Top 10 Causes of Brown Pool Water

Help! My pool water is clear brown.

Brown pool water is usually due to metals, organic contaminants, or imbalances in the pool’s chemistry. Clear brown water indicates oxidized iron is in the swimming pool. Cloudy brown water indicates organics are also present in pool water.

Here are the top 10 causes:

  1. High Iron Content: Iron in the water often comes from well water, corroded pipes, saltwater systems, bricks, stones, pavers, and pool screens or cages. When chlorine is added to the pool, iron oxidizes, turning the water clear brown or rust colored. If the pH goes up too high, you will get surface staining. Solution: Use Mega Maintain and a CuLator Ultra 4.0.
  2. High Manganese Levels: Manganese in the water, also found in well water or through pipe corrosion, can oxidize and give a brownish or black tint. Solution: Use Mega Maintain and a CuLator Ultra 4.0.
  3. Oxidation: Metals in pool equipment can “dissolve” due to low pH, especially iron, copper, and manganese, which discolor the water and can stain pool surfaces. Solution: Use Mega Maintain and a CuLator Ultra 4.0.
  4. Algae Growth: Certain types of algae, especially when dying or being treated, can turn pool water brown or murky. Solution: Increase your chlorine level. If algae continue, use a copper-based algaecide.
  5. Debris and Organic Material: Leaves, soil, or organic debris can decompose in the pool, giving the water a brown tint and affecting the pH and chlorine levels. Solution: Add more chlorine.
  6. High Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): Excessive minerals and salts in the water can cause discoloration and murkiness if TDS levels become too high. Solution: Drain some pool water and replace it with fresh water.
  7. Low Chlorine Levels: Insufficient chlorine allows organic material to thrive, often leading to water discoloration or cloudiness. Solution: Add more chlorine.
  8. Incorrect pH Levels: Low or high pH can interfere with chlorine’s effectiveness, leading to discoloration from unbalanced water chemistry. Solution: Get pH within range of 7.2-7.6.
  9. Faulty Filter System: A clogged or broken filter can fail to remove organic particles and metals, leading to murky or brown water. Solution: Clean filter or replace with new filter.
  10. Old, Stale Water: If pool water has not been replaced or refreshed in a long time, contaminants and dissolved minerals can accumulate, leading to discoloration. Solution: remove some swimming pool water and replace it with fresh water.

Proper water testing and regular maintenance are key to identifying and addressing the root cause, especially by checking metal levels, pH, and filtration efficiency.

If your brown water is caused by iron, a simple solution is to use https://culator.com/product/mega-maintain-metal-stain-scale-control-sequestering-agent/Mega Maintain Sequester with a CuLator Ultra 4.0 to remove all the ionized metals therefore preventing pool surface stains and water discoloration.

 

If your brown water is caused by organics, increase your chlorine level, or add algaecide.

Top 10 Reasons to Use CuLator Metal Eliminator and Stain Preventer for Pools and Spas

All Products CuLator

“CuLator offers a comprehensive solution for removing metals from pool water, ensuring clean, clear, and stain-free water while protecting equipment and simplifying maintenance. Its effectiveness lies in its ability to prevent staining, reduce scaling, and preserve water quality by removing metals such as copper, iron, and manganese. By stabilizing pH levels and being compatible with all pool types, CuLator simplifies pool maintenance while being environmentally friendly. With its long-lasting pouches and cost-effective approach, CuLator proves to be an essential investment for pool owners seeking to maintain pristine water conditions and prolong the lifespan of their equipment.”

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My CuLator Ultra 4.0 swelled up! Is that normal?

Used CuLator Ultra 4.0 with Iron Trapped Inside

My CuLator Ultra 4.0 swelled up and filled the GatorEgg.  It looks like it is going to explode!  We hear this question all the time.  This is  normal.  Some CuLator Ultras do not swell up.  This is also normal.  Sometimes the bag may even have some polymers on the outside of the bag.  This is normal.  What isn’t normal is if the seams are torn or there is a hole in the bag.  If this happens, contact Periodic products at 954-764-7654.  Don’t worry, the CuLator is non-toxic and any polymers which ooze out of the bag will be caught by the filter.  The polymers will continue to work until you rinse off the filters.

Also notice that the colors of the polymers change depending on the metals trapped inside.  This is a great way to see if the CuLator is pulling out the metals from your swimming pool.

CuLator prevents stains by removing and eliminating stain-causing metals like iron, copper, cobalt, and manganese from pool water.

