itabb Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 What is the most efficient way to test for metals. I suppose all I care about is if metals are present or not. Therefore, would a test strip be sufficient? If so, where should I buy it from? Also, I realise my SWG could be a source of copper, so I need a copper test. What about Iron. What would be a source of Iron that I would want to test for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 A swg is NOT a source of copper in the water. (Where did you ever here that one?!) Copper usually comes from copper based algaecides (which are included in many trichlor tabs on the market today!!! ) , copper pipes and heat exchangers (when the pH gets too low), and fill water. Iron usually comes from your fill water. Metals will only show up in the water testing if they are in solution and have not stained out or precipitated and you have not added seqeusterant to deactivate them. IF you have a metal problem I would recommend a kit from Taylor or LaMotte to test for them and not strips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itabb Posted June 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Well, I don't have a heater, and fill water is city water (FC .5 TA 20 CA 30). Maybe I'll take the city water into the pool store and have it tested for metals. I have a solar heater, no gas or heat pump. I have an underdeck mounted pool cover, and the metal rails get splashed. Some screws are rusted. And that's it. I cannot think of anything other than the SWG that could be a significant source of any metal (and like you said, the SWG is not). So maybe the metal came from the previous home owner . . . yet one more treat for me to clean up after him. The stains I had were definately metal and colored orange. Absorbic acid eliminated them. Also had a very green tint to the water after the polyquat 60 treatment and after adding 6 gallons of bleach, which you or chem geek said was the copper precipitating out of the water. I'll get some metal testing done, maybe this weekend, and post the results. Thanks again for all your help. I'm sure this thread is not done yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 orange stains are usually indicative of iron. Does your pool have a blue color? Yellow water from iron against a blue background will make the water look greenish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itabb Posted June 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Yes, normally the water is clear with a blue tint. Orange stains are iron? What color are copper stains? Now I'm really scratching my head. I was guessing the previous home owner might have used a copper based algecide. Iron? Maybe he left the pool chairs in the deep end for 2 years. Anyway, this might explain why Metal Free did not do anything, though I don't know if it works on Iron or just copper. I did not get the metal tests done at the pool store . . . this week, promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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