Baq: Once was enough

[Susan NC]

Howdy! I'm a newbie here.
Used Baqqacil 1 time and water got some kind of white stuff suspended in it. I've been reading posts here the last few days and tonight I'm loading up the pool with bleach.

Started about 2 hours ago. Water didn't turn green like I thought it would. From everything I've read the water should have turned green right after I added the bleach. I used the pool calculator & put in the amount it called for. Did I do something wrong or was there so little Baq. ( from my 1 & only baq. treatment ) that it didn't turn green?? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

[aylad]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!!

Odds are good that the Baq levels were just lower than they usually are when somebody starts a conversion. And--just because it's not green yet, doesn't mean it won't be before this is all over!! How much bleach did you add, and what is the volume of your pool? You're going to need a good test kit in order to do this conversion and know when it's finished. Strips simply aren't accurate enough. Are you using a drop-based kit?

[Susan NC]

Hi and thanks for the reply!

I attempted to update my signature to show all the pool details but no luck so far.

It's an Intex above ground pool, 15' round, so it's only about 5000 gallons. Using the pump that came with the set. It's a Krystal Clear, model 637R. Testing kit is Aqua Chem drop tester for CL, BR, and PH. I used the pool calc. set at 15 ppm and added 128oz of 6.15% bleach at about 730pm last night. Checked the FC at 900pm last night and it still had about the same FC I had before I started. I checked again at 545pm tonight and still shows about the same FC. Readings were 0.6 FC, 0.6 TC, and 7.0 PH. I'm not really focusing on PH until I get the high chlorine level of 15 ppm I need to convert. The water still didn't turn green. Still white cloudy but better than it was yesterday. Do I really need to get to 15 ppm? I know that the heat does play with the chlorine. It's been a high of between 100 - 105 for the last 3 days. I would think that a gallon of bleach would have at least brought up the levels a little.

Hmmm...

[PoolDoc]

You probably don't need to do a 'conversion', after a single dose of Baquacil. Just chlorinate till it holds overnight, and you're good.

You may need to replace the cartridges, but you'd be better off with these anyhow

Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Easy Set Size A or C) @ Amazon @ Amazon
Unicel C-5315 Replacement Filter Cartridge for 15 Square Foot Intex B Filter @ Amazon

Get TWO -- these cartridges are MUCH higher quality than the OEM models. And CHECK first, to make sure you use the Intex "A", "B" or "C" cartridge.

Here's the recipe for Intex pool chemistry: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?17055

Good luck!

[Susan NC]

Thanks for the info PoolDoc! I'll check out the link. What can I do about the white stuff suspended in the water? Not sure what I can use if I use Bleach instead of chlorine tabs. I tried Super Water Clarifier and Sink & Sweep before I started the Bleach. The white stuff sank but you can't vacuum it up. It's real fine and starts floating around. Not to mention that I can't vacuum to waste. I've got 4 filters so I change several times a day lately. Will the white stuff eventually filter out?

Thanks again!!

[PoolDoc]

Not to mention that I can't vacuum to waste. I've got 4 filters so I change several times a day lately. Will the white stuff eventually filter out?

Yes it will probably filter out eventually, but a better solution might be to use your skimmer (if you have one) and vacuum to filter. If you don't, check carefully, but this may be the right one for your pool:

Deluxe Intex Surface Skimmer

For vacuuming, this set is a medium quality option, that should last quite a while:

Poolmaster 27514 Classic Full View Triangular Vinyl Liner Vacuum
Hydro Tools 8365 8- to 16-Foot Adjustable Fluted Premium Fluted Telescopic Pool Pole, White
Hydro Tools 1-1/4-Inch Diameter With Swivel Cuff Pool Vacuum Hose

One caution: it may be necessary to get some sort of adapter to connect vac hose to the skimmer or pool. Possibly, something like this
Intex Vacuum Tube Adaptor
However, I am NOT recommending that, because I'm not sure it's what you'll need, or even if you will need it. Also, I hate to see a $9 shipping charge with a $9 item -- that's not a ripoff necessarily, but I'd rather find a better way.

[Susan NC]

Thanks for the links PoolDoc. The skimmer is identical to mine. When I vacuum I undo the skimmer basket hose from the wall and insert the vacuum hose to wall where the skimmer hose was attached. The vacuum has good suction and the hose goes thru to the pump and filter. I guess it's a little late to ask but that is the correct way, right? Maybe I'm hooking it up wrong. I'd feel dumb if I'm doing this wrong but hey, at least that would explain why so much of it goes back into the pool!! It seems like the white particles are so small that the filter sends most of them on through and back into the pool. I've even put a nylon stocking stuffed with fiber fill over the return trying to catch the stuff. I do that when I vacuum and during normal pump/filter operation. Maybe the better quality filters are the answer..

Thanks again for the help. And thanks for the links.

Susan in NC

[PoolDoc]

It seems like the white particles are so small that the filter sends most of them on through and back into the pool.

I can't guarantee it, but I think the Unicel cartridges WILL help. You do want to get enough so that you can rotate them through clean and soak -- 2 on regular pools, 3 for pools with problems. They should actually cost less than the OEM cartridges, since the Intex OEMs are supposed to be replaced every 2 weeks, and these can be used all summer if cleaned.

[Susan NC]

Thanks PoolDoc!

Will definitely get a few new good filters. I'm all about some soaking, cleaning and making those filters last!! Now, outside to add some bleach to the pool. This 100 degree weather and then torrential rain is rough!!

Thanks again!