Problem with conversion from Baquacil! Please Help!!

[mjones]

Guess what???? I have REAL numbers!! I took off work 2 hours early, and drove about 35 miles to get accurate tests... I was desperate. Here goes:

saturation index: -1.11
total dissolved solids: 100
free chlorine: 4.0
total chlorine: 4.0
combined chlorine: 0.0
ph: 7.1
cya: 8
copper: 0
iron: 0
total alk: 0
adjusted total alk: 0
calcium hardness: 0
temperature: 75
baq sanitizer: 0
baq shock: 51
Yeah I know, the shock is probably my main problem!!

O.K., So this lady freaked when I told her I was putting bleach in pool. She said it will ruin plastic components, & is not good for skin or eyes. She said that this is what I would have to do.
1. don't add anything for 5 days.
2. change sand Saturday.
3. run pump constantly.
4. test water Monday & call her with #'s.

I bought a "better" test kit from the pool store. I tested it when I got home. Everything was pretty much the same except cya. It said to mix water & solution, pour in tube with black dot in bottom until I couldn't see the black dot. So, by doing this, I got between 80-100??

Anyway, I hope this will help figure it out.
I added 5 gallons of bleach when I got home.
Just for info: I have been buying the generic bleach from Wal-mart for .99 a gallon 6%. Today when I bought more, it is $1.27 gallon. Do you think they may be catching on???

Thanks in advance!!
Oh, btw, pool is almost more blue than green cloud now!!

[duraleigh]

M,

1. The pool store's advice is bogus. It's your call to do with as you like but the advice simply is not valid.

2. I think your testing of the CYA makes more sense than hers....I'm gonna' assume yours is correct. If you get a chance, post all the tests you can from your kit.......I think your results will be more accurate than pool stores......That Alk result of 0 is simply incorrect.

3. Now, since you put in five gallons of bleach after your test results, you'll need to test that again tomorrow evening. Then, if you test @5ppm or below for Cl, please put in 9 gallons of 6% clorox all at once. Yep, 9 gallons. That will raise your Cl to around 25ppm and you will take a big step towards clearing your pool. The next evening, test for Cl again and put in enough Cl to raise it back up to 25ppm......don't guess....test and calculate....get help here if you need it. You will keep doing this 'til your pool is clear, but based on what you're saying, that shouldn't be long...another couple of days probably. Do this even if your pool looks even better tomorrow (it probably will)

4. Once your water is clear, then it will be time to change the sand. Buy it now, if you like, but don't change it 'til you finish your job of clearing the pool.

[mjones]

I’m with y’all!! The way I see it, you have nothing to “gain” by helping me, just doing it out of the goodness of your hearts. So, I trust your judgement. And, your judgement saves me mega bucks. Or atleast it will when my water gets clear. Oh, I forgot, she also, told me that my "conversion" is complete. How can that be if my baq shock is still 51? & why is it still 51 after all the cl i have dumped in there?

Ok, this a.m.
Cya still looks to me: 90, I can’t see the black dot when it gets to this point.
Alk: I have no clue, drop test kits says to put 25 ml of pool water, add 2 drops thiosulfate, stir, add 5 drops alk1, stir, add alk2 dropwise, counting & stirring between each drop til it turns from green to red, then multiply # of drops by 10, & that = alk. So, after 5 drops, blue, after 20 drops, yellow, after 30 & 35 drops, still yellow. Never saw red. So, I just tried the test strip, for the heck of it, it shows 80ish.
Chlorine: I am NO good at this.. I did test normal. Looked darkest pink, which is 5, tried diluting 5 to 1, still looks like a 5? But surely my cl is not 25 or 30? Is there an easier way for testing the cl?
p.h.: 6.8-7.0

But, all being said & done, I do see a MILD improvement in water. It has more of a blueish tint to the cloudiness now. Still a little green tint, but not nearly as bad as it was.

Thank you so much.
I think I am getting close too!!

[duraleigh]

Hi, M,

Your pool is PROBABLY gonna' clear up.

That said, I just can't take you any further because your numbers are too indeterminate.

You need Ben's kit...desperately. (for example, he explains that blue to yellow color change in your Alk test) I make no money on the kit and, notice, you are not pushed to buy it at all by Ben. At some point, you will need to stop guessing or your pool will most likely return to it's very troublesome condition you started with.

Meanwhile, I still think your pool is gonna' be clear in the next 48 hours. Keeping it there may be an issue.

[mjones]

Well, the numbers that I got yesterday were computer tested, so you would think that they were right, but who knows. She did put 25 on the print out for alk, but she said that was only because it wouldn't take a 0.

As far as indeterminate, I think that it is just me, because I am pool ignorant. I just want to swim, that's all. The kit that I got has some more literature with it, but I didn't have time to read it all last night.

Anyway, Thanks for all your help.. I sure hope it clears up soon. Or I may just buy a load of dirt & fill it in. J/K

[kalan]

Hi,
I agree the pool store numbers are bogus but I don't remember what type of pool we are dealing with. If it is vynil 25 ppm is flirting with bleaching. ( I don't think she has 80- 100 cya Where would it come from? Unlesss the granulated bleach had cya) In my opinion there is another pool store to run away from. Who are they trying to kid, bleach will ruin plastic parts, irritate eyes etc... grrrrrrrr that makes me so mad. What does the pool store think is in their pool chlorine????? heck its just a stronger version of bleach!!! I think to shoot for 15 ppm is safer till we know for sure and it will clear the pool just the same except maybe a little slower.
ken

[haze_1956]

So this lady freaked when I told her I was putting bleach in pool. She said it will ruin plastic components

LOL

Well, that explains why they sell bleach in those "wooden kegs" !

Sometimes sales people are just plain scary !!

[mjones]

Just an update for all:
My pool looks like a dark blue storm cloud. I have been keeping my cl @ 15, ph & alk were off the charts, so I added "a little" muratic acid to lower them. Now ph is 7.6, alk is 120, cya keeps showing 100. Changed sand in filter. It really wasn't too bad. So, now, after ALL of this, my water is STILL so cloudy that I can't even see the bottom step. But, if I take some out in a glass, it is perfectly clear.
A bit on the positive side, it smells wonderful & refreshing.

Any suggestions?

[mjones]

Just wanted to thank all that have helped in my conversion.

I haven't got "clear" water yet, but it is on the way.
I think I have a problem with mustard algae now. Last year, while on baquacrap, we had a HUGE problem with mustard algae, & it never really went away til weather cooled off.

Anyway, I have posted a new thread in "Dealing with Algae" to try to fix that problem.

THANK YOU ALL SOOO MUCH

[mjones]

GUESS WHAT??? I FINALLY have beautiful, clear water! I had to put in a couple quarts of polyquat & then a couple doses of clarifier, & presto, my water is clear. In two days time, I went from so cloudy I couldn't see the bottom of the shallow end, to seeing the main drain on the bottom of the deep end. YAY!!! I am so releived.

I still have a tiny bit of stuff that settles on bottom, but we are getting that out by vacuuming.

THANKS ALL!!!

Happy Converter