Beginning conversion from Baqua to chlorine

[JasonLion]

When cleaning the cartridge filters, should I be using some type of chemical, rather than just a hose with well water? I've been wondering, even though there isn't really Baqua goo on them, if they're not effective enough.

As long as the filter pressure behaves normally and isn't getting excessively high, there is no need to do anything special other than hosing off the cartridges.

If, after rinsing off the cartridges, the filter pressure is still high, then you can do a special cleaning of the cartridges. For extra cleaning, remove and rinse off the cartridges normally and then soak overnight in a mixture of automatic dishwashing detergent and water, one cup of detergent for every five gallons of water.

 

[jule]

Jason,

"automatic dishwashing detergent and water" I don't have one of those modern appliances, although I sure wish I did. Mine all moved out years ago. . If Dawn dish soap, the original kind, won't do, than can you recommend a brand?

I rinse filters and skimmer baskets (one basket in the return and one in the pump housing) daily.

I really appreciate all the help, comments, info. Just lots of things going on in other areas that require my attention at the same time, none of which, right now are going my way. But! - despite some frustration, I persevere. It's all temporary, right.

I have made a vow, that if this works with the pool, I will become a full fledged TFP supporter. :-D According to all here who've been through it, that's a done deal.

 

[JasonLion]

What you really want is TSP, the real kind with phosphates. But that is difficult to find, and many people end up getting the fake stuff that doesn't have phosphates and doesn't work nearly as well. The second choice is automatic dishwasher detergent. Cascade is a good brand that is available nearly everywhere. Ideally you want the simple original version without the various additives and extra feature, but if is all you can find is the stuff with extra features, it will still work.

 

[TravisD]

Just lots of things going on in other areas that require my attention at the same time, none of which, right now are going my way. But! - despite some frustration, I persevere. It's all temporary, right.

I know how you feel. This has already been one crazy year for my wife and I. We haven't had a chance to catch our breath yet, but like you said, It is all temporary, just a little overwhelming.

 

[jule]

Does anyone have a tip for keeping consistent with the DPD 870 'heaping scoop'? I'm fanatical about cylinder measurements and repeat a test if I lost count of drops. I try to be just as consistent with the DPD scoop, but even swirling to dissolve all the powder/crystals I've noticed no or various pink shades, sometimes with close to same FC, sometimes not.

Yesterday afternoon my FC was @ 2.5, sun was on the pool. Despite recommendations I mentioned earlier by the pool store of super shocking with 3 cases overnight, and it being something I've opened with and then switched back to Baqua in the past, I didn't want to add that much. At 8pm I added just one case. Calculator prediction was FC 40. I got 40.5.

At 9:23pm FC=36. I have been losing chlorine during the night so while I thought that was a lot after dark in one hour, I decided to leave it and see where it was in the morning.

At 6:45am FC= 52.5 - WOW, it cannot go up, so I retested thinking maybe my DPD scoop was too big, so I intentionally made my heaping scoop smaller than usual and got FC=38. That's still higher than my 9:23pm test of FC 36.

I tested again with the same sample of water using what I think is about the same size scoop as I normally do and got FC=40. That would say I didn't loose chlorine overnight, but of course that isn't right either, because I have been loosing quite a bit. So, my scoop size was off?

Results of a fresh sample and test at 8:50am with my 'usual' heaping scoop size:
FC 26.5
CC .5

Hence my question about consistent scoop size....Curious to know if others have mastered that. Which, being me, leads to another question..."why not a level scoop?"

 

[TravisD]

The amount on the scoop does not have to be precise. As long as the water turns pink, then you got enough in there. Just a scoop or two to turn the water pink is all you need.
I usually do a level scoop, but that is me. I've seen some people use a heaping scoop and get the same results.

Your inconsistency with the results may be an effect of the FC level being so high. I'd let that fall to shock level. You don't want to damage any of your pool equipment by having your FC too high. Shock level or slightly higher is all you need. With no CYA in your pool yet, a FC level of 40 is VERY high.

 

[JasonLion]

You can add quite a bit extra of the powder without affecting the result or causing problems, but it is possible to add too little power, especially if the FC level is quite high. This almost never comes up, because it really doesn't take much powder to work, but if there is somehow too little powder the solution can turn clear earlier than it should giving you a false low reading.

For technical types, there needs to be enough of the powder for the chemical in it to bind to all of the chlorine. If there is extra chlorine left over that is not bound to the indicator in the powder, it won't turn pink and won't contribute to the test result.

 

[jule]

Thanks guys! Knowing how it works (extra chlorine not bound ) is helpful to me. So, I don't have to be anal about getting the exact heaping size every time.

