Weekend Baquacil Conversion

[b2001]

Keep the faith and understand the process.....You are burning Cl at a rapid rate and you must keep it up there or you languish.....and get no progress.

Yes, I keep asking questions to better understand the process and to get a boost from you in keeping the faith. I put in 4 gallons right after I posted above and I just got back from buying a bunch more.

First, after looking at the water considerably after posting above, I do notice that it has gotten clearer and the green does seem to be turning to an aqua green-blue. Maybe I am starting to turn the corner. It's been hard keeping the faith without seeing any results. However, I did notice some light brown algae starting to form on the skimmer on the inside of the pool.

To better understand the process, is it existing organic matter and remaining baquacil in the pool that is rapdily burning up the chlorine at night? The ability to hold the chlorine at shock level overnight would mean that all available "stuff" to burn the chlorine has been exhausted? I know from comments in here that would mean I'm past conversion. At that point, I try to maintain chlorine at 5 ppm, and start adding granular cya?

I've always had problems after heavy rains, being under trees. I would need to consider shocking with chlorine after rains?

How often will I probably need to add bleach - rule of thumb - to maintain the normal chlorine conditions once I am past conversion assuming normal ph, ta, ch, and cya?

Sorry for all of the questions - I'm trying to think ahead - I'm still mentally in baquacil mode.

[duraleigh]

b,

To better understand the process, is it existing organic matter and remaining baquacil in the pool that is rapdily burning up the chlorine at night?

Bingo!

The ability to hold the chlorine at shock level overnight would mean that all available "stuff" to burn the chlorine has been exhausted? I know from comments in here that would mean I'm past conversion. At that point, I try to maintain chlorine at 5 ppm, and start adding granular cya?

Bingo, Again...except for the 5ppm level. Search the forum for Ben's "Best Guess" table to better understand the Cl - CYA relationship.

The other answers vary quite a bit, but, believe me, they will be a piece of cake (and inexpensive) compared to what you're doing now.

If I haven't mentioned it, keep your CL level up!!!

[b2001]

Success at last!

The pool looked pretty good this morning and it looked perfectly clear this evening. The bottom has not been this clear in a long time!

I checked the fc this morning - it was greater than 5 ppm, it was greater than 5 ppm again cut 50/50 with distilled water, and was at 5 ppm again cut 33/66 with distilled water. This would indicate to me fc was at 15 ppm. The only confusion that I have is the kit I have from Leslie's is a DPD and not a DPD-FAS, I assumed that at least the first test would bleach out to clear at that level of fc? Otherwise, it appears that my fc held overnight ...

Of course, this evening when I got home from work the fc was 0.

I was planning on shocking it at night for at least two more nights, and I did at dusk tonight - at least this afternoon the filter was still orange-brown after a few hours, I'd like to get as much of that goop out as possible.

I vaccummed the pool bottom real well this evening, so I feel I'm eliminating much of the organic matter to deplete the chlorine at night. It appears its going to rain tonight, so I'll be real interested in seeing what tomorrow brings. I'm most optimistic compared to my past baquacil experiences.

Should I start the cya process? Leslie's had a bucket of cya powder for $30. Is there a better deal somewhere else? How much should I buy and how much should I put in. I've read to stuff it in an old sock, and that it will take a while to dissolve and register.

I can't thank you all that responded enough - I'm pretty pumped right now about the condition of my pool. I feel like I have a fighting chance this summer.

"Baquacil has now left the building ..."

[Watermom]

Great to hear your pool is clearing. After it looking so green during the conversion, it is hard to believe it will turn clear again, isn't it?

I would wait a few more days before adding cya. The container will tell you how much to add per volume to get to a desired level. I would initially shoot for 25-30. You can always add more later if you need to, but if you add too much now, the only way to lower it is to do a partial drain. Can't comment on the price from Leslie's - especially not knowing how big the bucket is. I don't remember how much I paid for my cya a month ago. Maybe somebody who recently bought it can comment on that question for you. You can put it in an old sock, but what I do is just dump it in the skimmer and let it dissolve in the filter. Your choice. Both ways are fine. The container may say to broadcast it across the pool, but don't do that because it will just lay on the pool floor for days waiting to dissolve.

Yes to shocking a couple more days. Then, after your conversion is done, you'll need to change your sand.

You're in the home stretch now! Glad we could help. You will not be sorry that you switched to chlorine from 'baquagoop!'

[b2001]

The change from green to clear was so sudden, I almost couldn't believe it.

I don't have a sand problem - I have a cartridge filter. I've been trying to ride the current filter, because I will chunk all filters and get a new one when I'm essentially baquapoop-free.

I'm acutally considering getting a sand filter and operating in parallel with the cartridge filter with cutoff valves so that only one filter operates at a time and use the sand filter for "heavy load" work and the cartridge filter for "pristine" work.

I'm going to see how I go thru some storms with chlorine before I pull the trigger. Baquacil was a complete and utter failure after rainstorms with all the oak trees hanging over my pool.

[duraleigh]

b,

If you put in your CYA prior to changing your cartridge, I wouldn't put it in the skimmer. It may accumulate in the cartridge for a few days and then you'll throw it out with the cartridge.

Good Job....Clorox is good stuff, huh?

[duraleigh]

b,

duraliegh, well I'm pulling my cartridge out two to three times a day now to clean - unless you're saying that it will lodge in the filter, and when I throw the filter away, I loose it. If that's the case, I can wait until I get a new filter. If I'm going to loose it when I power wash the filter, then I guess I can throw it in the pool although I didn't want it to sit on the bottom. How long does it take to dissolve?

Yep, it probably will lodge in your filter. May take as much as a week to dissolve completely.

[mjones]

Ok, I have talked my husband into converting to cl!! Now, I need help!! Are y'all using just regular bleach like from Wal-Mart? If so, how many gallons do I need to put in at a time? Also, my free cl is over the 10 on my strip. Total hardness 0-100, total cl +10, ph 6.8, alk 120. I put more algaecide in pool yesterday. I have a sand filter. I don't think that the gauge is working because when pump is off, it is still on 30-35. When on it is 50-55, & when backwashing it is 40-45. I have been using chlorinating granules that are 56% cl. I have put a total of 15-2 lb bottles in since last Friday. I am excited & scared about this conversion. I really need reassurance. My husband thinks that I am going to ruin our liner that we just spent $2300 on last summer. The people that put it in told us that if we mixed cl & baq, it would ruin it, & that cl would fade it! Anyway, should I go buy a bunch of bleach today? It has been a week since 1st shock with cl, but I haven't been keeping it really high like I have been reading about, since it has been at 10 or better all week. Also, what is cya? And, my filter has a cl feeder on it. How do I use that and how much cl should I need for summer? Do I need to buy a 5 gallon bucket of tablets($96 @ lowe's)?
Thank you all sooo much for all the great help!!