How do you remove metal stains from your swimming pool surface?

Removing stains from a pool surface may take some patience, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult task. With the right mix of products and technique, you should be able to remove the metals and get back to enjoying the pool. Removing metal stains is a 5 step process that includes: stain identification, lifting the stain, sequestering the metal, trapping the metal in the filter, and then cleaning the filter.

Once the metals are lifted, you must sequester the metals to ensure they do not redeposit on the pool surface. There are products to help tie up the metals so that the filter can remove them. There are filter aids that have unique properties to help all types of filters capture metals. Once the metals are trapped in the filter, simply backwash the filter and chemically clean the filter to ensure that any trapped metals are removed from the filter bed.
After you have added a sequestrate and allowed the pool to circulate for a few hours, you can retest your water and carefully balance if necessary.

"Green Hair and Chlorine" Myth

Chlorine is not the culprit! The green hair-chlorine connection is a firmly embedded myth and I would like to expose this urban legend!
Green hair is caused by the presence of metals, like copper, in the water. Metals can also tint white bathing suits and fingernails a greenish color. Metals can be introduced to the water in adding copper-based algaecides. It can come from the corrosion of copper heat exchangers and copper piping caused by pool water imbalance. In addition, fill water may contain copper.


Green Hair Treatment for the Pool

1. Apply a scale, metal, and stain control product according to the label instructions. 
2. Apply a filter aid, to filter out some of the metals.
3. Chemically clean filter after metals have been removed from pool.
4. Check fill water for metals and apply a scale, metal and stain control each time fill water is added.
5. To remove tint from hair, rinse with lemon juice or 1 part vinegar diluted with 3 parts water. There are also shampoos available that will remove the green tint. 

Chlorine Sticks VS. 3" Chlorine Tablets

Question: What is the difference?

Answer: Chemically they are the same therefore there is no difference,
however this is where the similarity stops!

3" Chlorine Tablet Facts:

•  Specifically designed to go into a chemical feeder NOT a pool skimmer
•  Has a large surface area and dissolves too quickly when used in a skimmer
• Has a very low pH (around 2.6 - a car battery has a pH level of @ 1.0)
• When left in the skimmer while the pump is not running the chlorine level will be high and the pH too low thus making it detrimental to the area surrounding the skimmer as well as the pump seal when first starting the pump back up
• Never use a chlorine floater. It will damage the liner and it is not an effective way to maintain the chlorine level

Chlorine Skimmer Stick Facts:

• Specifically designed to go into the skimmer and may be added to a chemical feeder.
• Has a small surface area and dissolves slowly when used in the skimmer.
• When left in the skimmer while the pump is not running the chlorine stick STOPS dissolving and therefore is the best way of maintaining the current chlorine level
• Does NOT harm vinyl liner pools because they STOP dissolving while the pump is not running

Please remember that chlorine tablets and sticks are used to maintain the chlorine level NOT build the chlorine level in the pool.

Granular chlorine still must be added to the pool in order to oxidized bacteria, waste, and kill alage. Moreover, it will restore the chlorine levels.