STAINS
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Swimming pool staining & scale deposits A stain is something that alters the appearance of the pool surface to the detriment of the pool, it can be the size of a hair clip or cover the entire pool. Prior to treating a swimming pool, we need to find out what is causing the staining. Once known this must be rectified so that the stain does not re-appear after treatment.
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What causes stains?
Stains are caused by unbalanced water which introduces metal oxides into the pool. These metal oxides are invisible and only become apparent when they have been deposited on pool surfaces. These metals react to low pH or with Chlorine to leave dark coloured spots on surfaces and these are what we call stains.
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How do metals enter the pool?
Metals can appear in swimming pool water from various sources: 3 M etal Fixtures – Pool water that has been left out of balance, usually with a lower pH, will have a detrimental effect on any metal fixtures and/or fittings.
S ource Water – Especially borehole or well water that contains iron, manganese, or copper.
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3 S alt – The actual salt you use can be the most common cause of staining as it contains metals such as iron and manganese which over time fall out of solution. 3 O rganic Stains – These are caused by algae growth, leaves or dirt washed into the pool and left longer than a week. 3 L iquid Chlorine – Has a high iron content and after continuous use for many years this can build up and lead to staining.
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How to identify your pool stain
As soon as a stain appears get your water professionally tested asking the pool dealer to test for metals! This will help identify the problem but remember, the longer the stain has been present, the harder it will be to remove. The secret is to identify the cause and deal with the stain as soon as it appears. Greenish-Brown Stains - These are most likely organic stains caused by leaves or other plant matter. Blueish-Greenish-Black Stains - Likely caused by copper which can be present in source water or corrosion of copper piping somewhere in your plumbing system. Greenish-Brownish-Red Stains - Usually caused by iron from your source water or possibly from metal fixtures in and around the pool area, such as a fence, that have begun to rust, and this rust gets washed into the pool when it rains. Brownish-Blackish-Purple Stains - This is caused by manganese from your source water. Both borehole/well water and municipal water contain manganese. Black Spots in fibreglass pools - These should not be mistaken as black spot algae as these are Cobalt Oxide stains. To determine this, you can conduct a “fingernail test” where you scratch the stain with your nail. If there’s any residue under the nail, then it is highly likely that this will be algae and needs to be treated differently. If there is no residue, then you have osmosis.
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How to remove stains
Step 1 - The first stage of treating a stain is using Multi Stain Remover or Spotaway (for fibreglass pools only) to lift the stain off the surface and put it into suspension in the water. Step 2 - The second stage is using No More Metal to hold on to these metals and filter them from the water, preventing re-occurrence.
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How to apply the products
Once you have identified what is causing the stain, and rectified the issue, removing the stain is quite simple just follow the steps below: a. Dechlorinate the pool – Lower the free chlorine residual in your water to 0. Leaving chlorine in the pool can neutralise the stain removers and make them less effective. b. Always ensure that you dose the required amount of Multi Stain Remover or Spotaway (or fibreglass pools) – Insufficient product may result in not all the stain being removed. c. Caution is required with coloured marble and vinyl pools – When using on coloured marble finishes or printed vinyl liners DO NOT allow direct contact with the pool surface. In these instances, it is recommended that you place the product in a sock attached to a telescopic pole and hold near the stained area. d. Always Add No More Metal – As soon as you see the stain lifting you should add No More Metal. This enables the metal ions that have lifted off the surface to be held in suspension in the water and deposited in the filter. Failure to add No More metal will result in the stains reappearing on pool surfaces. e. Always thoroughly backwash post stain treatment – This ensures any unwanted remnants of metal ions, organic matter and scale are removed from the filter. f. Stain treatment can cause the pool to go cloudy – Be prepared to use Miraclear Clarifier or Miraclear Gel Cubes to correct this post treatment.
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How to apply the products
g. Caution is required when rebalancing the pool – The largest cause of stains re-occurring is due to the pool water being rebalanced too quickly. This results in metal ions being “buffered” back out of solution to redeposit on the pool surfaces. Both Multi Stain Remover and No More Metal are very acidic products therefore they will lower both
the Total Alkalinity and pH of the pool water. When rebalancing first raise the Total Alkalinity by no more that 20ppm per day. Once your Total Alkalinity is at the correct level (80 – 120ppm) adjust the pH as necessary and add your registered sanitizer. h. Fibreglass Pools – Always remember that the Black Spot in fibreglass pools is a result of osmosis which is the breaking down of the fibreglass (polyester)
resin. Our treatment will not fix the problem of the resin itself; it only works as a curative for the discolouration. Spotaway should be applied every 10-12 weeks and to extend the time between osmosis treatments we recommend using No More Metal on an ongoing basis.
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How much of the products do I need to use?
Product
Dose
Frequency
Multi Stain Remover
1kg per 50,000 litres of water 1kg per 50,000 litres of water 4kg per 50,000 litres of water
As and when required
No More Metal
As and when required
Spotaway (fibreglass only)
10-12 weeks
When filling a new pool and/or refilling a pool which has been drained always add No More Metal at a rate of 50ml per 10,000 litres of water being added. This helps to hold any unwanted metals in suspension and stop them depositing on pool surfaces.
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Why Lo-Chlor?
At Lo-Chlor Chemicals we are recognised as the leading brand of specialty chemicals that are specifically designed to target problems in both swimming pool and hot tub water. For over 30 years we have been supplying the highest quality products with formulations unique to our brand, resolving issues that standard maintenance chemicals don’t. With market longevity, pioneering products and global exposure, our range of products are proven to perform against all the conditions that nature can throw at them. Our trusted name is backed up with extensive technical knowledge which fully enables growth for our partners. Manufactured in the UK we have over 12 years of experience of exporting to numerous markets, meeting all the necessary compliance requirements. Why do our customers use Lo-Chlor? …because it works!
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