Used CuLator with Cobalt Trapped Inside
Used CuLator Ultra 4.0 with Copper Trapped Inside

CuLator Removed Copper From My Swimming Pool!

Thank you kindly for the information!  Historically, for the pool, I’ve simply used the CuLator 1.0 packet in my skimmer basket with good results.  I did try the CuLator 4.0 inside the GatorCage as an upgrade/replacement, but it did not seem to perform much differently.  Not complaining, but if the 1.0 is working, it would be simpler for me to just continue that routine.

As far as actual movement and lifespan, continuously using on of the CuLator packets has kept my copper levels fairly steady at 0.1 ppm.  Sometimes 0.0 and sometimes 0.2, but very flat.  I was north of 1.0 and going higher when I started using them just under 2 years ago when we bought the pool.  Previous owner did not unfortunately manage the water chemicals very well – pH way out of spec, ridiculously high chlorine and CYA, plus he added algaecide doses every week…

Everything is now in much better shape, but I think there is some damage to either the heater and/or copper pool pipes (underground) allowing them to leech copper still.  However, I do think it is getting better (reduced)!   Actually planning running for several weeks later this summer when I have a bit more free time without the CuLator to see how fast the levels are rising, but assume there will still be a need long term for the CuLator.

Thank you again!

CuLator with Copper Removed from Swimming Pool Water

Phoenix Arizona has Copper in Water

CuLator removes copper from Phoenix water
The colors inside the CuLator show metals removed
CuLator turns colors depending on metals removed from swimming pool
Blue shows copper, yellow shows iron, and the green is a combo of metals removed

Phoenix Arizona has Copper in Water

Phoenix, Arizona is dealing with a major copper issue in the municipal water.  When Phoenix residents fill their pools with city water, they are adding high levels of stain-causing copper, which can stain swimming pool surfaces or cause water discoloration.  

If you shock a swimming pool with copper in it, the pool water can turn bright green, or grayish or blueish stains can appear on the surfaces.

If the copper level is below .2 ppm, you should be safe from staining.  However, the goal is to have a swimming pool with 0 copper.  If your copper level goes up to .3, then you are at risk of staining all the pool surfaces.  

So, what can you do about a pool with copper in the water?

If you have copper in your swimming pool water, then you should use some Mega Maintain Sequestering Agent to suspend the copper in the pool water.  Next (at the same time) add a CuLator 1.0 to the skimmer basket or a CuLator Ultra 4.0 to your bump basket and let it remove and eliminate the metals from your water.  

What’s great about CuLator is that it is non-toxic and removes high levels of metals including copper, iron and manganese.  Those are the three metals which stain pools the most.  The other great thing about CuLator is the contents of our PowerPak bag change colors.  

What can you do if your pool is stained with copper?

We recommend using the Metal Stain Eliminator Kit.  It is a no-drain kit which removes metal stains, sequesters the metals (suspends the metals in the water), and removes or eliminates the metals from the swimming pool with CuLator Metal Eliminator and Stain Preventer.

How do I know my CuLator is working?

We get asked this question all the time.  The answer is to look UP at the CuLator with a light or sun behind it.  This will show the color of the metals removed.  You will notice that iron turns the CuLator a yellow color and copper turns it a blue color.  Sometimes you will see both.

Is My CuLator Working?

Another Happy Customer

The Results of Your Products Were Amazing! A Happy Customer!

Pool Steps with metal stains
BEFORE TREATMENT -METAL STAINS
Pool stair stains removed
AFTER TREATMENT - STAINS GONE
No-Drain-Stain-Eliminator-Kit
BEFORE TREATMENT - STAINED TILES
AFTER TREATMENT - NO STAINS

THIS IS FROM A HAPPY CUSTOMER WHO USED THE METAL STAIN ELIMININATOR KIT TO CLEAN UP THE COPPER STAINING FROM THE POOL.

It should be noted that I first tried Jack’s Magic Blue Stuff.  I was able to reduce the copper from about 3 to about 2 but that was it.  After a day or so, the copper level again increased. This was AFTER I replaced the brass ladder and the brass handrail with a new Safeco ladder and handrail.

The Jack’s rep was guiding me, but after the copper level increased, he told me that he could no longer help me and told me to get professional help.

That was when I went online and found Periodic Products.

The results of your products were amazing….as was your friendly advice.

I am a big believer in your products and I will always recommend your products and your support to my friends.

A happy customer!

