Top tip from Expert

Using well water for filling your pool

With rising temperatures and the beginning of the bathing season, many owners consider changing the water in their pool. The question whether you can use well water for filling your pool is answered by Dr. Bernd Bayerl in this expert tip...

At the beginning of the bathing season many owners of swimming pools change the water in their pool. An economic alternative to tap water for filling your pool is well water. Well water when compared with tap water contains more metal ions, particularly iron, which can react with water treatment products. Therefore it is suggested that before filling, the well water is checked to determine the metal content and if, respectively under which conditions the water can be used..

With a simple test you can find out if well water contains metal ions:

Fill a clean white 10 litre plastic bucket with well water and add 10g of Chlorifix. If the water contains iron or manganese, it will result in a discoloration of the water after approximately 1-2 hours. If there is iron present, a green or brown colour will become evident. In rare cases the water turns black, due to manganese being released in the water.

If discoloration arises, ion removal depends on the filtering unit used:

1. If your pool is fitted with a cartridge filter, no reliable method exists to remove metals. In this case tap water only should be used for filling.
2. If your pool is fitted with a sand filter, however, you are able to fill it with well water. The trick: BAYROL Superflock is capable of removing iron and/or manganese from the water.

To do so firstly carry out a shock chlorination and then apply a Superflock cartridge in the skimmer. The highly effective flocculant encases the metal irons and increases their size to become larger flakes, which in turn can be filtered by a sand filter and thus reduce the iron and magnesium content in the pool. The initially green or brown water will become crystal clear again within 1 – 3 days, depending on the filter running time and the metal ion concentration. It is important to begin with flocculation immediately after filling and the execution of the shock chlorination. If you wait too long with removing the discolouration, it may lead to metal deposits on the pool walls, which in consequence may require draining the pool water altogether to thoroughly clean the pool shell.

Besides metal ions, Superflock removes other fine particles from the water as well, and should therefore be used regularly during the bathing season to improve water quality. The continuous removal of turbidity ensures that your pool water becomes and remains crystal clear.

For pool owners with cartridge filter

Although you cannot eradicate metals by using flocculation in combination with cartridge filters, you can still remove turbidity. BAYROL Superklar has been developed to clarify the water particularly when using cartridge filters.