What causes a pool to turn green when there isn’t algae present in the pool. What is the green color coming from? I’m going to answer that in today’s post. If your pool has a green tint to it, but the chlorine is at a good level, then you may likely have a metals problem. In the ultimate guide to understanding pool metals, we will explain what causes a pool to test positive for metals.
What would cause your pool to have a metals problem? Metals can manifest in pool water, when your pool equipment is damaged or corroded. If the heater is being used, then when the water is passing over the heating element, then the copper from the corroded equipment is filtered back out into the pool. The metals from the heating element have to go somewhere. Metals can also show up in your pool water, if the source of the water has high iron levels. The pool turns green because of the oxidation of the chlorine in the pool water mixing with the metals. You can also introduce metals into the pool if metal objects like toys, poles or tools fall into the pool and they are not removed from the pool for a significant period of time. At our personal pool, we only leave the pool robot in the pool, not anything else. We want to avoid these issues.
Another reason your pool may have a metals problem is when you use algaecides to treat algae in your pool. Some of the algaecides on the market are copper based, which can contribute to an issue with metals in the pool water. Now, just because you use an algaecide that is copper based doesn’t necessarily mean that your pool will have a metals problem. But, it is a possibility that they can build up over time. When you shock the pool after using the algaecide, that doesn’t just immediately balance out everything in the pool. The metals are still present but they may not have reached the level where they cause a problem.
Understanding that pool metals can enter your pool through different sources is a way that you can possibly prevent the problem in the first place. Metals can enter the pool through fertilizers used on the yard that then blow into the pool. There is no way to prevent the fertilizers from blowing into the pool. It is just something that can potentially happen when you are doing with other environmental factors.
A final factor that can cause a metals problem is when your pool remains out of balance for a significant period of time. Keeping the PH in balance is important to avoiding a metals problems in the pool. By a significant period of time, we mean-a couple of months.
If you think that your pool has a metals problem, then you can either take your water sample to the local pool store and ask them to test for metals.. If this is confirmed, then you can purchase the right chemicals to remove the metals from the water. A pool professional who will come out to your pool, is going to also have the right chemical testing kit. Also, using chlorine shock to raise the levels of chlorine can help to remove the presence of metals. If you attempt to remove the metals on your own and the problem persists, then it may be best to hire a pool professional to remove the metals and then bring your pool water chemistry back into balance.