No! pure salt only, food grade pool salt.

Buy a sequesterant after you get your pool and fill water tested for iron.

Scott

Thanks, poolguynj, but please explain why the citric acid will harm my pool. I have heard that Tang (citric acid) or ascorbic acid can be used to remove rust stains.

Since the pellets are used to treat drinking water, it doesn't seem they would harm my health, so I doubt that is the reason you are discouraging their use.

Morton, you might want to ask the chemists at troublefreepools.com that question. Its my understanding that phosphonic acid prevents the iron from coming out of solution and citric and ascorbic acids lift the solidified iron stains and put them back into solution. As a prevenitive measure citric acid may not have much of an effect.

Thanks, renovxpt, I will duplicate post there.

TFP agrees with poolguynj: they say the citric acid will only use up chlorine, and the sulfates could harm the SWCG.