Help.....Im in conversion confusion

[chlorinebound]

Well, I will start by saying Im in trouble, I live in a town where the pool store is run by a TROLL...Absolute miserable merchant.and no help. Anyway I decided to jump off BAQUACIL cause it is costing me a fortune.


Baq reading below 30 ppm

I have a 24' x 52" round pool. Before finding the site I dumped 4 lbs of non chlorine shock into the pool and ran for 24 hrs then threw in a bag of aqua chem shock, then a day later threw in 2 bags aqua chem shock. Total mess.



I read the forum and decided to go the bleach route. Dumped in 4 gals of 6% bleach and started to get the funky colors.......dumped some more bleach a day later.....still funky colors.....I am cleaning my Cart. filter daily and getting alot of orange/rusty skank coming out./I think I am holding chlor overnight cause I test in am and get agood reading. Cheap test kit from Walmart. PH might be a little low so I was gonna get soem Borax.

Readings this morning are -
Chlor way above 5 ppm -that the limit of my test kit
PH 6.8- 7.2 very faint color -
Alkalinity I think is 110-170
Stabalizer 20ppm


should I keep adding bleach???????I am getting gunk out but I thought after several days I would be done by now........HELP. My kids and wife are going to throw me in the soup bowl (pool)

[duraleigh]

What does your water look like?

[chlorinebound]

The color is a milky tinted yellow/green more milky than green, I cant see bottom

[sevver]

Keep going man! Don't lose hope.

[chlorinebound]

I just put another jug 6% ultra through skimmer....Do I need the borx to raise the PH?::confused:

[duraleigh]

Keep your chlorine level at 12 - 15 'til your water is sparkling clear.......don't dabble at it like you've been doing...you've got to test and dose accurately to get your water clear.

Since you don't have a decent test kit, you can (inaccurately) get fairly close by adding 2/3 distilled water to your pool water to test for Cl. The test result is then multiplied by three to get a rough idea of your Cl level. Download "bleachcalc" from this forum and apply your chlorine in accurate doses. You should be testing and adding three times daily or more. Adding Cl after dark will be more effective.

Adjust your pH and change your cartridge after your water is perfectly clear.

The reason it is taking you so long is because you are not being consistent and accurate with you chlorine application. The above steps will get you on track and accelerate the process.

[CarlD]

You need to keep shocking with bleach until your water is clear of bacqua-goo. Tell your family it's for their safety and tell them to "Kwitcherbellyaching!"

[Watermom]

You can speed the process up by testing as frequently during the day as you can, and each time adding enough bleach to take your cl level back up to 15. The more often you do it, the quicker your conversion will be.

[chlorinebound]

Thanks to all, I went and got some distilled water. Going to use bleach calc.::)

[chlorinebound]

Been keepin my cl @ 10-15 all day

[chlorinebound]

been keepin means I have kept my chlorine up all day. My wife seems to think my slang is childish.......Oh well ,I did not think it was too bad......mesosorry:D

[duraleigh]

It means the same thing here in NC !!:D

[chlorinebound]

Color is the same and chlorine is high......I am going to be looking for my lucky star tonight....I wonder if tonight will be the night My yard is looking like a bleach jug distribution center...I want clear water.......Help me oh mighty one,,,,,,,]What should I expect??????Anybody......

[chlorinebound]

I think Ill go clean the baquagoop from my filter

[duraleigh]

You must keep your Cl high, test and add bleach frequently, run the pump 24/7, and then add the last ingredient........POP (pool owner patience)

[chlorinebound]

AHHHHH. I am a grasshopper in a big field. Thank you.

[pulmom7]

Hey guys!
I have read off and on all day. Posted on another topic about conversion and watermom responded so quickly. SO thankful for that! I want to convert... the pool, after adding baqua clarifier last night is a clear green. No kidding. The Ph is slightly low, but I have added increaser. All other levels test fine. I must admit, I got in and floated...high in the 90's today! Couldn't help myself:rolleyes:

I am trying to hold out until opening next spring to convert. I cannot find any information anywhere about what I should do next with Baquacil. I still have clarifier, etc....but the guy around here that sells it doesn't have a clue.

