Pool Stains

Iron Stains

Sources of Iron

• Fill water-typically well water
• Pool equipment-cast or brass pumps & valves
• Pool chemicals-chlorine generator salt; some chlorines (bleach); muriatic acid; calcium chloride
• Lawn chemicals-Fertilizers and pesticides – even the dust that becomes airborne, from a nearby property,  can settle on the deck or screen and eventually be washed into the pool.

Typically brown in color-However, so is iron scale, oxidized copper and some organic discoloration, such as tannic  acid (from leaves & acorns), tannins, and algae.

Virtually all chemicals that we add to the pool have some iron content (in one form or another). The discoloration  is completely esthetic – the finish is not compromised if left untreated.

Iron Scale

This is a iron compound + calcium compounds which is caused by chemistry fluctuations that create scale forming conditions with pre-exsiting iron in the pool.

• Typically brown in color

However, so is iron, oxidized copper and some organic discoloration such as tannic acid (from leaves and acorns), tannis and algae.

• Iron removal normally won’t work

Must treat for scale; it surrounds or covers the iron

• Has texture and will get worse if left untreated

Copper Stains

Source of Copper

• Make-up water

Municipal water uses copper to sanitize the water supply

• Pool equipment

Heat exchangers and copper plumbing constantly have water flowing through them and will eventually feed copper into the pool water

• Pool chemicals

Algaecides

• Lawn chemicals

Fertilizers and pesticides – even the dust that becomes airborne from a nearby property can settle on the deck or screen and eventually be washed into the pool.

• Color can vary. Blue, green, gray, black, brown and even purple are common.

Blue and green indicate that the copper is still in the “sulfate” form and needs to be oxidized before an effective removal can be done.

Purple usually indicates that the copper is combined with a high CYA lever (above 70ppm)which must be lowered to below 70ppm in order to treat pool.

• Normally the most difficult to remove.
• The discoloration is completely esthetic. The finish is not compromised if left untreated