Rid O Rust systems and pool water

[BroncoBobblehead]

We have high iron content in our well water. Currently, when needing to add water to the pool, I run a hose from a sink in the garage that is post-reverse-osmosis system and filters out the rust but we're having irrigation installed and putting in a treatment system to remove the rust from the outdoor spigots to prevent staining on fences/concrete, etc. Is there any reason why I cannot then use an outdoor spigot (post-rust removal system) to fill the swimming pool? We're looking at a system like Rid O Rust.

 

[duraleigh]

Anything that actually removes the rust from your source water is great. There is no reason not to use the spigot for refill and maintenance. Trying to fill the entire pool all at once will likely overwhelm your new R/O system so be mindful of the R/O capacity.

 

[BroncoBobblehead]

Anything that actually removes the rust from your source water is great. There is no reason not to use the spigot for refill and maintenance. Trying to fill the entire pool all at once will likely overwhelm your new R/O system so be mindful of the R/O capacity.

Thanks for the reply - yes, it would be a lot to fill the whole pool. Fortunately, we never empty it so it's just topping off during hot/dry weather and in the spring when reopening. Tried using spigot water once and never again - pool was rusty for weeks until I could get it all filtered out (thank you pillow stuffing). My question more specifically is whether there is any concern at all about the additive that the system injects into the water such that it harms the pool liner (vinyl), or pump/SWG/Heater etc. They market it as safe for humans and pets, etc, but just wanted to be sure there weren't any caveats for a pool or large volumes of water potentially being added at a time to a pool.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Can you please post details of this rust removal system you plan to use?? Never heard of Rid'O'Rust but if it is a liquid injection system, you are ADDING some form of chemical to the irrigation water to get rid of the rust. It could potentially be something you DO NOT want in your pool water like phosphates or oxalic acid.

The only iron removal systems other than RO are green sand or berm media systems that actually oxidize the dissolved iron into iron oxide particulates and then the filter mechanically removes them (you have to backwash these types of filters regularly to flush out all the iron oxide that builds up in them). This usually requires either air injection or oxidizer injection (permanganate, peroxide, or chlorine) into the water stream that goes into the green sand media filter. The Rid O Rust system, from what little I have seen online, looks simply to be a chemical injection that "hides" the effects of the iron in your well water but doesn't actually get rid of it.

 

[PoolStored]

It could potentially be something you DO NOT want in your pool water like phosphates or oxalic acid.

The Rid O Rust stain remover, used with the feeder system is Oxalic Acid.

 

[BroncoBobblehead]

I don't have the exact info on what specifically they're using but it's a phosphate chemical that coats the iron to keep it from oxidizing and thus staining stuff. It's not technically removing the iron so I should have said that better! However, it does say that it's safe for pools. I'm just being doubly cautious in understanding it. I would probably be looking at topping off the water in our 15k gallon pool maybe once a month (adding maybe 1-2 inches of water) for the 4-5 months a year we keep the pool open in northern Indiana.

Rid-O-Rust® Rust Preventer

DESCRIPTION 2X CONCENTRATED FORMULA (RR1) Rid-O-Rust is the superior, cost-effective rust preventer for use in American Hydro feeder systems. It neutralizes iron in well water to prevent ugly rust stains on your property, extends the life of your sprinkler components and prevents costly...

proproducts.com

 

[BroncoBobblehead]

oh, I need to update my sig to show I have an SWG now - doing that now.

 

[PoolStored]

 

[JoyfulNoise]

HEDP and Oxalic acid. You don’t want that in your pool. The HEDP is not as much of an issue but oxalic acid can cause health problems.

If you install that system you can’t use the water for pool fill.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

HEDP will eventually breakdown into inorganic phosphates from chlorine oxidation. This will then release all of the iron it is sequestering and you'll wind up with iron in your pool. Phosphates can also increase the chances of getting an algae bloom as phosphates are basically algae-food. There is also anecdotal evidence and warnings from all the major SWG manufacturers that phosphates can be detrimental to the catalytic coating on the SWG plates.

Oxalic acid can combine with high CH levels to form calcium oxalate which is a hard, insoluble calcium scale. Ingesting water with high levels of oxalate can lead to kidney stones.