A Little History of Copper In Pools
Copper has been used for water treatment for years. Because at a certain amount, it lyses algae. It penetrates the cell wall and destroys it.
What Causes High Copper Levels In Pool Water?
Usually, high levels of copper in pool water are caused by the tap water used to fill the pool or the heater that has the heat exchanger going bad. Or it could be caused by any ornaments or statues around the pool that contain copper. If you have any ornaments or statues or anything that contains copper around the pool. When it rains, that rainwater can drip off of the ornament into the pool. Causing copper to go into the pool.
Also, some algaecides contain copper, and that could increase copper levels in pool water. A lot of pool heat exchangers are made of copper. If the pool water is too acidic, it could rip the copper off of the exchanger and cause the copper to go into the pool water.
Pool mineral systems and pool ioniser systems can also cause copper to get into the pool water. If you're looking to use less chlorine, you can’t just put any random piece of copper in your pool.
The reason is that copper stains. Also, a random piece of copper releases the copper ions too slowly to kill algae. The dissolved chemical compound is what has the algaecidal effect. Just any random piece of copper is not protected. Meaning it will easily stain your pool. If you add a mineral system that contains copper, the copper comes protected so it doesn’t stain and is in a state where it could attack the algae.
Copper Does Kill and Prevent Algae in Pools
The way it does is it lysis algae. It enters the cell membrane, disrupts photosynthesis and damages the cell membrane. Like Alicia Stephens from Natural Chemistry says, A pool chemical manufacture. She says copper goes right into the algae and spits the guts out.
Depending on the amount of copper. Like for example, some products prevent algae growth. Or some algaecides can kill a bunch of algae. Also, some mineral systems that contain copper have been known to reduce chlorine use by up to 50%.
For example, there is a product called Blu Ray that is very effective and prevents the growth of algae. In some pond environments sometimes copper is used to fight algae as well, at a level that is not toxic for the animals inside. Copper is antimicrobial.
Copper Tests For Pools and Hot Tubs
There is many pool copper test kits. The best would be to use a Spintouch, the Lamotte Color Q Copper 5 or the Pool Lab. We do pool service miami, so we use the Pool Lab and want to upgrade to the spintouch soon. They are both pretty expensive, but if you want to keep it cheap. We recommend the HACH Aquachek copper test strips.
How To Lower Copper Levels In a Pool
First, you have to test your copper levels. The ideal range of copper in a pool is 0.2 ppm to 0.4 ppm to kill algae. Although already at 0.2 ppm of copper in your water, technically speaking Is enough to stain. We would say when the copper level exceeds 0.5 ppm, remove all copper. If you want to get rid of copper in your pool. You could use a sequestrant like Jack's Magic magenta stuff. It holds the metal ions in suspension. It kind of provides a protective layer to the copper. It gathers all the copper ions and brings them together.
When you use a sequestrant like magenta stuff, it doesn’t remove the copper from the water; it just clumps the copper ions together. Then you’ll need the Jack's Magic filter fiber stuff. Which is a white powder Jack's Magic sells. You add that to your filter. Which makes your filter pick up finer microns, and it will pick up the sequestered metals.
Then once you clean your pool filter you’ll remove the copper from the water. According to Jack's Magic, it only takes about 5 days from when you add the sequestrant to the water and from when you add the filter fiber stuff for the copper to be removed. But a sequestrant alone does not eliminate the copper from the pool. It just clumps the copper together and protects it for a certain period of time. Adding a sequestrant helps prevent the copper from staining because it holds it, and it also protects it from chlorine. Because chlorine can oxidize copper and cause it to stain.
Another way to remove copper from swimming pool water is to use a Culator filter. It is a metal filter you add to the pump basket or to the pool skimmer, depending on what size you get, that filters small enough to pick up all the copper in the swimming pool. Because a regular pool filter cannot pick up copper from the pool. The Culator filter does not work immediately when you put it in the pool; it takes about two weeks to start working. So it is a good idea to put in a sequestrant for the first two weeks so the metals don’t stain and then after the two weeks the Culator will take over.
Also, if the copper has already stained your surface. Sometimes when you test for it, you won't get a reading because the copper is attached to the surface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to swim in a pool with copper?
Yes, it is safe at low levels; at higher levels, it is not. Well, according to the EPA, the maximum level is 1 ppm that is safe to swim in. If you maintain it below that, it is safe. The problem is, is that it is believed it could be absorbed through your skin, which is not good at all.
What does copper in water look like?
If it's within range, the water looks blue. If you add too much sanitizer or the levels are too high, the water will be green. A clear sign is when you add sanitizer and the water turns green.
Is copper better than chlorine for pools?
No, it's not. Chlorine will eliminate most bacteria. Copper can help chlorine in many ways. But the water will be full of bacteria if chlorine isn't used.