Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Stains on the pool surfaces, pool equipment
or on the swimmers, or off-color swimming pool
water. Discolored but clear pool water.
Mush
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Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby Mush » Wed 24 Jan, 2007 22:25

Hi

A pool toy ripped leaving a lot of small metal balbearings on the bottom of our pool. While we were away on holiday for a week, these have rusted leaving definite rust spots all over the bottom of our fibreglass pool. Scrubbing wil not remove them and I have tried a powder in the pool from the pool shop but none of these has worked - does anyone have any suggestions ?

:(

Michelle


Michelle
dynamictiger
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Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby dynamictiger » Thu 25 Jan, 2007 15:40

To keep the pool open and usable try the following method, when you adjust the pH use the acid as follows.

For spot stain removal you can try placing a piece of PVC directly over the stain, adding a cup of acid into the PVC and waiting about 5 minutes. This method works but takes a few goes before it is effective.

Fiberglass particularly responds well to this method.

HTH
Mush
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Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby Mush » Thu 25 Jan, 2007 19:16

thanks for your reply

I did read this suggestion on another users question - my only thought is that is probably 100 of these rust spots throughout the pool. I was hoping for a "paste" of some sought that that could be used - my husband has a UBA and I could send him down the bottom of the pool for the day !!

If the is no such "paste" I wil give the acid a try.

Thanks very much for your reply

Michelle
Michelle
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Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby dynamictiger » Thu 25 Jan, 2007 19:37

If the pool is covered in spots, then it can be fixed by a water filled acid wash. This requires the pool to be closed.

To calculate the quantities I need the pool volume and the total alkalinity right now once I have these numbers I can calculate the requirements.

I do not know of a paste.

You can call me an old fashioned bugger, but I have found no other method works consistently at removing stains other than acid.
Mush
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Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby Mush » Thu 01 Feb, 2007 03:10

the pool volume is 35000 litres and I am not sure of the exact the total alkalanity but I did recently put something in the pool to bring it up the recommended level (between 75 and 125) - I can get this retested if neccessary?

Michelle
Michelle
dynamictiger
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Location: Perth, Western Australia

Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby dynamictiger » Thu 01 Feb, 2007 16:30

Yes please I need the exact TA for this to work properly and you need a test kit that can test for TA to use this method.
deanne
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same problem

Postby deanne » Mon 20 Aug, 2007 21:45

my pool is 42,000L, T/A is 130,Cl is 4.0, Ph is 7.6, rust marks steps and shallow end, tried pipe but to many.
Rusty

rust spots in pool

Postby Rusty » Fri 03 Oct, 2008 22:04

I,ve got the rust spots too and I'm not sure what caused it ( no tradesmen working around here with angle grinders).
Anyhow my next step is to try to remove the existing rust stains (100,s of spots).
Is there any more information on the acid dousing it looks like I' ll have to go in that direction?

Big thanks to any one who can help me.

RUSTY

:?:
Alemap

Rust Spots

Postby Alemap » Mon 08 Dec, 2008 23:50

Hi
My Daughter has just had her new fibreglass pool installed and the tradesmen were erecting the new pergola and used an angle grinder at the side of the pool. Now there are hundreds of rust spots at the bottom of the pool and it hasn't even been christened yet. They have tried the acid,tried rubbing with an eraser on the end of a pole but nothing has worked. The copers have been laid and this weekend the concrete is getting laid in readiness for the paving. But this might not happen yet as the builder may have to replace the pool through his insurance. Hopefully it won't come to that. Any advice would really be appreciated.
donna62

Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby donna62 » Mon 09 Mar, 2009 06:04

I read here on these forums that oxalic acid can help with iron rust. I never tested it ( never had rust) but it might be worth a shot :)
lonas

Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby lonas » Sun 12 Apr, 2009 13:23

[quote][/quote]
Metalic stains / using oxalic acid or a Granular stain remover. Several ways:
**1 Shut off filtration sys. /wait 5-10 minutes and broadcast powder directly over spots . wait one hr. and then start sys. with 100% suction coming from main drain. Wear gloves while handling product.
**2 Shut off filtration sys. / wait 5-10 minutes / if alot of metal stains along perimeter/edge of pool /fllor/wall , then at water line, against wall slowly sprinkle product so it will run down the wall . When it hits the floor a cloud may spread out. Wait 10-15 minutes because this cloud is still the product in a active stage, slowly moving down the slop towards the main drain. . Start sys. pulling from the main drain, cloud will dissapear in short time. Be sure to backwash in 12-24 hrs. max.
**3 Shut off filtration sys. / if only a hand full of metallic stains then add 1-2 oz. of oxalic into a cheese cloth/nurses stocking then wrap up and use rubber band or plastic ties. drop into water and position over metalic stain, holding it down for 2-3 minutes with net or wall brush since it may want to float .

There are other pouch type products also made for metal stains which are bascically a dry acid in a bag.
Remember, always wear gloves when handling problem solving products!
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Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby Pooltech32 » Sun 12 Apr, 2009 16:51

I would not fill your pools with acid, this can create so many other problems not to mention the costs associated with the vast quanties of chemicals you will need to get it back, I would drain the pool and do and acid wash, you can scrub the pool in sections and get good results.
For the person who had spots show up for no reason, do you have grass around or close to the pool? lawn fertilizer will leave rust spots due to the nitrogen in it, or your heater may have a problem with the exchanger.
Pool repair guy
Aquaclear-NZ
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My Pool: ingound, 50,000L, gas heated, low energy pump and cartridge filter
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Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby Aquaclear-NZ » Tue 14 Apr, 2009 03:46

There is a great product from an australian company - Lo-chlor, www.lo-chlor.com, and is sold in the US
http://www.lo-chlor.com.au/remprev_citraclean.php

CitraClean, it is economical (around $12) and a 1kg pack will treat your size pool.

it is a granualr powder and can be added directly to the water

we sell a ton of this every year for the exact problem you have - either that or people using angle grinders on steelwork near the pool. In 90% of cases you can watch the marks lift in front of your eyes
Chocolate fish do not swim in hot water
Poolay

Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby Poolay » Tue 14 Apr, 2009 14:02

I recommend a product called metal-out before attempting rust stain removal. Combined with a floc application this will remove any metal traces from the water when you vac to waste, preventing future staining. Interestingly I recently found it can assist the removal of existing stains too. I had tried oaxalic without any success on a rust stain, yet after I had applied the above mentioned process the oaxalic removed it easily. The repeat application of the acid may have been a factor also I guess, I will trial this again soon to find out.
Aquaclear-NZ
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Posts: 32
Joined: Sat 21 Mar, 2009 15:21
My Pool: ingound, 50,000L, gas heated, low energy pump and cartridge filter
Location: Auckland

Rust stains on fibreglass pool

Postby Aquaclear-NZ » Tue 14 Apr, 2009 15:07

Poolay wrote:I recommend a product called metal-out before attempting rust stain removal. Combined with a floc application this will remove any metal traces from the water when you vac to waste, preventing future staining. Interestingly I recently found it can assist the removal of existing stains too. I had tried oaxalic without any success on a rust stain, yet after I had applied the above mentioned process the oaxalic removed it easily. The repeat application of the acid may have been a factor also I guess, I will trial this again soon to find out.


Metal out and similar products are sequestreants, and work fine when there is a soluble level of metal in the water - they are generally phosphoric acid based, they are not so effective by themselfs at removing the actual stain from the surface in my experience
Chocolate fish do not swim in hot water

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