The Must-Have Product for Your Swimming Pool Maintenance
If you would like to keep your pool’s surface clean and stain free a sequestrant is a key addition to the chemicals you use every week to maintain your pool.
What Is Metal Sequestrant and How Does It Work?
Metal sequestrant is a type of chemical compound that can remove metal ions from solution. These chemicals are used across a wide variety of industries that require metal free water including:
- Commercial and residential pools
- Drinking water
- Industrial wastewater
- And even sewage sludge
Most pool sequestrants have two key agents that work together to get rid of metals and prevent them from doing harm. The first is the chelating agent that will help protect the equipment because chelation binds with metal ions and prevents them from undergoing any other chemical reactions like corrosion.
The second agent is sequestration. The metal sequestrant binds to the metal ions and renders them less soluble in water. This process is called sequestration. The sequestered metal ion then precipitates out of the solution as a solid, which is removed from the liquid stream by sedimentation or filtration.
Where and when to use Sequestrants?
Pool sequestrants are used for two different purposes: for those who want to maintain their current pool and those who want to start a new one.
Pool sequestrants can be used in both fresh and saltwater pools. They are also safe for use with automatic pool cleaners, which can help reduce the number of chemicals needed in your pool.
For pool maintenance, the amount and frequency needed for the metal out or sequestrant can vary depending on the water source. And of course, if the water source (i.e. well water) has more metal in it you will want to bump up the frequency even as much as once per month.
How To Use Sequestrant Safely For Your Pool or Spa?
Some common side effects of using metal out in your pool are red eyes, and some itching or burning on the skin. These can all be alleviated by putting the sequestrant in overnight and letting the pump run. If you can give 24 hours before entering the pool there should be no problems.
How to add sequestrants to your pool?
Generally, you should add 16 ounces per 10,000 gallons of water. This should be broadcast across the surface of the pool and then run the pump for a full 24 hours.
Phosphates
These are considered to be food for algae and most sequestration uses phosphates as part of the process. So when you’re adding a sequestrant you’re adding phosphates to your pool.
As a rule, this is not a problem, unless your pool is already undertreated for algae at which point the sequestrant may just push the pool over the limit and you’ll get an algae bloom. If this happens it is not the end of the world, shock the pool and get control of the algae.
You may want to consider bringing a water sample to your local pool store and ask them to test for phosphates. If you test high you’ll need a phosphate remover, but this will also stop the effectiveness of the sequestrant.
What you may want to consider before adding the sequestrant is to bring the sample to the store first and have them check for phosphates.
If you get a low phosphate reading then add the metal out, if not then add the phosphate remover first give it a chance to work, and then add the sequestrant.
In conclusion
- A good sequestrant will bind all metals, including copper, iron and zinc.
- To prevent staining in the pool metal out or sequestrants should be used regularly.
- If your pool has stains the sequestrant may remove some of them, it depends on how bad they are.
- If the pool is stained badly then there are other options. Please give us a call or fill out the form on the services page.
Metal Gone sequesters and removes excessive metals from pool water. Great for pool start-ups, it will prevent new stains on pool surfaces with regular use.
This is one of the brands we recommend and use in our pools.
Learn how to not waste chlorine by reading the 3 worst mistakes that waste chlorine
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