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I can across this site last night in an effort to find out why Baquacil isnt working for me. Nice to see I am not alone. So the wife is on the way to Sams Club for the clorine. But I dont have a test kit for all the different test I will need to do.
What test kit should I get (model number helpful) and what site can I get it form.
Thanks
Chris
ps. going to start the conversion Friday
Hi Chris,
Welcome to the forum. Here's a link to a handy program that will help you to calculate how much bleach you will need to add based on the size of your pool:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mwsmith70...achCalc262.exe
The administrator of this forum sells a great test kit (PS234) on the sister site www.poolsolutions.com but I don't know how quickly you will get it. You can get an inexpensive drops-based test kit at Wal Mart but the problem is you need to measure chlorine levels up to 15 ppm initially and the OTO tests only measure up to 5 ppm. What you could do is dilute a pool sample with two equal parts of distilled water and multiply your result times 3. It's not terribly accurate but it should be good enough for what you need. Otherwise, an FAS-DPD test will accurately measure chlorine at this level. The PS234 contains both tests. The more frequently you can test during your conversion and keep the chlorine level up, the faster the process will go.
Good luck.
Peter
Thanks for the reply.
I have the bleach calculator. I order my test kit for the information you provided. We went to the pool store and bought some liquid chlorine 10% strenght instead of Sams only because it was closer. Now I just couldnt wait to start this conversion.
I bought a cheap test kit to use until the one I ordered arrives. I poured in two and a half gallons of chlorine in according to the calculator tested the water about 30 minutes later and had no reading so I poured in 2 more gallons in tested right away and no reading. I poured some right on the test strip got a reading.
This test kit is suppose to give levels of Free Chlorine from 0 to 10 ppm. Do you think its eating the chlorine instantaneously? Do I just keep adding?
The brand of chlorine I bought is AZONE htpochlorite solution. Active ingredients Sodium Hypochlorite 10% Inert Ingredients 90%. Did I buy the right stuff?
Your thoughts
That's the right stuff. How big is your pool? How much bleach did the program come up with to add? Did your pool turn a funky color? The chlorine will be consumed by the Baquacil so depending on how high the Baq level was when you started, it's not unreasonable to lose a lot of chlorine very quickly. If you look at some of the other threads, it took some people many gallons of bleach to convert. Keep adding until you get the Cl level up to at least 10ppm and keep testing and adding frequently to hold it there as best you can.
Peter
My pool is 27 ft round agp. Its about 42 inches deep right now. Yes I understand its going to take alot of bleach. I am just trying to get the first reading. I have added 7 gallons of 10% percent bleach in two hours and still no reading.
The calculator called for around 2.5 gallons the water has turned to a greenish orange.
So how long after I add the bleach before I take a reading and if I still have 0 ppm should I just continue to add no matter how much it take to get to 10-15ppm.
Thanks
Chris
Yes - the calculator assumes clean water so with Baq in your water you will need more than what the program tells you. Keep adding until you get a reading. I would say wait 30 to 60 minutes to take a reading.
Peter
Well almost laughable:D
After 4 hours and 25 gallons of 10% bleach solution I have acheived a ppm of 2. Thats right 2 I thought the 5 cases would have lasted me 2 days but I cant even bring it up to the proper level.
I know no two conversion are alike but I hope Im not the one who sets the record for bleach consuption:eek: :eek:
I wonder if I can get the pool store to delivery:D
More to follow
Chris
I'm usually a lurker, not much of a poster... but have you considered trying store brand ultra 6% bleach? I've heard quite a bit of discussion about the high % liquid bleach at the pool store breaking down quickly and not being even close to the 10% shown on the label. I made the mistake once last year of buying some bleach from a not-so-great dollar store. You could tell that the bottles had been around for a long time and I'm sure were old. It was like pouring water in the pool. Didn't do a thing.
Anyway, HTH and good luck with the conversion. Don't give up!
The good news is that you will have the highest demand at first as the Baq will use it up. You should should start to see the amounts drop down from here. How's the color look? Don't forget to backwash your filter or clean the cartridge frequently. Hang in there!
Peter
The story continues.
As I look at the 8 empty cases in my garage I am wondering if I have a use for the 32 one gallon jugs with more to come. I am seeing process with the addition of 3 more cases. Of course the pool guy was wonder what I was up to when I bought 10 more today:) But I left there telling him I hope I have enough.
As far as the color goes, well I have never be to Mars but I have seen pictures and if there was water on mars this is what it would look like.:p
My ppm dropped from 15 to 10 in 2 hours full sun.
I didnt work out on my bowflex today because I thought after brushing the walls of the pool and carrying 10 case back to the pool and then exerciseing my arms 128 ounches at a time (I prefer 12 oz) was enough. note to self dont forget to switch arms tomorrow.:)
More to follow
Good Luck on the conversion. We did our pool about 2 weeks ago and I couldn't be more happy. Our pool water is crystal clear. In fact hubby said he received a call from NASA that the glare from our pool water was interfering with their signals to the shuttle. LOL
We went through almost 120 3quart jugs of 6% bleach. We have an 18x38 52 inch AGP with a 6 1/2 foot deep end.
Conversion complete!!!
45 gallons at 10% strenght and 12 gallons at 6% strenght and sand in the filter. Sold my left over baquacil on ebay.
I gave the pool my clear test yesterday. It consists of how well I can see my ladder from across the pool underwater 27 feet away. Let me say this much I havent been able to see it for a few years until yesterday.
I have read for several hours each night on this fourm over the past week and it seems all down hill from here
Thanks to all
Its not the end of my visiting this fourm just the begining
Chris
I just completed my pool 24 ag 13500 gallons. It took about a week and 41gallons of chlorine. I posted for words of encouragment. I described our pool as pea soup with nacho cheese on top, and I also didn't think we would ever have a clear pool again. I am very happy to say we were swimming yesterday exactly one week after we started. We started with night 1,2 and 3 7 gallons leaving filter off at night because we had to back flush quite often.night 4 and5, 6 gallons filter running 24 hours, day 6 8 gallons, 1/2 gallon muriatic acid vaccuuming as it started to clear to get Baquajunk out. Changed sand in filter yesterday. We are ready to go.
Good luck
Leslie
Surfacefeeder - don't forget to change your sand after the conversion is complete.
Yes it was changed 3 days ago. My first observation dealing with the filter is after running it for a few days no pressure build up. I had to run it almost full time on Baq so that is what I was use to. Now I can actually turn if off during the day.
Chris