I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas area. This is my third summer to have a pool and I have been using baquacil or Mareva's revatop products. This summer I have had a lot of problem with algae and my pool store told me if I killed the algae and then used optimizer plus or baquacil's Endure (which is just sodium tetraborate and I guess the same thing as the borates this forum is talking about) then I would not have any more problems with algae. Well, I killed it all ( it really was not real bad to begin with, but stubborn) and added $150.00 worth of Optimier plus and my water was great for about a month at which point algae started growing again. borate level stayed above 50 ppm the whole time. So I went through extensive algae killing process again and flocked it to try and get it all out. and added chemicals to the proper levels and optimizer to above 50 ppm again. Well, a week and a half later, green is beginning to grow on the bottom of the pool again. Any suggestions?

Shock stays about 50 ppm
Sanitizer stays between 30 and 50
ph stays at about 7.8
Optimizer stays about 50 ppm or higher

any help would be appreciated.

amoses
24 foot round
15,000 gallons

How 'bout a conversion to the BBB?

I am considering it. I just found this website today. I guess I would have to switch from Baquacil type product to Chlorine and my family likes the chlorine free pool. I am sure there are instructions somewhere on this site for switching from baquacil to chlorine and the BBB method but I have not found it yet. Still exploring.

My wife is hesitant to switch to chlorine.

amoses

Hi amoses,

We have lots and lots of Baquagoo-to-chlorine converters doing the happy dance

They will probably drag themselves out of their now sparkly pool to chime in and give you some encouragement to do the same.

The conversion instructions are in Pool School, big white button at top of page.

We're glad you're here and should you decide to convert, we'll be around to help.

Welcome to the forum

Thanks, I appreciate it. In the mean time, can someone advise about the Sodium tetraborate? Should it stop the Algae like my pool guy said it would and if so then why does the algae continue to come back? I used good algae removers, removed the lader and bleached it, cleaned any algae off the filter inlet I could see, etc. It should have been gone but he optimizer did not keep it from coming back. Should I expect that it will not actually prevent it from growing in the pool?

Borates don't prevent algae, they just slow it down a little, making it easier to stop it other ways.

i fought the baq battle for 10 long years. bought all the expensive additives
that pool store kept selling me. last year was the newest and greatest product:
baquacil cdx. another $50 a month. wife didn't want chlorine in pool, green
hair etc. finally after 10 years of misery, i switched to chlorine and i'll never, ever
go back. pool is sparkling clear and more beautiful than its ever been. wife is
thrilled, (because of the pool and not having to hear me griping about cloudy
water, water mold, pink algae). all i add now is liquid chlorine and occasionally
muratic acid. costing about $50 a month. switch to chlorine and switch quickly,
you'll never regret it.

I was caught up by all the hype of a chlorine-free pool too. After converting from "the goo" this July due to constant haziness, I am so much happier. Water looks and feels better, and the cost is much cheaper. I buy 2.5 gallons of liquid chlorine every 10-14 days at $4.00 and that is it. Listen to everyone, you will not regret the switch.

I guess from what I am reading and from what jason said: as long as I test regular (2-3 times a week) and keep the chemicals in the suggested ranges then I should never ever, ever, ever, have algae problems again, right? The only time you get an algae issue is if you let it go long enough without testing and adjusting and the chemicals get out of control?

Okay, I have read enough to know that I am going to convert! I just have to figure out when. Right now my pool looks good and there is not much algae, if any, in it (having just gone through two very expensive cleanings). Also, I have 8 gallons of revatop shock and 4 half gallons of sanitizer. So, not wanting to waste that and since it is hot in Texas right now, I suppose I should wait till I have used up these chemicals and it is cooler, maybe the end of September. Any further advice on that?

amoses,
I am no expert my any means. I had algae and I wanted to hopefully use my pool a little while longer.I'm in Alabama so sometimes it is warm til the end of September. I have a friend who just got her pool in June and is using Baq. She is going to wait until she opens it up next spring. After reading on here...I couldn't wait.This is my 3 year with it and I hate it with a passion. I spent over $500 this season and NEVER had pretty water. That same pool lady who told me "I needed to stay off the internet" also sold me all those chemicals and then wouldn't let me return ONE bottle of Sanitizer. So the decision is yours. ( sorry about getting on my soap box)..and I might add I was very nice to her.

Debbie

Thanks Debstar60. I figured up my expense and found I have spent over $1000 this year. But I have about $200 sitting in my back room that I have not used yet. My pool looks pretty good right now, so I think I will wait for a little while since I have already gone through two different episodes where people could not use the pool already and I don't think I will get a refund or credit on my chems either. However, If I start having another problem then I will be switching sooner. Thanks for all your posts in answer to my questions.

amoses,
Sell the baquajunk to some other poor soul, cut your losses and do the switch asap if you can. I know you have money tied up in it but a $1,000 dollars is just rediculous to pay to have clear and sparkly water. I just feel outraged for you and others who pay all that money for nothing but problems.

If you don't want to convert this year, when you close the pool, don't put anything in it over the winter months and just tag it hard in the spring with chlorine.

Chlorine-free pools are so over rated. BBB is the way to go. Just look at all the conversions in this forum and see the difference for yourself. You too can have a BBBeautiful pool.

I am sold!!!! I have read enough to be convinced to do it. I ordered the test kit and some extra reagent today. I will probably begin the conversion within the next 30 days. I will be sure to post continuously on here while I do it.

I appreciate all the encouragement.

You have made the right decision my friend!

Amen... Good choice! Look at my pics in my sig to see what crystal clear water looks like! Also check out my conversion thread to see underwater pictures!

I looked at your pictures. My pool is not very bad right now, having just gone through two extensive and very expensive algae kills. Probably similar to yours. I do notice slight green algae growth on the floor each day but water is still clear. Do you know what your baqua levels were when you started? Mine are pretty high! I will have them checked today and post them for advise.

Should I expect mine to take about the same amount of time as yours since it is fairly clear right now? here are some pics of my pool right now.

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Okay, Thanks. I am off to buy stuff for the conversion now. I will start my own thread for it and will post pics as I go. Can you give me a basic list of what I should get.

Bleach - 50 gallons? Wal Mart? Will they stock that much? LOL

Sand - what kind is best? I know they make synthetic sand should I go with that

TF100 Kit is ordered yesterday

How much CYA and what kind. Should I buy it at the pool store or is there a better place to buy it?

Muratic acid to drop ph - figured I would get 4 gallons. Again, is the pool store the best place to buy this? I heard that HD and Lowes had it but that it was not as good.

What else should I get for now?

amoses,

You are posting in too many places and hi-jacking this thread. No one can follow what you are doing because you have it scattered all over the forum.

Go back to the post that best tells your history (stubborn algae problem) and then post your questions there so everyone can see what your progress has been and will be.

Make your post for quantities of chemistry in that thread and you'll get lot's of response.

You may need to go to a couple of different stores to find 50 gallons of bleach. Some WalMarts actually have that much in stock, but it varies.

You want sand designed for use in a swimming pool filter, not the same things as play sand. Most pool stores have it, and every once in a while you can find it at hardware stores.

CYA is sold under a number of different brands which are all more or less the same. Look for the granular or powdered kind, and not the liquid. Also check that it is 99+% CYA, a few places have been selling a 50% concentration that is a much worse deal. Only pool stores, or the pool department of a big box store, will have this.

Hardware stores are good for muriatic acid. Usually, but not always, they are less expensive that pool stores.