Part of me wants to go grab as many cases of chlorine from Sam's as possible and go for it, but my hubby is not sure that is the way for us to go so late in the season. School starts in two weeks, so swimming season will mostly be weekends for the next 4 weeks or so before closing. We want to squeeze out what we can, even if green...if it is at least ok to be in....

Just not sure what is best............conversion time or wait?
Many thanks! And good luck to chlorine bound!

[chlorinebound]

Woke up and went to see pool. test. and its still ugly???????I tested water and Chlorine is up PH is down....I am getting very discouraged:( :( :( I am going to send wife to pool store to see TROLL for a complete reading.....I have to work.Did you tell me not to mess with PH yet????Untill its clear.

[CarlD]

As long as pH is above 7.0, don't worry. Otherwise, add 20 Mule Team Borax to raise it. I suspect you need to keep your pool solidly at 15ppm, and not let it drop to 10.

Your troll may sell 5 gallon carboys of 12.5% liquid chlorine. If you get one, you'll need to give him a deposit on the carboy, and buy a spigot for it while you are at it. This will allow you to add the equiv of 10 gallons of 6% bleach, and you bring the container back for an exchange.

[chlorinebound]

How much borax? TROLL doesnt sell Liquid...I have been using ultra from Wal Mart...Does alkalinity do anything at this stage....should I have a certain level????Thanks

[duraleigh]

Chlorine,

I'm pretty sure I read something Ben posted on the old forum years ago. I can only paraphrase but it went something like this:

"Remember, the condition you are trying to correct took months, sometimes years, of misinformation or neglect to get where you are. It is unrealistic to expect to resolve that condition in 24-48 hours. The methods used on this forum WILL (normally) correct your pool but you must be willing to adhere to the principles involved and exhibit a great deal of patience (POP)"

That advice is viable for literally ever single person who posts here with water issues. Keep the faith, Stay the course, Test and dose accurately (I cannot stress that enough) and your pool will clear......not as fast as you want, but as fast as it can be done.

Pooldoc, if I have only imagined that past advice, my apologies. It's something that has stuck in my brain for years and I may have totally lost track of it's origin.

[duraleigh]

Just saw your last post. Focus on chlorine. your Alk is fine. leave the borax alone for now. Read the stickys at the top of each forum. download bleachcalc.

[KatieD]

Hello Friends!

I'm a newbie who found this forum by searching on my many Baquacil problems. Due to an out of control yellow algae outbreak we're converting to chlorine using instructions from our pool company. I can already hear the groans, having been reading here for awhile now!

I have a few questions, if anyone would be kind and patient enough to go over this same ground yet again!

Ok, my pool is 25,000 in-ground vinyl. We just traded out Zeobrite for sand in our Hayward filter in hopes that the change would help with the algae problem, which it didn't, so now we're converting.

The pool company sold us a product called GLB X-change, which we broadcast into the pool and we're now on our second 3" chlorine tablet. We began this on Friday PM.

There is very little noticable change. The water was already a neon green due to the algae build-up. It's gotten a tiny bit lighter, but barely. We cannot see the bottom on the deep end and the water is fairly cloudy. The algae is still flourishing. We've been sweeping every day, and the algae is right back again.

There is no noticable change in filter pressure, although we are backwashing once a day anyway.

We haven't had the water tested again, but a baquacil test strip shows our sanitizer level to be very low, ph about 7.5 and alkalinity about 120. I know these strips to be unreliable, however. Pool company wants to test once this second tablet is dissolved, which will be tomorrow it seems.

Naturally, having read these forums, I'd like to go with bleach at this point. I'm getting the sense that we'll be at this forever if we continue with the pool co program. I'm sure though, that they won't do our water testing for us once they know we're going this on our own. I have ordered a chlorine test kit from pool solutions, but I probably need something more comprehensive, if I'm reading correctly. I'm not sure when that will arrive, I ordered on Saturday.

OK, here are my specific questions:

What pool test equipment should we have before beginning to add bleach?

Will the bleach get rid of the algae, or are we going to have to deal with that separately?

Will we need to replace the sand in our filter once the conversion is complete? The sand is right now less than one week old.

Is it safe to go in the pool during the conversion?

