done by draining the water. Before you refill your pool with any more water, you should test it to see if there is any remaining copper.
Brown Stain on Pool Surface
The most common source of brown stains on the surface of your pool or in the water is well water that contains dissolved iron or manganese. While well water is the most common reason for this problem, it could also be caused by a pool heater header or lawn fertilizer. If well water is causing this problem, you should start adding a sequestering agent into the water as a part of your usual maintenance. This will usually need to be done on a weekly basis.
Leaf-Shaped Brown Stains
While some brown stains may be a concern, others are less so. If the brown stains you recognize are the shape of leaves, it could simply be the existence of leaves at the bottom of the pool. As they sit in the pool while it’s covered, they can potentially stain the bottom. However, these stains will usually disappear as the chlorine level is established or shock treatment is applied. If you’re looking to immediately remove these stains, you can use citric acid or ascorbic acid.
Metal Corrosion
Over a period of time, you might begin to notice that the metal aspects of your pool, such as ladders and light rings, are beginning to corrode. Salt generators can cause this. The addition of a sacrificial anode, such as zinc, can be used to remove this corrosion.
It’s rather common for the owners of swimming pools to notice stains arise at some point. There are several different things that could cause these stains and each one has its own remedy. If you can’t determine the cause of the stains and the right treatment, contact Sunrise Pool Services, pool cleaners in Buford, GA, at 678-804-0050.