I have started my conversion Sunday morning. I discussed the conversion with the pool store and he recommended using an item called turbo shock., due to the % of clorine vice 6 % in bleach. Water turned brown/rust then dark green, pea green when I checked this morning prior to leaving for work. I'm using a cartridge filter which I cleaned prior to and once yesterday. PSI has been running at 20. I have a test kit, not a good as the recommended. I'm unsure how to test for FC at 15, can anyone assist. Has anyone has success with just using shock for the conversion. Once I convert I'm installing a salt water chlorinator.


Thanks for any suggestions.

Welcome to TFP!

Poolife TurboShock is cal-hypo, which contains calcium. If you use too much it will raise your calcium levels too high, which can cause serious problems. How much is too much depends on your current CH level.

Cal-hypo is very convenient to carry and use, but given the very large quantities you will probably need to use, and the additional costs compared to bleach, unless your current CH level is very low, you will be better off using bleach.

For today, and probably the next couple of days, it doesn't really matter that you don't have the fancy test kit, but you are really going to need it before the conversion is over. Right now, the FC level should fall very quickly, and you can use your current test kit to measure the low FC level after an hour or two, but eventually you will want very precise measurements of FC lost overnight, and that requires a FAS-DPD chlorine test.

Have you read the conversion instructions at Pool School?

Bleach along with a better test kit it will be.

Thank you

The water had a lime green shade yesterday afternoon. The bottom was visible, some goo but not as much as I thought there would be. I have ordered the test kit and it should of shipped yesterday afternoon. I added bleach last night. My filter is holding steady at 20 psi. I have read the conversion instructions.

Thanks for all the help.

Welcome to the forum

We all hope that you have a speedy conversion!

Please take lots of pix and post them for us

I used my wimpy kit to test the chlorine last night, it appeared to be over 3.0. I added more bleach. Water is still on lime green in color. The TF100 should arrive this afternoon. Should I only be concerned with the getting the FC up to 15 at this point or should I perform other readings.

When the FC level is fairly low you want to adjust the PH to between 7.2 and 7.4. That should only need to be done once near the start.

Other than that, you can ignore the rest of the levels for now.

Test Kit arrived just a hour ago. FC read 2.5. I was surprised it was so low, the water is looking clear but still a lime green color. Chlorine added after using pool cal. Will test in the am prior to going to work if possible.

Keep at it, you will really be pleased with the end result.
I completed my conversion 3 weeks ago with the help of the TFP site and the TF-100.
My pool has never looked this good.
I've only had to add Bleach, Borax, Muriatic Acid and Baking Soda since!
Good Luck! and enjoy your chrystal clear pool.

Keep at it. It's worth it!

Previous Baqua-APOSTLE.

I checked FC this morning at 4 AM, Reading of 5. Bleach added using the pool cacl. I'm really looking forward to being Bac free.

FC 11.5 this morning. Pool is still on the light green in color. Looks like I may be getting close. Should I be testing anything else at this point or just stay with FC?

Continue to focus primarily on the FC level, though it is worth getting a CC number about once a day. You want to continue adding chlorine until the overnight FC loss is 1.0 or less.

Since your FC level remained above 10 overnight, you might want to switch to only adding chlorine in the evenings. Adding chlorine more frequently will speed up the process, but it is less efficient, more of you chlorine will be lost to sunlight than gets used on the conversion during the day.

Another question. I have just checked my FC, I'm getting a reading of 12. The water turns clear but goes back to pink after leaving the test sit for a few seconds or more. Is this an incorrect reading, looking at the instruction for CC I would think the water should stay clear.

That's normal, just ignore it. The first color change is what you are looking for, when it sits it turns pink again, around a minute.

I took another sample, FC 6. I immediately went to the CC test. 5 drops of R-0003 turned the solution to pink. I added R-0871 drops and gave up after 70. The solution was still pink. Can this we right?

I'm honestly not sure, doesn't sound right. I wouldn't worry about it right, now I'd just bump the FC back up, because if you do have high CC's the FC is what oxidizes it anyway...

You should expect the CC level to be fairly high mid conversion. A CC level of 35+ is higher than most people see, but not out of the question. If there was a problem with the testing, it will sort it's self out over the next few days. As frustratedpoolmom said, just keep at it and focus primarily on FC.

7:00 Pm Central Time in Alabama. My reading are as follows:

FC 4.5
CC 15
TC 19.5

I think I'm getting close. The water is very clear with just a small tint of light green, I suspect my PH may be on the high side. What do you think?

You have a ways to go. A CC of 15 means you still have a lot of baq residue holding on.

Keep shocking!