 

[jule]

I woke up to see the mole swimming to the hose. Normally, they be in the water!:

[attachment=1:26hknx8q]mole&toad2_pool.jpg[/attachment:26hknx8q] [attachment=0:26hknx8q]mole&toad_pool.jpg[/attachment:26hknx8q]
I did a rescue and release, then ran a test.
6:15am this morning
FC 21 ( it was 24.5 after chlorine addition at 8pm last night)
CC .5 (I've had several days of test @ 0 if that matters?)
TA 140 -160
CH 140 -170 (includes the 2 drops of R12 due to slight copper reading from first tests, 12 drops changed to purple, 15 is definate blue,)
ph <8.2

I've been able to see the bottom since Friday morning. These test results are my official first overnight chlorine loss test. The critters on the hose were a happy indicator that much of the chlorine held overnight! (I've been keeping nighttime chlorine up higher than recommended because I make one addition in the morning only. Without stabilizer, the level drops 4ppm in 15 minutes. Cost & other obligations prevent me from the daytime attention it would take to keep it at a constant level. I add in the morning, but then not again until a heavy dose at night. It was exactly two weeks to get from my first photo to these two today) - My goal has been swim ready for Memorial Weekend. (although historically it rains here)

 

[JasonLion]

Great! You are moving right along.

 

[jule]

I have 2 questions regarding step 7 in the conversion process:

1. If I'm adding CYA to 30, when chlorine is @ 15, then wouldn't that mean chlorine would have to be kept @ 15 to keep it and CYA effective?
2. Should I be adding CYA before my other numbers (TA, CH & ph) are to target?

I'm a bit confused by doing step 7 according to what this statement says:
"CYA - Cyanuric Acid - Protects chlorine from sunlight and determines the required FC level. (outdoors 30 to 80, indoors 0 to 20)"
That would seem to me then that if I'm stabilizing the water with chlorine level @ 15, then I'd have to keep it there for CYA & chlorine to be effective.

Considering the knowledge & resources here, my thinking on this isn't correct. My sons tell me I shouldn't "overthink". I tell them I just consider all moves/outcomes. ~ Maybe they're right.

 

[JasonLion]

Right now, you are maintaining the special baquacil conversion extreme shock level, which is 15 when CYA is 0. Once you have overnight FC loss of 1 or lower, you switch to the routine everyday shock level, which just happens to be 15 when CYA is 30. Later still, when CC remains 0.5 or lower two days in a row, you can switch to the normal day to day FC level, which is 2 to 6 when CYA is 30. I hope that made sense.

When it comes time to add CYA, you can add CYA independently of what is going on with your other levels, before after or during making other adjustments.

 

[jule]

Am almost there!

My FC overnight loss has gone from 3 to 2ppm, with CC either .5 or 0 for well over a week.

I've read some of the other posts on swimming & shock levels, but from what I can see they've got CYA's in range.
I've no CYA in my pool yet.

at 6:50 AM my FC was 24 (down from 26.5 at 9:15 last night) over the course of the morning I added another gallon of shock.

12:15:
FC 12.5
CC .5
TA 160

Basket buddies in return and filter housing no longer showing yellow particles, which I assumed was Baqua residual. Also filters were virtually goo-less this morning.

We're having another couple over Sunday afternoon. Mostly floating around the pool for a couple hours. How much damage will it do to the process if there is no CYA in the pool and I have the shock level between 7 & 10 and I raise it back up after we're done?

 

[JasonLion]

With CYA at zero, you don't want to go swimming unless FC is 2 or lower. Swimming at higher FC levels can result in noticeable fading of bathing suits, and FC above about 5 can cause hair to break off (it grows back).

You could let FC fall quite low and then swim, raising FC back up later, but I wouldn't swim with FC around 7 or 10.

 

[jule]

Jason, thanks for the info. Will be sure to stay up on the chlorine level with swimmers and after. Generally it drops to nothing about halfway into the morning, if I don't add anything, so will monitor close to keep it at 2ppm while they are here. My husband has not been following the process, and I have to say I'm quite surprised that he hasn't commented on the amount of shock that's been in the garage. I took 11 empty cases to the recycling center the other day! I'm not sure my process has been less expensive than a few days to a week of 24/7 monitoring though. Or I'd hate to think how much I'd have gone through with that approach.

When I first read about "baqua-goo" I wasn't quite sure what I should be looking for. During my initial visits to the pool store they referred to it as a gel substance or that it looks like snot. Feel free to move them or share them in another topic area where they might be seen by others who might also be new to the term.
[attachment=1:314po7bo]baquagoo1.jpg[/attachment:314po7bo][attachment=2:314po7bo]baquagoo2.jpg[/attachment:314po7bo]

This is my pool as of Friday! Looking very nice and clear, but still not quite through the conversion process. My husband wisely advised our neighbor the other day to ask me about swimming readiness. The 90 degree heat had him interested in cooling off in it. The upper right corner of the photo shows reflections of the deck and house. [attachment=0:314po7bo]pool_conversion_at_3_weeks.jpg[/attachment:314po7bo]

I haven't said it often enough, and I'm pretty sure I'll have a question or two about the other chemical additions when the time comes, but thank you! thank you! for the help so far.

 

[TravisD]

Water looks great! You are so close to being done, then you can enjoy your new and improved pool. Good job!