Success Story!!!

Just thought I'd give you guys my story as encouragement to all you veterans who help so many people and as a way to help along all the newbies who are fed up with the Baquastuff.
Last summer was the third year for our pool, which we started with Baquacil when it was put in. Typical story- First year was fine, but after that the troubles began: Crappy water, cluody, funky smell. When I did a little web research, I found this site. I devoured as much of it as I could, but was still a little skeptical. I purchased a PS233 just in case I got up the nerve to convert. At the end of last year, I just decided I'd had enough and started pouring the bleach to it (as instructed by you fine folks). Within 10 days, my pool was looking great and I was pumped. Then I closed the pool following the advice from this forum.
I must say that I was a little nervous to take the cover off...What would be under there? To my delight, I found nearly clear water that required very little to clean up. My pool has been open for about 3 weeks and it is clearer and nicer than it ever was on the other stuff.
Just for the record, I use only BBB. My CYA is about 40 right now and I keep my FC between 3 and 6. pH 7.7 this morning. My water has about the same chlorine smell as normal tap water. I can open my eyes under water with no burning. If this is what you dream of, just follow the advice of the people on here and you will get there in no time.

It's nice to hear this. We are going to start the conversion this weekend. We have a 14,000 IG pool with a sand filter in PA. We had the same experience with Clear Comfort (baquacil), good water the first 1 to 1-1/2 years then all downhill from there. We opened this year, ran the pump 24/7 for 13 days and still the water is cloudy (milky). We also added a huge amount of chemicals recommended by our pool ppl and no better. We are scared to start the conversion but I say what the heck, the water is already lousy! I will need to get used to all the acronyms for the chemicals. I am worried it will take us a long time for the conversion since we have put so much in already to try to get the water clear. We used 4 gallons of clarifier already plus other things to balance the water. BOY I expect the water will get really really funky! We shall see. Glad to hear so many ppl who have gone through this and are happy with the ultimate results. Wish us luck!

I posted pics of my conversion so you may want to look at mine before you start. Give your wife and kids a heads up. I jumped head first into my conversion without anyone else knowing about it. My daughter said I ruined the pool and went crying to Momma. Needless to say, I slept on the couch for the next few nights. Now, I am Caesar returning to Rome. Our pool looks GREAT, crystal clear, not the first speck of algae. I had the typical baquacil experience, too, first 2 years were good. The 3rd year, I had algae I could not get rid of. I would shock, and sanitizer/algistat, pink treat, brush/vac, rinse and repeat to the tune of about $250 per month in chemicals. This BBB method is so simple. Ordering Ben's test kit is a must to keep an accurate reading of your levels. Of course, I tell my wife it is hard work, but her and my 2 beautiful daughters are worth the sacrifice...I spend maybe an hour a week total on my pool, and that includes testing the water, dumping the bleach, throwing the Aquabot in, then splashing water around the neckline of my shirt to show the sweat where I have been working. I used to spend well over an hour just on Saturday mornings, brushing, manually vac'ing to waste, adding Baquacil, etc... My water also had a funky smell from Baquacil that I asked my pool guy about. He said it is natural and the only reason you don't smell it in other pools is because the bleach masks it. Good luck in your conversion, you won't be disappointed. Buy 2 things before you start- Ben's test kit and A LOT of bleach! Let us know if you have any problems, and everyone here will be of great assistance. Oh yea, download the bleach calc and save to your desktop. It's a must have.

Great post Voldaddy!!

I'm not a Baquacil convert, but I just wanted to share my recent experience I had opening my pool. Here in town, we basically have one company that everyone uses to build, close and open pools. I actually really like them from a building standpoint. We had no issues when they put the pool in and did quality work. However, they are a pool company who needs to make a profit, so they push the chemicals.

A close neighbor, who uses cal-hypo from Walmart, had her pool closed the same day as mine last fall. We also opened the same day this year. Her pool was a swamp...truly nasty when they opened it. My pool was next to be opened....crystal clear...no green...just a few leaves on the bottom. The pool company was stumped as to why my pool was in such great condition given the pools are exactly the same (vinyl-lined, with mesh cover...in the same neighborhood). I stopped the pool guy as he was about to "shock" my pool with a bag of "something" and told him not to worry about the chemicals...I'd take care of it. They were stumped......and I loved it!

Now, my neighbor is ready to make the switch to BBB and not because of the monetary savings it will bring, but the fact that it is obviously more pure for the pool.

Sorry to be so long-winded, but I love to see people realize that the three B's really work!!