Hi guys!

So glad I found this forum. This is our 2nd season with our pool. Started using Baquacil per the pool store recommendations. Last year was great, nice sparkly water. This year, opened pool, nice sparkly water until this past Friday. The water started getting cloudy, then Saturday morning, so cloudy that we can't see the bottom of the pool. The water is nice & blue, but has a milky/cloudy look. So took water to be tested, added more Baquacil products to clear the water, still nothing. That was $90+ down the drain.

I started researching online and it lead me here. Seems like this is a common problem with Baquacil. watermold, right? So I told my husband that if we're going to convert, lets do it now since the swimming season hasn't got into full swing yet. That way, we can at least have a 2-3 months of decent swim time.

I've been reading the Pool School, posts in this forum, etc and have general idea of how to convert with the Walmart bleach. So I guess I need to stock up on lots of bleach, a water test kit (until I get the one recommended here) and have some sand on hand to change out when the conversion is complete, right?

My main question is for after the conversion. Do most of you that convert, use the stuff from the pool store or what you can get from Walmart/grocery store for your maintenance products?

TIA! We may start the conversion this weekend and will keep you updated with pics.

Jennifer,

Welcome to the forum. Lot's of smart pool people here who are very willing to help with baqua-goo conversions.

Generally, you will not need the pool store for supplies. Chlorine is the large consumable item you will need and most do it with Clorox from the grocery store. Same thing if you need to adjust pH....Borax....... or Baking Soda to adjust your TA. I haven't been to a pool store in five years. CYA is about the only thing you can't get at the grocery store but I buy mine at Lowe's/Home Depot.

One thing I must mention (and, yes, I sell a test kit). It is quite difficult to do a conversion with an inexpensive kit. YOu need the FAS/DPD test for chlorine when you start to bring your pool up to shock and then you really need that test to maintain your chlorine during the process. I would strongly urge you to get the TF-100 (mine) or the Taylor K-2006 kit. Read how valuable they are to other members here. Trying to do a baq conversion without them is sorta' like tying your shoestrings together before you run a race.

Thanks for posting Dave. Yours was the one I'm going order. I noticed you're in Raleigh, we're right outside Knoxville, TN. How long do you think shipping would take if I order today? I'd like to start the conversion this weekend, while my husband and I are both home and can take turns testing and adding bleach.

I have another question. If I'm able to test & add bleach as needed every hour or two this weekend and first of the week (I'm not working next week so will have plenty of time) will it go quicker? Should I go get the liquid chlorine from the pool place to start out because its more concentrated and I just added Baquacil yesterday? Will it get the process going faster that way or just stick to the Walmart stuff?

Sorry, thougt of another question, I have a couple of unused bottles of Baquacil and I'm going to take them back for a refund, could I pick up some liquid chlorine there and use it to get started and then switch to the Walmart stuff when I run out?

Jennifer,

I sent you a Private Message.....check the upper left hand corner of your screen.

I'm up near Chicago and got my kit in 2 days.

Welcome to the forum! I'd save your money on the inexpensive kit and just order the good one. Wait to begin the conversion for when the kit arrives, the conversion will actually go faster with the appropriate testing/adjusting - without the FAS-DPD test you'll just be guessing and the conversion could actually take longer.

In over 2 years the only thing I bought at the pool store in regards to chems is CYA (wal-mart was out) and some Liquid chlorine because they had an excellent price.

It's a great idea to try and exchange your pool store chems for chlorine or store credit.

Thanks guys. I just went to Walmart and stocked up on 24 jugs of the 96oz bleach. How many do you think I'll need in the first couple of days of conversion?

I'm going to take the Baquacil back this morning and see what they have to exchange or give me a store credit.

Thanks for all the tips!

24.

No way to predict. Probably alot since you just put in a bunch of Baq products.

LOL, probably. I'm going to do another Walmart run in the morning. Get all stocked up for a few days.

Just back from the pool store. Get this, she actually recommended that I go ahead and switch because of the problems people have with Baquacil.
Thing is, she recommended to use the Ultra Shock powder for 3 days to get rid of the Baquacil before I begin the actual conversion. Thoughts? I was thinking I'd read not to use the powder, to just stick with liquid, right?

Stick with the liquid. Bleach/liquid chlorine is less expensive and doesn't add anything you don't want to the pool.

Thanks Jason.

Hopefully the Baquacil level will drop the next couple of days. Yesterday it was 31 BEFORE I added more and this morning it was already back down to 26. So it's losing it fast.

Just thought of something else. We have the SunHeater solar panels attached to our pool. How will we handle this with the conversion? Right now I have the valve closed because its been rainy the past few days and obviously being solar it doesn't work then. But the Baquacil water and possible watermold has circulated through it so wouldn't I need to circulate the bleach through it too? I would assume that I need to open that valve and leave it open during the conversion, right?

The best thing to do with the solar panels is to wait till near the end, right after you add CYA, and run the panels for several hours at that point.

ok, cool. I think we're about ready. Just waiting on my test kit and need to stock up on more bleach when I go to the grocery store today. lol

Thanks again, for everything.

Got my test kit & getting ready for the conversion. I tested & got this:

chlorine: 0
ph: about 7.5

Do I need to lower the ph before I start? In the pool school article it says to have it between 7.2-7.4 first.

Yes, you might as well lower the PH, even though it is already clsoe. Chlorine is more effective at lower PH, and you are going to be using a lot of chlorine.

ok, I have the muriatic acid and figured how much I need using the Pool Calculator. How long after adding it, do I need to test and/or start adding the chlorine?

Another question, we're supposed to have scattered storms this evening, should I wait till tomorrow to start converting or will it be ok to start tonight?

Will have pics & updates as soon as I get started.

You are fine to start about 5 minutes after adding acid. No need to worry about the storms any more than you would any other time.

Thanks bunches! Off to get this party started.