how to convert Baqua to Salt?

[melifair]

WELL! I am speeding down this Pool Road pretty fast it seems! One month ago I got an Intex Easy Set AG pool - 20'x12'x48"holding about 4,450 gallons...not much of a pool by most of your standards - but it is total bliss to me and my granddaughter! I really dislike Chlorine, so started with Bromine for the first two weeks - then Baquacil caught my eye in the pool shop and i thought - ah-ha! Sounds perfect!!! NEXT I discovered this wonderful forum, and although i see a few Baqua lovers, I am sorry to say my fickle mind has been turned by the majority of Baqua haters! Not only that - the pool was foaming like the best bubble bath - and when i put some anti-foaming agent in it, it has slimed and oiled the filter AND somewhere along the way it TASTES horrible.
SO...now on my fourth week, I saw Intex sell a Salt Water System - and THIS looks great!
So now, i know there are plenty of threads on conversion from Baqua to Chlorine and i also saw one from Baqua to Salt - but for a way larger pool that had been 'Baqua-ed' for some time. I am hoping someone will tell me that since i've only had Baqua in there for a week, i can just let it fizzle away for another week - and then hook up the Salt Water System chlorinator-pump-combo - and i'll be done!
I get a bit baffled by all these numbers of Ph etc- no rocket scientist I - but on the other hand i am a willing learner and rather fascinated. I am easily equating this pool to another child or dog, judging by the amount of time i am spending checking on it, feeding it and cleaning it.
So...please - how can i change over relatively painlessly from Baquacil to Salt???? Thanks so much for your knowledge and help!

[aylad]

I don't think there is a painless way--you're going to have to go the conversion route, even though it's only been a week. I wouldn't use a salt water system for the conversion, since the cell life is rated in hours of use--you'll use up a good bit of the life of the cell trying to burn up the Baq.

Janet

[prh129]

Invest in a good drops-based test kit - it's an absolute must to running your pool successfully. Learn how to use it and post your test results so people here can help. Initially you will need to put in enough bleach to get the chlorine level up to 15 ppm and hold it there until the Baq is gone.

Once you get squared away, you should find the care of the pool much less than a child or dog. I spend about an hour and a half a week total including testing, adding chemicals etc. (And unlike a child or dog, I can tend to the pool when I want, not when it needs me!) Chlorine usually gets a bad rap from public pools where it is much harder to keep in balance. When you maintain your own pool, you will probably find that chlorine isn't as bad as you think.

Good luck.

Peter

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

I don't want to be rude but you do realize that the salt system by Intex is just creating chlorine from the salt molecule? Granted the application of chlorine is infinetly easier but your pool is still going to be chlorinated. Just an FYI...

[melifair]

Thanks everyone for all your help - i feel well supported and advised! i am going to search the site for details on ordering Bens kit - and then i will start.
re. the fact that the salt system IS chlorine (which i didn't want) - hmmm...yes - i do realise that sounded a bit silly. But i am also realising that it is probably the bad management of chlorine that gives it its bad name.
Also from all i read, the chlorine produced in the salt system is not nearly so harsh and does not have the other added ingredients (albeit so-called 'inert') that chemical chlorine does.
Thanks again