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Thread: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

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    b2001 is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst b2001 0
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    Default Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    OK, Im going to start my baquacil to chlorine conversion this weekend, weather permitting. I have a 18’ x 36’ oval vinyl abg pool with a Pentair 150 sq ft cartridge filter and 1 ½ hp pump.

    I uncovered the pool last weekend and had a lot of what appeared to be dirt and leaves. My baquacil was at 52. I drained my pool down to about 16” from the bottom and refilled it. I got three different baquacil readings from two dealers and myself – one indicated the baquacil level still at 48, but my reading and the other store indicates around 0 to 15.

    My ph is 7.4, total alkalinity is 100, and total hardness is 265. The water now has a cloudy, greenish tint to it, I assuming that algae is starting to grow. I’ve gotten some of the trash and sludge, off of the bottom – I’m sure that I got more, I can’t see it right now because of the cloudiness.

    A pool dealer is telling me to either start with a non- chlorine shock powder or put a chlor-tab in the dkimmer to burn off the rest of the baquacil. Looks to me, I just need to start dumping bleach in as referenced in other threads. Is my baquacil low enough to start putting bleach in? That's my main question. Any other gotcha’s?

    I’ve read where sometimes the precipitates that result from this process need to be vacuumed to waste – I assuming with a cartridge, I just have to keep shutting it down and cleaning it…

    I was planning on getting the fas-dpd and oto test kits this weekend. Any tips would be appreciated. I'm nervous and need reassurances, I guess. Thanks …

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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    If your Baq level is 0 to 15 your ready to start. You can start with it higher but it will just take longer and be more messy.

    Just make sure you don't take your chlorine levels too high or you risk fading your liner. When you put the bleach in make sure you get it as far from the edge as possible and as close to the water as possible to keep it from splashing up.

    You may or may not get "clumps" on the bottom. I never did. It did go through some wild colors before it was through. My neighbors were quite concern ... ha.

    Since I had never had a pool or used chlorine before I was extremely nervous before I got started in the conversion too. Five days later it was as clear as I had ever remember seeing it.

    You will need to keep a close watch on your filter because it will gum up pretty quickly the first couple of days. I was having to backwash my sand filter 2 or 3 times a day.

    You will not regret switching to chlorine . Using the methods on this site you will be able to run your pool very cheap with little or no water problems.

    I advise you to order the kit that Ben sells here so you can take charge of your pool. The price is nothing compare to what it will save you from not using Baq.

    Good luck!!

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    b2001 is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst b2001 0
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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    Thanks for the response, I'm needing a little encouragement to get started. I just got back from getting the bleach, and test kits. I'm going to use these kits to get by - I waited too late to order and wanted them today - and get one from Ben next year.

    I'm going use use the bleach calculator and start slow with putting the bleach in the pool, and build up.

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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    Don't start slow. Aim to hit 15 ppm. Keep it there until you can hold that overnight. Starting slow...well, just makes it take longer.

    Michael

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    b2001 is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst b2001 0
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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    OK, I can use your bleach calculator to figure how much to add - how do I measure to keep it there? Seems like I'm reading that I can only measure to 5 ppm with the kits?

    Or will it go down so quickly that it will be in the 1 to 5 ppm range so that I know how much to add?

    BTW, I have no cya stabilizer - do I need to wait until I go thru the shock period?
    Last edited by b2001; 04-29-2006 at 07:07 PM.

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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    I would wait until after the conversion to add CYA. To extend the testing range of your kit, mix one part pool water with one part distilled water, test as usual and then multiply the result by 2. If you need to go higher, mix one part pool water with two parts distilled and then multiply the results by 3, etc. Each level of dilution loses some accuracy, but is good enough to help you determine how much bleach to add.

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    b2001 is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst b2001 0
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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    I used the beach calculator last night to calculate the amount to pour into my pool and did it. Today the pool appears slightly less green and a little more milky and cloudy - so it appears that something is working.

    I have an OTO test kit from Walmart and a "Complete Pool DPD" Test Kit from Leslie's Pool Supply. I just tested my water - I couldn't get any kind of a reading diluting the sample - in case it was over 5 ppm - or not diluting it.

    I'm getting readings of 2 ppm FC and 3 ppm of TC with the DPD test without having to dilute the sample, which would appear to indicate true chlorine readings. As has been stated, it looks like the bleach chlorine has been reapidly consumed.

    My question is, do I need to continuously replenish the bleach into the pool during the day, or do I need to wait until dusk each day to get the chlorine back up to 15 ppm, knowing the the sun will rapidly break the chlorine down during the day ...

    ... and I'm assuming that getting desired level back to 15 ppm is difference between that and FC, and not TC ...

    ----------

    Looks like I was a little impatient on the OTO - I went back outside to dump it and it was colored - it's indicating about 1 ppm, so it seems to confirm I'm nearly depleted of FC ...
    Last edited by b2001; 04-30-2006 at 03:18 PM.

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    b2001 is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst b2001 0
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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    An update on my progress ...

    I have been getting frustrated at my progress. The pool is still green and cloudy; it seems to have improved a little today. Here's what I have done:

    I'm either putting in 4 gallons of 5.25% bleach or 3 1/2 gallons of 6% bleach ...

    Put in one dose Saturday at dusk, Sunday at dusk, Monday at dusk. After watermom's Sunday reply to this post and duraleigh's last reply to the "Softswim to Chlorine Conversion??" post, I stepped it up today, a dose at dawn and will do dose at dusk.

    I'm cleaning my cartridge filter and skimmer basket sock 2 to 3 times per day. Both are definitely orange-brown when they come out for cleaning. The filter in there now is relatievly new and pressure is currently at 10 psi. When it climbs to 20 psi, I don't get very good results.

    I've vacummed my pool several times and I scrubbed the walls and and all of the floor thoroughly Sunday and yesterday. The floor feels ok are far as trash goes, except I didn't go into the deep part, an area of about 10 feet by 10 feet which is about 1 1/2 feet deeper than the rest of the pool - I was too much of a chicken yesterday to go completely in the cold water. Of course, most of the trash settles there, but I believe that I have done a decent job of getting most of it. The pool is still cloudy and green enough that I can't come close to seeing the bottom of the deep end. I barely cannot see the bottom everywhere else.

    No one is really home during the day - can I go ahead and get chlor-tabs to supplement the bleach process for during the day? Where should I look to buy and what brand should I look for ro avoid? The local pool place has a small container for $30.

    My pool was green before starting the conversion. Will a bottle of polyquat algeacide help now?

    I tested about 30 minutes ago:

    OTO
    Cl between 0.5 and 1.0 ppm
    ph between 7.2 and 7.5 ppm

    DPD
    free cl is 0.5 ppm
    total cl is 3.0 ppm
    ph is 7.4 ppm
    ta is 100 ppm
    cal hrdness is 110 ppm

    Thanks for any replies ...

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    Default Re: Weekend Baquacil Conversion

    I don't think the tabs are going to help. You need to shock the pool and tabs aren't going to give you that shock. Can you shock it as soon as you get home in the evening and then again right before you go to bed at night and then again in the morning? Then, on the weekend, really hammer it with bleach as often as you can. Someone may have a better idea, but that is my suggestion. Algaecide isn't really going to do anything for you at this point. Keep your pump running 24/7. Hang in there.

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