Baq-to-Bleach conversion w/cart filter

After struggling for a six weeks this summer with cloudy water again, I found this forum and started dumping bleach in the pool yesterday around noon. Its above ground/24 foot/13000+ gal. Started with more but currently dumping about a gallon every two hours then testing an hour later. My chlorine levels seem to be staying around 10 consistently. Did not want to go higher than 10 since I think I read on another thread this could fade the liner. Anyway, water looks whiter than yesterdays murky yellow so I think we are making progress. It is cloudy today so might get a break from lots of sun, (which is supposed to keep chlorine from breaking down so fast?)

A couple questions that I have...we use a cartridge filter (Aquatools) that has a fine plastic mesh cartridge that supposedly can used by itself. In the past, we also threw in a DE substitute called Fiber Clear Water polish, which is basically cellulose, I think. I have cleaned the filter a few times and it seems to been catch some yellowish gunk without the fiber clear. Will adding the fiber clear make it clear faster? I really dont want to be dumping a bag in the filter after I clean it if it not going to make a difference.

Other question is how soon should I start sweeping the bottom of the pool. I can't see bottom yet and there is also lots of junk on the sides but I doubt the filter will take it out at this point because it seems very fine. I have a nylon over the filter intake basket but it is not getting enough particulates on it to being close to clogging it so I doubt the particles are very large at this point. Will they eventually bind together and become easier to clean up?

Thanks in advance

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Originally Posted by Michael23

After struggling for a six weeks this summer with cloudy water again, I found this forum and started dumping bleach in the pool yesterday around noon. Its above ground/24 foot/13000+ gal. Started with more but currently dumping about a gallon every two hours then testing an hour later. My chlorine levels seem to be staying around 10 consistently. Did not want to go higher than 10 since I think I read on another thread this could fade the liner. Anyway, water looks whiter than yesterdays murky yellow so I think we are making progress. It is cloudy today so might get a break from lots of sun, (which is supposed to keep chlorine from breaking down so fast?)

A couple questions that I have...we use a cartridge filter (Aquatools) that has a fine plastic mesh cartridge that supposedly can used by itself. In the past, we also threw in a DE substitute called Fiber Clear Water polish, which is basically cellulose, I think. I have cleaned the filter a few times and it seems to been catch some yellowish gunk without the fiber clear. Will adding the fiber clear make it clear faster? I really dont want to be dumping a bag in the filter after I clean it if it not going to make a difference.

Other question is how soon should I start sweeping the bottom of the pool. I can't see bottom yet and there is also lots of junk on the sides but I doubt the filter will take it out at this point because it seems very fine. I have a nylon over the filter intake basket but it is not getting enough particulates on it to being close to clogging it so I doubt the particles are very large at this point. Will they eventually bind together and become easier to clean up?

Thanks in advance

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Michael, welcome to the forum! For cartridge questions, I usually rely on Waterbear, he knows both chemistry and cart filters. Until he gets out of work, you can brush the pool immediatly, it'll expose the algae to the chlorine you have in the pool. It would be very helpful to get a complete set of numbers (fc, cc, tc, pH, tot alk (ch) and cya), these #s will help everyone here help you better. I'll keep my eye on this thread and if Waterbear misses it, I'll get his attention for you. Again, welcome to the forum - Waste

Just got back from buying 12 more gallons of bleach and might have to head right back out for more. Tested pool (first time in 4 hours) and chlorine did not register. It was very sunny all afternoon and I hope that was the main reason it was down to zero. Other numbers I have from the test kit are as follows:

pH 7.8
tot. alkalinity 1.20
free cl 0
stabilizer 0

Lots of material floating in the water but it seems a little clearer around the edges of the pool.

Any advice on the filter and how to proceed will be appreciated.

I started my conversion on Thursday and I have a cartridge filter.
It will be a constant battle to keep the goo cleaned out of it.
I chemically cleaned mine several times and hosed off as much as I could
I am going out this afternoon to buy a new one, as my pool is clearer than it has ever been!!!!:)

Sunday morning, after two days of converting, I can see the sweeper head on the pool bottom as I sweep the pool out around the middle. Water is definitely clearing.

The sweeping seems to stir up lots of particulates that need filtered.

Does anyone think it will clear faster if I add Fiber Clear to the cartridge (DE altenative) ?

Thanks again.

Your cart will need to be replaced once the conversion is finished. The cellulose fiber could possibly make the cleaning easier until you destroy all the biguinide since it will coat the cart and catch teh baquagoo on it and it might hose off easier. If the cart is too gunked up you will need to soak it in a cartridge cleaner designed for biguinide to get the baquagoo off of it. Once your conversion is complete put in a new cart and you will probably only have to hose it off monthly and soak it yearly (the best soak for a cart in a chlorine pool is one cup of electric dishwasher detergent powder such as Cascade or Electrosol to each 5 gallons of water. Soak 24 hours and hose off. Don't use this until the conversion is complete and you have installed a new cart.)

The cartridge that I am using is a heavy plastic mesh type that I just purchased last year (cost $140). Since they are not that cheap and, since my conversion is almost complete, I was hoping to give it a thorough cleaning (maybe even an acid bath) and continue to use it. Has the media been damaged somehow? The filter is running fine.

Thanks again.

Checking online the cartridge is a Sta-rite PLM 100 modular cartidge.

It will probably be impossible to clean all the baquagoo out of the filter and I would really recommend replacing it. Acid washing will make it worse. You might be able to use an enzyme based cleaner on it but standard filter cleaners and acid are NOT compatible with biguinide.
Good news is the cartridge will last MUCH longer once you are using chlorine. With biguinide they really need to be replaced yearly. With chlorine, they can last up to 5 years with proper care.