OK It's clear now what do I need to do?

I started my conversion on Tuesday and have been testing and adding bleach every 2-3 hours as needed. The water is clearer than it has ever been in 3 years on Baquacil. I know I need to add stabalizer but I am trying to understand this chart that everyone keeps referring to. "Ben's best guess FC/Stabilizer chart". Can someone help me out. I am going to vacumm it this afternoon and would like to balance it tonight if possible.

Can you tell me step by step what to balance first so I don't screw this up. We have a big party next Saturday and I have put to much time and effort in to this to mess it up now.

I think I need to add Stablizer - how much?
balance PH - if neccesary
balance alkalinity??
Let me know if you need more info.


18x36 Above ground about 17,200 gallons

It would help us help you if you posted some stats and your numbers: FC, TA, pH. I assume your chlorine is still high due to conversion, and you have no CYA.

Is your conversion complete? (crystal clear water and holding a FC level overnight?)

After you finish your conversion, you need to change out your filter media (sand or DE)

CYA helps keep your chlorine from degrading as fast. However, it also lessend the effectiveness of the chlorine. So, while it will stay in your water longer, you need a slightly higher amount of FC to keep your pool sanitized. Hence the chart. The typical recommended range is 30-50. Enough to stabilize your chlorine without having to have really high FC numbers.

According to BleachCalc, you need 4# CYA to get your level to 30. Don't add the CYA until after your conversion, if you plan to put it in the skimmer, as it takes a week or so for it to dissolve and if backwash you will lose your CYA.

Here are 2 other CYA delivery methods
panty hose and leaf rake, and you won't have to worry about when to back wash. You could also put it in a tube sock and tie it to your ladder.

Post your numbers so we can give you more specifics!

Ok I still haven't gotten Ben's kit that I ordered so I am testing with a kit from a pool store that only measures CL up to 5. So I have been using the dip strips too that go up to 10.

I just vacummed the bottom and cleaned the filters.
The CL held over night last night but it is still not crystal clear. Just a bit cloudy. But clearer than it has been in years.

TA - 110
pH - 7.8
FC - 10+ (that's as high as I can go with the dip strips
TC - 10+
CYA - i don't have any in yet, but how do I test for it? My kit doesn't have a test for it. I think??

Will the pool get crystal clear with out adding any of the other chemicals??

Thanks for your help! You guys are saviors. If it wasn't for this website we would still be swimming in cloudy slightly green smelly water.

Don't worry about cya until your conversion is totally complete which it sounds like your isn't. Keep hammering it with bleach and keep the cl level at 15. You can make your drops based kit go higher if you dilute your water sample. Mix one part pool water with two parts distilled water, test as usual and then multiply the results by 3. That will read up to 15 which is where you want to keep your cl level during your conversion. By testing every 2-3 hours and redosing it with bleach as needed each time, I'll bet that your conversion will go quickly. Your TA is fine and your ph is OK at 7.8, but you don't want ph to go any higher.

Keep us posted how things are going!

Thanks for the advice. It is raining tonight so I will see how it tests in the AM.

OK here are my results this AM
TA - 110
pH - 7.8
FC - 1
TC - 2
CYA - none yet

So I added 2 gallons on bleach and I'll test it in an hour. I need to go to the store for more bleach. Those were my last two gallons. That makes 56 gallons so far for this conversion.

I would say it's crystal clear but it's hard to say cause I haven't seen it this way in years?

Should I still keep loading it with bleach or am I ready to stablize it??

given your FC of 1 and TC of 2, that tells me you have CC of 1, and you need to shock to get rid of that. Perhaps your conversion is not quite done. Is your Chlorine holding overnight?

Don't forget to change your filter media after your conversion, and then I would think it is ok to start adding your stabilizer while you get rid of the last CC.

I put 4 more gallons in at 11AM and it was gone by 1Pm so I put another 4 gallons in.
The chlorine is holding better than it has been. When I put 4 gallons in last night, this AM it still was pretty high.

I am going to keep shocking today and tommorow and then hopefully stabalize on Monday.
Thanks for your help.

You need to keep it at the shock level until the chlorine doesn't drop overnight. Then change your filter media and add stabilizer.

Janet