Technical Bulletin # 7   TB-7

Subject: Page 1 of 2   Sticky Substances on Vinyl Liner commonly referred to as "Pool Tar" or "Pool Goo"

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.

<Previous> <Contents> <Next>