"MINERALS" VERSUS "METALS": The terms "Minerals" and "Metals" are often confusing to pool owners. The two terms are the SAME, consisting primarily of copper, iron, manganese, calcium, and magnesium, as well as other various minerals; any of which can lead to odd-colored tints of the water, stains, or the formation of scale in your pool. But, many pool professionals often categorize the same concept into two separate terms.

They refer to the copper, iron, manganese, calcium, and magnesium that are present in tap water, which is used to fill your pool, as "Minerals."

At the same time, they refer to the cooper, iron, manganese, calcium, and magnesium that are used in the metallic materials to construct the pool walls and floor, as well as the hand rails, ladders, light fixtures, and equipment (primarily the internals of the pump and heater) as "Metals."

Regardless if the copper, iron, manganese, calcium, and magnesium are either a breakdown of particles found in tap water or are particles from the metallic materials used to construct your pool structure, equipment, components, parts, and accessories, the two terms are the SAME.

When discussing the particles that can lead to colored (tints of the) water, stains, or the formation of scale, poolmanual.com will use the term "minerals," regardless if the source of the minerals (copper, iron, manganese, calcium, and magnesium) is from tap water or from metallic parts of your pool.