Photo cue strip
Review the newest pool log photos first, then use the decision tree below to choose the right stain branch.
No stain photos are attached to the latest log yet.
Take a wide daylight photo and a close-up of the stain in the next log, then revisit this helper with the new attachment.
Take a wide daylight shot and a close-up before cleaning — different stains leave different visual clues.
- ✕Do not reach for acid or SLAM before identifying the stain type from its visual pattern
- ✕Do not treat mixed stain + scale + finish damage with a single product
Stain color and location / Pool surface type
Photo-Driven Stain Identification Helper
Use the latest logged photos, the waterline pattern, and source-water history to choose the right stain branch before you reach for acid or SLAM.
Capture the right view
A useful stain photo shows the pattern, not just the symptom.
Sort the photo by visual pattern
The first branch should come from the look of the stain, not from the chemical you want to use.
Match the photo to the first treatment
Use the photo to choose the safest first response, not the most aggressive one.
Compare photos with pool history
The pool log matters because repeated symptoms often track back to refill water or chemistry drift.
- A good photo helps, but the chemistry history tells you whether the same stain keeps coming back for the same reason.
Escalate when the photo is mixed or inconclusive
If a single stain shows more than one pattern, stop trying to solve it with one product.
- If you cannot tell what the stain is from the photo and the history, do not make the cleanup more aggressive.
Resources (10)
Stains, metals, and discoloration
Use the stains guide when the photo points toward metals, organics, or scale and you need the deeper treatment order.
Source water and refill water
Use the source-water guide when the photo seems to track back to refill water or repeated top-offs.
Source water pre-treatment
Use the pre-treatment guide when the stain is part of a repeating refill-water burden.
Pool water testing and accuracy
Use the testing guide when the photo would otherwise drive a large dose, drain, or cleanup step.
Photo-First Surface and Stain Atlas
Use the atlas when the photo needs a broader comparison set for tile, fiberglass, vinyl, scale, or finish changes.
Tile line cleaning and scale removal
Use the tile-line guide when the photo looks like a waterline deposit instead of a true stain.
Fiberglass pool defects
Use the fiberglass-defect guide when the photo suggests the surface itself may be failing.
Liner repair and replacement
Use the liner guide when the photo suggests vinyl wear, wrinkles, or a defect rather than a chemistry stain.
Surface and tool compatibility matrix
Use the compatibility matrix before choosing acids, pumice, brushes, or stain treatments for a specific finish.
New plaster startup
Use the startup guide when the photo suggests a fresh finish is changing appearance during cure or startup.
Educational guidance only. Verify labels, manuals, local code, and site conditions before acting. Stop for electrical, gas, structural, drain, drowning, injury, emergency, or chemical-mixing risk.