Sandy from South Florida

CuLator Solves Copper Cyanurate Problems in Swimming Pools

We received a question from a customer who had purple gunk at the bottom of his swimming pool.  We suspected that he had copper cyanurate.  We had him check his CYA level which was very high.  His copper level was also very high.  High copper + High CYA = Copper Cyanurate.   We had him drain the pool water and refill until the CYA was between 30-50.  When he drained the water, there was a light purple residue (sand) which showed up on the street pavement.  Obviously, that purple sand was copper cyanurate.  He was instructed to add a CuLator Ultra 4.0 to his pump basket and the problem was solved.

Here is what was said in his own words:

06/20/20 

Here are the photos of our pool. The last two photos show the residue that accumulated in the street at the end of the vacuum hose. The numbers are looking great; we will be placing the CuLator Ultra 4.0 cartridge in the pump basket this evening! 

Once again, thank you for all your help. I look forward to doing business with you in the future.

 

09/10/20

Pool closing…thanks for all your help this Spring with our “Purple Haze” problem. We survived the summer with pristine pool water and no problems.

H.D. Long Island, NY

Happy Customer in Washington State!

May 7, 2019

  “David M. is the guy!  If you need a “go to pool guy” to answer pool chemistry questions call David.  I have a 25.000 gallon in-ground pool(reason we purchased the house 5 years ago). Every year has been a challenge to open the pool.  We are on a well with lots of Iron and other metals.  Every year I would go to the local pool store and ask for advice on how to open my pool.  Every year I would end up spending hundreds of dollars on chemicals that they said would give me sparkling clear pool water.  Every year it would take a month or more just to get the pool to a swimmable state.  I would get the pool balanced and then they would say add more chlorine(more money).  One year after shocking the pool(just add more they said) my pool water turned a very pretty purplish brown! Unswimmable!  I looked online for help and I stumbled across the Periodic Products website.  I called them up and spoke with David.  I explained what was going on with my pool and he said stop.  He explained what was going on chemistry wise with my pool water.  He than laid out a plan step by step to get my pool water to that beautiful crystal clear state.  David said do this today and call me tomorrow and let me know what happened.  He did this over and over again until I had crystal clear pool water.  The amazing thing about his advice was every time he said to do something I got the exact result he said I would get.  It was as if he was at my house performing the task himself!  Another amazing thing was he didn’t try to sell me anything!  The only thing I purchased from David was  a CuLator 4.0 pack.  This I needed to eliminate the metals in my pool water from my well.  David gave me hundreds of dollars worth of advice and information free of charge and he did so with so much joy.  His advice gave me joy because it worked but it seemed to give him even greater joy because he had helped me. Again David is the guy!  I can’t say that enough or with enough enthusiasm!  I am now enjoying my pool(the reason we bought the house).  Thank You David and Periodic Products.   Marshall Washington State Pool owner

Why does the CuLator Ultra 4.0 Swell Up?

culator metal eliminator

When CuLator is added to the skimmer or pump basket, it usually swells up and becomes very puffy. This is normal. The best way to see if the CuLator is catching metals is to hold it up to the light. In this case, there is some blue at the top showing that the CuLator is binding copper out of the swimming pool water and preventing stains..

 

 

Why does the CuLator Ultra 4.0 puff up? The CuLator polymers “hydrate” when they enter the water and puff up.  As they bind the metals out of the pool water, the CuLator bags will “shrink” back down to a much smaller size.  So, when is CuLator finished?  It is easier to tell with the Ultra 4.0 because the bag will be about 1/2 full, or the contents will feel watery inside or they will feel sandy.  With the 1.0 it is a little bit harder to tell, but when the bag feels almost empty or there is a lot of color in the bag after a month, then it is exhausted.

Review of CuLator Metal Eliminator with Before and After Shot

Before and After CuLator
Before and After CuLator

This pool was greenish from oxidized iron and lower alkalinity.  After the chemistry was balanced and a CuLator Ultra 4.0 was used to remove the metals from the water, the pool stair stains were gone, the cloudiness was gone, and the metals were out of the pool water.

Here is the review:

Hi,     I placed the CU Lator in the skimmer basket last week. The results from the test at Leslie’s is no copper. The chlorine and other test items were just about ok. So yesterday the family used the pool.     I want to thank you for the product, CU Lator, and the kind and attentive assistance you gave to me in getting my pool dilemma resolved.     Now I will have to learn how to balance the pool chemicals, so it  does not repeat again. Thank you again and have a nice day.

F.T.  Lincoln Park, NJ