My daughter has green hair … metal out?

[jennikz]

So we opened the pool last week. All levels seemed fine after the initial slam. Fast forward a few days, after my daughter swam, her blonde hair turned green so I’m assuming I have an abundance of metals.

What is the recommended treatment? Do I need to take a sample to a pool store? I dislike that, because they always try to rope me into things I don’t need or want.

FC 6
Ph 7.4
Alk 130
CH 120
CYA 40

24 ft round hard side

 

[PoolStored]

Copper in your pool water. Likely by some pool store chemical that was introduced into the water. Only effective way to remove it is to replace the water.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[jennikz]

Copper in your pool water. Likely by some pool store chemical that was introduced into the water. Only effective way to remove it is to replace the water.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

We top off with our well water so that must be where it came from. I haven’t been to an actual pool store for “chemicals” in 3 years … I use liquid chlorine and muriatic acid to maintain levels but have never had an issue with green hair until this year.

 

[mknauss]

Might be a hair product. Some time ago something similar was discussed on the forum.

Would be very unlikely that your well water would add copper.

 

[JJ_Tex]

No heater is listed in your signature, so I assume you do not have one?

 

[jennikz]

No heater is listed in your signature, so I assume you do not have one?

No heater.

Just for fun, took some water to the pool store. They claim no metal in my water and that my ph is 8.1 and that is what’s turning the hair green. I think I’ll take another sample to a different store and see what they tell me just for fun.

 

[fire29]

Might be a hair product. Some time ago something similar was discussed on the forum.

Would be very unlikely that your well water would add copper.

Dunno where OP lives but its very feasible
NC: https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/docs/CopperAndPrivateWells.pdf

OP: talk to your local health dept. its a good idea to have a well bacteria tested every year, and about every 5 have a full range of testing, which probably includes some metals testing. Ask if they can specifically test for water. Otherwise maybe look into having a private service test. Its good to have a baseline regardless if something else is the cause, to know whats in your water, esp if you are using it to fill the pool.

 

[jennikz]

Dunno where OP lives but its very feasible
NC: https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/docs/CopperAndPrivateWells.pdf

OP: talk to your local health dept. its a good idea to have a well bacteria tested every year, and about every 5 have a full range of testing, which probably includes some metals testing. Ask if they can specifically test for water. Otherwise maybe look into having a private service test. Its good to have a baseline regardless if something else is the cause, to know whats in your water, esp if you are using it to fill the pool.

I have it tested regularly inside my home (once a year for our filtration system) but not the outside faucets (they don’t go through the system unfortunately). I supposed I could ask them this year to test the outside water as well.

Does anyone know if high phosphates would cause green hair?

I went to the pool store and they claim my ph is high and my CYA is low but my numbers differ. They also claim no metals at all. I just ran another complete test on the water myself and I have the same numbers I had last week, aside from the chlorine, which was at 2 so obviously I added more. I’ve attached what the pool store results. I did run a separate phosphate test that said over 1000 (that’s the highest mine goes) so I’m wondering if phosphates could be the culprit.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

High phosphates … from your well or from the pool?

Phosphates don’t cause green hair.

Has you daughter been swimming in anyone else’s pool? Or a public/school pool?

 

[jennikz]

High phosphates … from your well or from the pool?

Phosphates don’t cause green hair.

Has you daughter been swimming in anyone else’s pool? Or a public/school pool?

High phosphates from the pool.

And no, we just opened our pool last week and the weather hasn’t been great. She only swam a time or two in our pool (no other pool) and ended up w green hair.

 

[fire29]

I went to the pool store and they claim my ph is high and my CYA is low but my numbers differ. They also claim no metals at all. I just ran another complete test on the water myself and I have the same numbers I had last week, aside from the chlorine, which was at 2 so obviously I added more. I’ve attached what the pool store results. I did run a separate phosphate test that said over 1000 (that’s the highest mine goes) so I’m wondering if phosphates could be the culprit.

How are you testing? How are they testing? Not saying I trust theirs, but different test methods will give different results.

 

[jennikz]

How are you testing? How are they testing? Not saying I trust theirs, but different test methods will give different results.

I use the Taylor test kit.

I did go to another pool store (the one trust more) and they’re numbers align more with what I was getting.

And they got 0.10 copper so there is some copper there, just not very much. I got metal remover or something that I’m going to try. I know it doesn’t actually remove it, but we use our pool 3 months of the year. I’m not draining it and refilling it now. Maybe for next year. I’ll just deal for now.

 

[Newdude]

I got metal remover or something that I’m going to try

Copper only comes out by replacing it with copper free water. Iron needs to be sequestered or forced out of solution to be filtered out.

Neither may be removed with metal removers. But the good news is that staining doesn't usually occur below .3 so there's no need to do anything. Only deal with it if staining is to ever occur.

I use the Taylor test kit.

Than stick with your Cadillac. A 1987 Honda is nothing but a disappointment after that.