Baquacil to Bleach conversion (help needed)

[eyesfinallyopened]

Rev,
I can't tell you how many of those little test sticks I've gone through today (I know, I should have a better testing system . . .) but I've never let the FC level drop below 10. It's taking less and less of the ultra bleach to keep up and the color of my pool is now bright Gatorade-like green and it's clearer. I can actually see the bottom drain and the whole ladder and there's no baquajunk floating.

How's this for an added stressor: I just got a contract on my house to sell and have an inspection tomorrow!!!! I am praying hard that there's a huge improvement overnight because this just may spook the buyers off. We did discuss the fact that I was getting ready to switch over to chlorine and the guy was glad to hear it. I doubt he knew how much of a pain it is and how shocking the conversion can look! I'm going to stash the bleach bottles somewhere out of sight. Luckily, tomorrow is trash day so the empties will be gone. My realtor came by twice today. The first time I told him not to even look and to save himself the worry because it's not pretty. Well, the second time I was out back vacuuming the hidden floor of the pool so my son let him in and led him out to where I was working. He's probably having some martinis tonight to calm down!

I hope we both have great things to report in the morning.

--Deborah

[revhendrix]

Hi all....

This is my third day in the process and my FC levels seem to be staying where needed. I checked the levels at 11:30pm and again at 7:00 this morning. In the morning, the FC levels were at 15ppm. My pool, however, is still a clear green. I can see the bottom at the shallow end, but not the deep end (still a cloudy dark green).

Do I need to add a different kind of chemical to get rid of the green?? With my FC levels staying relatively high I'm a bit worried why the pool is still green. Someone mentioned use an algaecide?

FYI - we backwash frequently and it's fairly clean. The skimmer stock is still collecting orange gunk.

Any thoughts and thanks

[duraleigh]

What level was your Cl last night?

Even without knowing, I am sure you simply need to keep adding chlorine. Run your pump 24/7, keep Cl at shock value 'til your water clears, brush and vac frequently.

Stay the course....you're making progress.

You do not need additional chemicals. It is quite tempting to use them, but, generally, they do little that Cl won't do and they confuse the issue.

[revhendrix]

Hi Dave and thanks for the reply. My FC levels were close to 15ppm last night. I threw in an extra 1 1/2 gallons of Clorax for good measure (to last through the night). When I tested this a.m., they were at 15ppm - so I was baffled that the FC levels were still up (lasting through the night). I didn't expect to maintain those levels until the pool was clear. It's a sunny day in New England so I'm sure the sun should eat up the FC levels.

Should I be testing for Cl or is that the same as FC??

[duraleigh]

Sorry.. Cl = Chlorine FC = Free Chlorine

For your purposes, virtually the same thing.

If I follow what you're saying, you tested 15ppm last night, then added 1.5 gal Clorox (4.5ppm). Test this morning - 15ppm. So you consumed around 4-5ppm Cl.....is that right?

The fact that your water is not where you want it is still your driving factor...keep the Cl in there.

Another helpful additive that hasn't been mentioned in a while (and we all need some of this) is POP (pool owner patience)

[revhendrix]

"If I follow what you're saying, you tested 15ppm last night, then added 1.5 gal Clorox (4.5ppm). Test this morning - 15ppm. So you consumed around 4-5ppm Cl.....is that right?" Yes, that's right.

Too funny....."POP". I need a little of that with everything!!

Thanks again.

[eyesfinallyopened]

Rev,
You haven't posted in awhile. Is that because you've been enjoying your pool?

--Deborah

[revhendrix]

Hi Deb...I wish I was enjoying the pool. I'm still into the process. Tonight marks the fourth full day. My pool is a clear green and you can almost see the bottom throughout the pool. The deep end, however, still has some dark spots. I'm hoping to see crystal blue within a couple of days. My "POP" is wearing off......!!

I just pulled the owner's manual for my Jaccuzzi 190L filter to try to learn how to change the sand.... Hoping, of course, that I'll be changing it by the weekend.

Thanks for checking in....

[garrard]

Hey Rev,

I too am in the middle of a Bac to CL conversion, but I've had a little better luck. I'm replying to your post re the sand. I started my conversion on Friday, went through the shock of water you could walk across on Saturday, then rejoiced in the clear, blue water on Sunday. On Monday, I replaced my sand. I was amazed at what I found. The sand, 300 lbs worth and new at the start of last year, was packed into the filter and was a real bear to remove. I used my shop vac (on the wet setting) to get a lot of the water and sand out, but I finally ended up scooping it out with my hands. I had multitudes of sand "rocks" that were too hard to break up with my hands. These were laced with green layers of embedded algae and some white stuff that looked like pieces of bone (no family members are missing, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't bone!). I guess thats where all the calcium went that the pool store people kept me replacing for no good reason (I have a vinyl liner). I doubt I would ever completely get rid of the algae without replacing the sand.

Bottom line - replace your sand, but don't have any expectations that it will be easy. My arms look like I was in a cat fight and lost!

About your green water, do a search on copper. I've seen some other posts where people can't get the "algae" out and copper has developed as the lead suspect.

Best wishes,

Doug

[revhendrix]

We just had our water tested at a pool store and the ph level was "off the charts" probably between 21-32. Our cl level was 8. The guy at told me that we are in a state of "chlorine lock" and the chlorine will no longer work because the water is too acidic because of the high ph level. He suggested that we use ph minus -- a product to lower the ph to normal level so the chlorine will work. You add it every hour or so to the skimmer and run the filter continuously and wait for the levels to drop. He also said not to add anymore bleach until the level is lower(maybe a day or so). It's not so much the $$ of buying the ph product, I just don't want to get "pool stored" and also I don't want to delay the completion of this conversion. This is our 5th day and the water is clearing but still dark green in the deep end. Help!