Green Hair In A Pool
There are several possibilities for the cause of green hair in a pool:
- Chlorine Based Hair Products
- pH Imbalance (too high)
- Chlorine In The Pool
- Copper Too High
- Calcium Too Low
Chlorine Based Hair Products
Chlorine based hair products will react with the copper causing green hair. Use non-chlorine based hair products with ECOsmarte water. To get rid of the green hair color, wash hair and rinse with lemon juice.
pH Imbalance
High pH can cause green hair. Lower pH to 6.6 - 7.0. Mix liquid muriatic acid in a bucket with water. Walk the solution around the pool adding the solution to the pool.
Chlorine In Pool
Chlorine in the pool will react with the copper, causing copper chloride, which stains the pool as well as causing green hair. Don't use chlorine in an ECOsmarte pool. Use lemon juice to rinse hair that has turned green from chlorine.
High Copper
If the copper gets above 1.3 ppm it will precipitate out of the water, coating the pool surface and causing green hair. Lower the copper until it is within .4 ppm - .7 ppm. There are two ways to lower copper.
1) Drain the pool down 1-2 feet and refill. Retest copper and drain and refill another 1-2 feet if it is still too high.
2) Use Ferre Tabs following the instructions on the bottle.
Low Calcium
Low calcium can cause green hair. If calcium is below 300 ppm it needs to be raised using Calcium Chloride Flakes. (A very general rule of thumb is that 100 lbs of calcium will raise the calcium level in a pool 20,000 gallon pool about 100 ppm. Add 50lb bags at a time and test in between each 50 lbs.)
1) Add one 50 lb bag at a time by putting a little at a time in a leaf skimmer and swishing it around toward the middle of the pool until it dissolves.
2) Wait a couple days before testing the water again - to make sure the calcium is thoroughly mixed into the pool water.
Tip: Calcium is very stable in the water and only drops if there is alot of rain. Test after heavy storms and about every six months.
Wash hair and rinse with lemon juice to get the green tinge out.
