How to Treat a Pool for High Copper Levels

Maintaining clear pool water reduces the amount of ongoing maintenance and creates a pleasant place in which to swim. One problem that pool owners sometimes encounter is excess copper levels in the water. When the copper levels rise, they begin to rust and turn the water green. Excess copper is a problem for those who have a well and those who use copper-based algaecides. You can remedy the problem of high copper by adding the proper pool chemicals to neutralize it.

Clear glass
White paper
Plastic storage container with lid
Liquid pool chelating agent

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the pool water carefully to ensure that it is perfectly clear, but tinted a slight green color. If needed, scoop up some water in a clear glass and hold the glass in front of a piece of white paper to determine this. If the water is green and slightly cloudy, you have an algae problem, not a high copper problem.
- 2
  Pour the water into a plastic storage container with a tight-fitting lid and take it to any pool supply company to have it tested. They will provide you with a report indicating the levels of copper in the water. The report displays the amount of copper in parts per million (ppm).
- 3
  Open a liquid pool chelating agent, available from the pool-supply company. Pour the agent into the pool water using 1 qt. of the agent for every 1 ppm. of copper indicated on the report. This amount is for 10,000 gallons of pool water, so increase it accordingly if more water is in the pool.
- 4
  Turn your pool filter on, if it is not already, and allow it to run constantly for 72 hours. The chealating agent binds to the copper to move it through the filtration system more easily.

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