Technical Manual - Technical Bulletin - 7

The consensus in the pool industry is that there are several sources of sticky substances, often referred to as "pool goo" or "pool tar" that adhere to and coat portions of the vinyl pool liner.

Some of these sources are:

1. Algaecide-humate or Quat-humate formed from the interaction of quaternary ammonium compound used in some algaecides and decaying organic material such as leaves, grass, insects, etc.

2. Interaction of quat algaecides with other substances. Even chlorine can interact with quatsto form sticky material if both chlorine and algaecide exceed the recommended dosage levels. Quats can easily come in contact with high chlorine levels in automatic chlorinators, resulting in a gummy material gradually being fed into the pool, where it eventually precipitates on the liner. Many quat containers are labelled with cautionary notes warning against mixing with pool water having high chlorine concentrations.

3. Chlorinator goo can form when organic material from cosmetics, tanning lotions, etc. are oxidized by high chlorine concentrations resulting in a beige, waxy material.

4. A light coating of vinyl plasticizer may exude to the surface of newly installed liners during the first idle period of winterization. This material is clear and only turns dark if contaminated with dirt. It is attributed to lack of circulation, since it has never been observed in a pool that has been circulated over the winter. It will almost always re-absorb n two or three weeks if the water is allowed to warm up and is circulated and shocked with chlorine every couple of days. The problem is not known to occur more than once in a the life of a liner and always the first time the pool is re-opened after winterization.

5.Pool scum is a ring that forms around the pool at the water line and is made up of soil, contaminants from suntan lotion, environmental pollution, and organic materials from bather load, etc.

The following procedure has been recommended by experts in the pool industry as being effective in eliminating "pool goo" or "pool tar" problems.

1. Stop using quaternary algaecides.

2. Reduce and maintain pH at 7.0 - 7.2.

3. Superchlorinate every other day to 6.0 - 8.0 ppm.

4. Use heater to speed up warming of water, if available.

5. Continue to circulate water and monitor pressure on filter.

6. Backwash filter as often as required.

The attached Technical Information Bulletin issued by BioLab Inc. and reprinted with the permission of BioLab, discusses the plasticizer exudation phenomenon in greater detail. I feel that it will be very useful in promoting greater understanding of this problem.

This page last updated: November 1, 2007