Stainless steel ladder rusting

[waverunner]

My pool ladder is stainless steel and it starting to rust away where the steps are and at the water/air level. The rust is eating into stainless and causing pitting.

I was told to add an anode but this just makes the ladder go grey and dirty ? help..........

[all blue pools]

all blue pools
#1 ph too low, keep7.4-7.6
#2 akalinity too low-- keep at 200 ppm-240ppm
add salt to to your pool
#3 pitting means surface is already in trouble get a new ladder
they have plastic ones now or powder coat a re-chrome the old one alan

[bobobi-wan]

shouldn't alkalinity be kept at 80-100? also as has been taught here that ideally alk x ch should be 25,000 -(30,000).I keep my alk at 70 because my ch is 550-600.otherwise it would be 80-100

[GalaxyRider]

I'm having the same problem......rust right where the plastic steps touch the stainless steel side tubing.
It's discoloring my white steps badly, but I'm not having any pitting.
My PH trends hi, which is the norm I'm told, for salt water pools. I'll double check the alkalinity.
Also, what does everyone do for winter months in Central Alabama?....we we maintain all chemical levels as normal, or let everything go till spring?......
thanks,

[AlanGmyerson]

The rust is probably coming from the bolts that hold the steps in place, not the stainless steel rails. Remove the ladder and replace the bolts and the ladder treads.