We have only been pool owners for one year and it was a miserable and expensive year spent fighting mold and algae. We could not wait to get our pool covered last fall just so we could quit throwing money into it. I found the TFP website over the winter and ordered the test kit. We uncovered the pool this week. I tested the pH today and it is at 7.2. I used the pool calculator: for our 23,000 gallon pool, add 715 oz of Clorox (about 4 bottles). We added the four bottles a couple of hours ago and it turned green immediately. Two hours post adding the Clorox, it is still the same color green; but the consistency now looks "milky." It looks pretty nasty; and we can no longer see the bottom (pictures attached).

Welcome to TFP.

Have you retested the chlorine? The closer you watch it and add more chlorine as needed, the faster you'll get the conversion done.

The nasty water is normal.

Have you read the pool school article on converting your pool to chlorine? If not, it is a MUST read. And, you should also invest in a high quality test kit with a FAS-DPD chlorine test. There is the "TF" test kit recommended by most here. Leslie also makes a test kit with the FAS-DPD chlorine test. You will be adding chlorine to levels that are not accurately measured using your run of the mill test kit, and you will need to accurately determine both free and combined chlorine.

The bottom line is you want to add chlorine to maintain 15ppm chlorine through the conversion. At first, this will not be possible as the baquacil immediately combines with the chlorine. Eventually, you will be able to achieve this level. I HIGHLY recommend going to the pool school and reading the conversion article as it describes the process in great detail.

Hope this helps. By the way, my conversion took about 7 days. Keep adding the chlorine and have patience.

I just retested (I have the TF-100 test kit with the extra DPD Powder & extra FAS/DPD Chlorine Test). The FC level is 1.5. The calculator now computes adding 644 oz. of Clorox. How often can I test and add more Clorox? It's only been about 3 hours since I initially started the conversion.

It will consume the bleach almost immediately upon addition in the initial phases. I would do it hourly until it starts to level off.

Thanks - I will add more Clorox now.

Keep those pictures coming!

I'm still waiting to see one where the color can only be described as "woodland camo."

We added four jugs of Clorox last night around 9pm. This morning (7am) the water is a little bit less green; but there is foamy white stuff floating around on the top (pictures attached).
Just tested and FC = 5 (I'm surprised it is this high - I'm guessing since we put the last dose in after dark?)
Anyway the pool calculator says to add 477oz which is 2.6 jugs. We are going to add 3 jugs now.

approx 9am FC test = 14.5
approx 10am FC test = 6
calculator: add 429 oz (approx 2.4 jugs). Will be adding 3 jugs momentarily.
Water looks a little bit greener than previous post at 7am (pictures attached).

Very nice deck! So, how does the pool look today? If I remember correctly, once the brown foam went away, my pool started to clear pretty quickly, but that was being very diligent with chlorine levels. Keep up the good work and you will be done in no time.

Hi KayCee,


No more of this for you! Your conversion seems to be coming along very well. And nice pics!

When you get a moment in between hauling jugs of bleach, please add your pool and equipment specs in your sig.

Welcome to the forum

Attached are pictures from this morning. The water is looking more blue than green.
FC = 2.5
According the caculator we are to add 596 oz (approx 3.2 jugs). It looks like it's going to be a sunny day so we are going to go ahead and add four jugs.

-- Thanks for the words of encouragement from everybody!
I think the water is about the same color as it was around 8am this morning; but it does look a bit clearer. You can actually see the bottom - not sure if you can tell this from the attached pictures.
FC = 1.5. I will be adding 4 jugs of Clorox shortly.

Now that the water is clear enough to see the bottom. We can see that there is "yucky stuff" on the bottom. It kind of looks like the algae we used to get on the bottom; but not as orange (more brown). Is this from the conversion? I'm thinking it's not safe to get in the water??? If not, I think we need to do our best to get all this off the bottom by vacuuming to waste. Is that the right thing to do?

Yes, you should vacuum up any debris/goo that settles to the bottom. You can either vacuum to waste or vacuum on filter and then backwash/clean the filter.

Getting in the water is not recommended.

The pool is looking so good!!! The water is so clear!!!
We are planning on performing the overnight FC Loss test tonight. If we pass in the morning, we will be adding CYA tomorrow or maybe Thursday. I haven't made it to the pool store to buy the CYA yet. I am thinking we'll get the liquid even though it is more expensive because I would like our pool to be ready for the weekend. According to the pool calculator, we will add two gallons of liquid CYA. We plan to change the sand on Friday. Does anybody see any problems with our plan for the 2 gallons of liquid CYA on Wed or Thurs and a sand change on Fri?

This is a GREAT website - I can't believe how great this conversion has gone! I was originally considering getting the pool store to help me with the conversion and then learning the chemistry on this website. Then I thought I would probably learn alot doing the conversion myself. After reading posts from people who had the pool store help them, boy am I glad I didn't go that route!

Thanks for a great website!!!

Remember the rules of the conversion, though you are at the end phase
...the FC has to hold overnight
...change the filter media
....add CYA - you do NOT need to buy liquid - and you can still swim
....CC must be .5 or less for 2 consecutive nights
Only then are you done....
You don't have to worry about the swimming/CYA addition - you can swim - but its the FC holding, the .5 CC issue -and changing the filter media to determine if you are done.

-- just tested the water:
FC = 15
CC = .5
I am so excited that the results are where they should be.
I will test again first thing in the morning - then repeat tomorrow night.
If all results are good, I will proceed with adding CYA and changing the sand.
Thanks to eveyone on this website!!!

first am check of water:
FC = 14
CC = 0.5

I read on another post that the conversion is complete when:
1) you lose less than 1 ppm FC overnight
2) your CCs are less than 0.5 ppm
3) your water sparkles.

We have met these three criteria

We will test again tonight, change sand Friday and start adding CYA after the sand change.
I read on another post that some Home Depots and Walmarts carry CYA - in what form? Is it okay to buy the CYA from these places? or is the CYA from the pool store better?

Thanks again to everybody on this web site!!!

The CYA from Home Depot and Walmart are o.k. Check the label to see what percentage of CYA they contain. It will take a little more CYA if it is less than 99% of the active ingredient. Congratulations! The pool looks great!