Thanks so much to anyone who can answer these questions!

[duraleigh]

Katie,

Switching to bleach (chlorine) will cure all your troubles at once. Yes, you'll need to change the sand again.

Email pooldoc right away and ask him to change your order to the PS234 kit....it's all you ever need for years to come.

You can probably swim in the pool during conversion if you want. It's liable to be all sorts of nasty colors for a few days and the cl level will be pretty high....I don't think I'd want to.

Read all the sticky's at the top of each forum.....that'll answer a bunch of questions for you.

Start your own thread with your next set of questions....you'll get much better response.

[KatieD]

Thanks for the feedback Dave, and I will start another thread as suggested.

[chlorinebound]

Saturation index -.64
Total dissolved solids 0
Free Chlorine 1.9
Total chlorine 2.0
Combined Chlor. .1
PH 7.1
Cyanuric Acid 29
Copper 0
Iron 0
Total Alkalinity 82
Adjusted Alk. 82
Calcium Hardness 180


added 6.8 gal of Bleach tonight......using what I got from pool store(readings above). and bleach calc.... If anyone has any helpful info other than buy a better test kit- I would appreciate it. I am starting to think I would have spent less draining pool and adding water back..

[chlorinebound]

Morning again, pool still murky, maybe a bit clear on top layer first 8 inches or so,,,I did put some chlorinating tablets in skimmer last night in addidtion to the jugs of bleach.Anyway, going to clean cart. of baquapoodoo. trying to keep the faith....Is there anybody out there?

[aylad]

In order to complete the conversion, you're going to have to get the chlorine up there and KEEP IT THERE--if you're only adding Cl once a day, it's going to take a long, long, long time before your conversion is complete. I suggest testing and adding more Cl a minimum of 2-3 times daily....those on this forum who have converted in 2-3 days were able to test/add every 2-3 hours or so. We're out here....unfortunately, you're the one at poolside, so the best we can do is give you encouragement. It will happen, but you've got to put the effort (and the bleach) into it.

Janet

[chlorinebound]

Well I am happy to inform you that my pool is clearing.....I added some baking soda with approx 8 gal of chl. last night. This morning a little more baking soda and by this afternoon ......I can see the bottom......was it the baking soda? was it the chlorine? was it the tricky way I poured the bleach in the skimmer? I really have no idea....was it the combination of the three actions....I would say it finally gave in to the bleach butt kicking it was getting. I am very happy.......


I really am excited about seeing the bottom. And I have 8 more bottles of Ultra.....My reading this afternoon was 8 so I will use calc....I do have alot of tablets in the skimmer too......

Pool still stinks of bleach....How long will this last and what do I do now?

[aylad]

The bleach is finally working---yay!! What you're smelling is chloramines, which is the Baq being oxidized by the chlorine. The answer? more chlorine! Keep hitting it and stay at 10-15, and the pool WILL clear. I wouldn't add any more baking soda or anything else right now except the bleach.
Janet

[duraleigh]

From an earlier post in this thread:
Stay the course, Test and dose accurately (I cannot stress that enough) and your pool will clear......The 8 gallons of Clorox raised your chlorine to 35.6 PLUS whatever was already present.....so your chlorine was probably 40+ppm.

It's your liner but I would suggest a little more accuracy when you apply the additives to your pool.

[chlorinebound]

I said approx 8 gal. It was more like 6 and it wasnt Ultra so Im not sure what the level was but Im sure you "DAVE" have the answer. I guess I should say thank you to Janet. She has support without sarcasm. Thank you Janet and I will pray for my liner tonight. Dave if you have any helpful things to say great. If not, dont bother responding to my questions. You are beginning to irritate me.

[chlorinebound]

If we calculate the actual dosage into the pool dave it started at 1.9 ppm

adding 4 gal of 5.25% raising approx2.75 per=11
1.5 gal of 6% raising approx 3ppm per gal=4.5

_____
15.5 + existing 1.9=17.4ppm:eek:

[duraleigh]

Hmmm, I'm sorry that my very blunt caution was offensive to you. It was not my intent to irritate you but rather to give you an obvious, attention-getting "heads up".

When you posted:
approx 8 gal I thought that's what you meant. Sorry.

