Steps - Switching from Baquacil to Chlorine

[GeneNTN]

Watermom,
Thank you for your response! I have read many of the guides, and have printed a few so as to add my notes, but I do need to read some in the Baquacil section. Taking some pictures is a very good idea and I will keep you posted. Did you have any comments / concerns with regard to the steps I was suggesting?

GeneNTN

[Watermom]

I wouldn't bother with cleaning the pool yet and especially not changing the sand. I'd just start adding bleach. You say that your Baq. level is at zero or close, but you may find out that you do still have a little more in there than you think. When you add the bleach, you'll find out. It may turn some funky shades of green. After you are able to hold a chlorine level overnight and the pool water remains clear, then is the time to change out the sand. Wait to vac until you see if your pool does turn green. No sense in wasting water. Keep us posted with progress.

[madwil]

second what watermom said- don't change your sand until after you get a clear pool, the residual baquacil can cause you to have to change again!

[CarlD]

Yeah, you'll need to change the sand when it's all done, no choice in the matter, but it's a total waste of time and money to do it before.

Filter Sand is usually pretty cheap. A lot of the stores in my area regularly put it on sale for $5-$7 per 50lbs.

Carl

[GeneNTN]

madwil & CarlD (and all others!),
Your feedback is greatly appreciated – changing of the filter sand will be delayed until after a stable FC level (overnight) has been established. Sand in our area is $10-13 / 50 lb bag – as the local choices are very limited! Once the test kit arrives ~Tuesday (I hope), I’ll start dumping the bleach into the pool. Have a great day!
Gene

[GeneNTN]

Finally - an update!

After several days of very heavy rain showers - and more scheduled for later tonight, I un-covered / our pool, the water level was ~3-4” high, proceeded to start the circulation pump, brushed the pool walls & bottom, and cleaned some of the floating debris. And, took some pictures!

With my new Taylor K-2006 test kit in hand, the following readings were completed (or at least attempted!).
FC - 0 (did not turn pink!)
PH – 7.6
TA ~ 50 (purple instead of red, biquanide is assumed)
CH ~ 60 (purple color once again, 2nd on 2nd test the Hardness Agent was added 1st, but turned very light blue after the R0016 reagent was added, assumed 6 x 10 =60?).

Added 10 gal. of chlorine bleach (6%) - in order to proceed with the changing from Baquacil to Chlorine – and the water soon begun to take on a whole new nature (brownish green?)! So the water / pictures in the a.m. should really be interesting!

Should I re-test later tomorrow evening or just add the next batch of bleach?

Like always, any and all thoughts are welcomed!
Gene

[madwil]

I would test for FC and add bleach as often as possible- add enough to get FC to 15, keep adding (hourly isn't to often) however often you can until the pool holds the FC, then continue your conversion.
The more frequently you add the bleach, the faster the process will go- it's just like shocking the pool to get rid of algae, your just "killing" the chemicals from Baqua instead of a plant!