Are they safe to use? If so, how much for a 20k gallon pool and how much will my copper levels go up and best way to bring them down?
Copper Sulfate Crystals
- Thread starter LaMraVrga
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,605
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Please do not use copper sulfate. It adds copper and sulfates. Sulfate erode metal and concrete (plaster). No Bueno for El Poolo.
www.troublefreepool.com
Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Can I add shock right after adding copper sulfate? Or which one first and how much copper? I just bought some at Ace Hardware. It's a root killer product called root.
Lifted from the Wiki:
Problems sulfates can cause include:
Sulfates and copper only come out by draining and replacing with water free of both.
Problems sulfates can cause include:
- Sulfates can damage concrete & plaster
- Excess sulfates in water increases the likelihood of corrosion on metal parts
- Excess sulfates in splash out water leads to degradation of any concrete surfaces
- Sulfates degrade the coatings on SWG plates
- At high enough concentrations, sulfates can react with calcium to form spindly, needle-like crystals of calcium sulfate (gypsum)
- While sulfates in vinyl pools is typically not as problematic as in plaster pools, scaling of gypsum crystals can increase the risk of liner puncture
Sulfates and copper only come out by draining and replacing with water free of both.
Haha El poolo lol. But it's so tempting!!! What if it's just one time and a very small dose?Please do not use copper sulfate. It adds copper and sulfates. Sulfate erode metal and concrete (plaster). No Bueno for El Poolo.
Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,605
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
If you like copper staining and concrete erosion, go for it.
Theres no reason for copper in the water so there should be nothing tempting about it.
The "There's no reason for" argument can be made for algae, and everything else that won't meet the pool testing standards. If you're a new pool owner you're bound to come across the "drain the pool", or "Purchase this expensive system" or, "catch a unicorn and kill it then grind it's horn and sprinkle it over the pool but only if the temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit in Texas I'm the summer and it's gotta be a full moon and then run your system for a week straight". What's a tiny amount of copper going to do to the plaster?
Absolutely nothing, except add copper to the water. Theres no benefit and lots of risks/problems. You can of course do what you want.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,787
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
@LaMraVrga
Suggest you have a read thru Pool Care Basics
And become familiar with the TFP method of pool care.
Suggest you have a read thru Pool Care Basics
And become familiar with the TFP method of pool care.
There is no reason for algae. Funny that TFP pools don't get algae and but pools run by pool store methods do, yet TFP have no copper in them while pool store aisles are full of products with copper. Seems to me one method works while the other needs everything thrown at the water in hopes it might not get too bad.
Pool stores use ignorance to sell products to new pool owners. They sell chlorination products with CYA, then sell algaecide because the high CYA and fear of high chlorine levels can't prevent algae, then they sell purported CYA remover to maybe fix the problem they caused and will continue to make worse. The best thing a new pool owner can get is an education, but that only happens if they are willing to let go of the outdated sales pitches they got from pool stores.
I totally agree with you. Couldn't have said it better.
I will return the copper sulfite I bought yesterday. I've been busting Rear cleaning my pool the entire week because it was greener than a swamp and full of debris after we got hit by a tornado recently... Yesterday, when I got home from work I saw my pool extremely clear and beautiful. In my hand I had copper sulfate crystals, PoolRx, a bunch of liquid chlorine shock and granules shock, super phosphate remover, water clarifier... I was ready to attack haha. Luckily my hard work paid off. All my levels are just right except my CYA (140) and Copper (0.2). ironically it's the two that can't be removed unless you drain so I will still partially drain little by little, maybe once every 3 weeks until I see thosaae levels go down. I won't put a single tablet in the pull and use liquid chlorine and Cal-hypo the night before using the pool and that should get me by.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,605
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
What is your CH level in the pool. CH is the other chemical that you cannot remove without draining. If your CH gets too high, you can get scaling.
Test your CH, and test the CH of your fill water.
Depending on those results, might be better to stick with liquid chlorine.
Should I keep the PoolRx or return it? Seems like a good product (or concept) but my copper is already at 0.2 and it says it needs to be 0 before installing PoolRx. Getting my copper to 0 will take at least a month and cost money so back to the cycle of financial death lol.
Or should I just return it ($65) and continue with my plan above?
Or should I just return it ($65) and continue with my plan above?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,605
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Return the poolRX, more trouble than benefit.
You should be fine using Cal-Hypo and liquid Chlorine...just understand that when your CH gets high, the only way to remove it is replacing water.
What is your fill water CH?
You should be fine using Cal-Hypo and liquid Chlorine...just understand that when your CH gets high, the only way to remove it is replacing water.
What is your fill water CH?
Oh I have no clue. I don't have my own tests yet. I was at several stores looking at some but I was confused because they all work with an app or something so I postponed that purchase til after I ask here about tests.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,605
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
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