[chlorinebound]

No problem, I was using an approximate. My fault. But it did work. I apprecciate the warning about the liner. What is the maint. schedule after pool clears. numbers yesterday
Chl was 8 so I addded bleach
PH was 6.9 so I added baking soda
Total alkalinity was 79
cya was 7

[ILHoz]

I just went through this conversion 2 1/2 weeks ago and I also was feeling like I would never see the bottom of my pool again.

my only suggestion for you is chlorine, chlorine, chlorine and trust in those of us that have gone through it. My 13500 gl pool took almost a week and 40 some gallons chlorine.

I am happy to say my pool has never looked better!

Good luck,
Leslie

[aylad]

The baking soda is to raise alk, not pH--if you're needing to raise your pH, use Borax.....

Janet

[kecsmom]

i am in conversion confusion also

[VOLDADDY]

I said approx 8 gal. It was more like 6 and it wasnt Ultra so Im not sure what the level was but Im sure you "DAVE" have the answer. I guess I should say thank you to Janet. She has support without sarcasm. Thank you Janet and I will pray for my liner tonight. Dave if you have any helpful things to say great. If not, dont bother responding to my questions. You are beginning to irritate me.


You know, for somebody to spend their time trying to help "YOU" out and to get "YOUR" pool straightened out, you are very ingrateful & condescending. Dave was merely trying to inform the uninformed, yourself, about the dangers of bleaching out your liner. You need to look back and see how many times he has posted on your thread alone to try and help you, then look at his total number of posts. I assure you, he has answered many many more questions than he has asked. Good luck in your conversion, as I too went through the conversion from Baquacil to BBB. Just remember, Dave owes you nothing, and is simply trying to help you out. The "beginning to irritate me" sentence was out of line and uncalled for.

[chlorinebound]

Thanks for your input. Sometimes frustration causes madness. Maybe I simply lost my mind. Dave, Thanks for all you do. Voldaddy.......live free and prosper. My time here is over...I am dust in the wind.smoke on the horizon. I have a life to live.

[chlorinebound]

Not to sound too ingrateful......I think its ungrateful....Peace out

[CarlD]

When we are stressed we snap and lash out. Sometimes some of us trying to help get a little frustrated and get snippy. Other times the person needing the help isn't following or thinks they are being talked down to. And may well be. But remember, many of us have seen the same problems again and again--they are new to the "victim" of algae or bacquacil or the "pool-stored" but not to those who have been active here for years.

Then there are people I simply cannot help. Whatever I say they ignore or it makes them angry, whatever they say makes me feel I'm wasting my efforts. What I do, and I think the BEST solution, is let someone else help.

We monitors all have found personalities with whom we clash. We simply step away and let one of the others help.

Back to the topic at hand:
Here's my take: Without testing you don't KNOW that DaveS was right and that your liner was in danger.

Quite frankly, I must respectfully disagree with him: When you are in a battle with algae or bac, FC levels drop SO rapidly as it's consumer, that you may never get near an FC that bleaches the liner.

Still you cannot calculate your FC, you must measure it.

It is always wise to be careful of damaging your liner, so that's why there are specific shock levels for each level of CYA.

And that's why you need to test frequently when you are fighting a battle.

[VOLDADDY]

Not to sound too ingrateful......I think its ungrateful....Peace out

You are correct, it was a typo. That's what I get for trying to type fast. Thanks for the correction, and good luck on your pool conversion. You will be forever glad you got rid of Baquacil and switched to the BBB method. You'll just have to find another use for all of the $$$ you save. I was spending $200 per month on Baquacil sanitizer/algistat, shock, every miscellaneous miracle cure for algae, and I still had algae growing wild. Now, nothing but crystal clear water, albeit HOT crystal clear water.

[chlorinebound]

The bleach did work, This site did help. My pool is clear. I think I may have been trying to have fun while in the conversion. Quite different living in the country with one pool store that is not customer oriented. I think all of you who try and help us less educated on this site deserve a big round of applause.....
Clap,clap,clap,clap............

[VOLDADDY]

Now all you need is Ben's test kit, and you will have a trouble free pool you can actually enjoy swimming in instead of working on. :D