PH during conversion ??

[heikejohn]

I am converting to BBB since last saturday.
Of course I did not read EVERYTHING before starting. I was just fed up with all the Baquacil problems. White water mold, cloudy water, and constant adding of more $$$ to keep everything going.
I just started dumping bleach, using the bleach calculator.
Now I read that it is harder to finish the conversion with a high ph level. But I can't read my ph level due to the high CL levels. I have keept it at 15 since saturday. The water is clear, with a slight green tint, and is still using up bleach over night.
I'm waiting on my new Taylor test kit to get better readings. For right now I'm using the wal-mart kit & diluting & multiplying by 3.
Can I use the same diluting process for PH? If I do that, my result is something like 21.
Can that be right?

 

[giulietta1]

Can I use the same diluting process for PH? If I do that, my result is something like 21.
Can that be right?

No, it's not, b/c pH is on a logarithmic scale. Also b/c the pH dilution water will affect your reading too.

You're raising your CL to 15 on a regular basis, but in between it drops way down. . . your pH readings should be ok when your FC is no higher than 10.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Try testing your pH in the morning before you re-dose the pool with bleach.

the highest pH can even be is 14, and that would be some pretty caustic water!

Welcome to TFP!

 

[heikejohn]

Thank you both!

I will test tomorrow morning.

From last night to this morning it dropped by 6.

During the day, it only takes a few hours to drop that much. For the last 5 days I have been able to keep at it almost every 2 - 3 hours, adding more & more bleach. I'm at gallon 55 or so, and can't wait to get it done.

The pool hasn't been clear since August. Constantly some kind of white water mold. The mold treatment was probably still in there, too. Something else the bleach had to kill.

I's time to close the pool, the leaves are falling like crazy. The weather is still pretty nice, but the water is only 70. If I get done before it droppes any more, I might still get to go in one last time.

Might be wishfull thinking.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

70 degrees...
brrrr!!!! mid- to upper-80's are what I prefer!

Part of the reason the FC drops so rapidly in the day is the sun. Since you have no CYA in your water, there is nothing to protect the chlorine from being burned off.

Sounds like you have a good grasp of things... how does the water look?

 

[heikejohn]

The water is chrystal clear, with a slight greenish tint to it. It's 6pm over here, just added another 1.2 gal of 6% to it. By tomorrow, I'm hoping to see more clear blue water!!!!

Than the polyquat, re-shock & close???

Or do I first get all the other water levels to the correct levels, than polyquat, re-shock & close?

Should I float a couple of 3" tabs under the cover, or is that not neccessary?

All the information on this board has been so helpful. Without you all, I would have freaked after putting the first few gallons of bleach in the water. The images have been a huge help, too.
(And of course my husband out of town for 2 weeks is good, too. He would have been questioning my sanity with the first color change!!!)

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Just to condense it here for you, your conversion is complete when:
1) you can hold FC overnight with no loss
2) you have 0 cc's
3) your water is sparkling (and blue!)

Some folks keep the FC up for another 24 hours after this, just to be sure. Then you MUST change out your filter media (and clean your filter)

How was the pH this morning? I would get the pH adjusted before closing, and then as you said, polyquat and shock, circulate for a bit, and close 'er up.

I would not leave any pucks in the water, especially without circulation. Then again, I would not close until the water got colder, like 50's . But that is just me... plenty of folks close with water warmer than 50.

 

[heikejohn]

This morning my ph was 7.6 and CL down to about 4.5.

My real test kis isn't here yet, hopefully by this afternoon or tomorrow. I ordered last saturday, and I guess it takes longer than I would like it to be.

Should I add something now to lower ph, or wait until the cl holds at 15?

The water is sparkly clear and a bluish tint is starting to show. (From the blue liner)

The water temp is falling and we had about 2' of rain last night with tons of leaves falling in the pool. I had to put the pump on slow filtration, did not want the skimmer to clog up with all the leaves over night. I's back to full blast now.

Have to get more bleach today, too.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

blue is good!! leaves are bad!

your pH is fine, or you could nudge it down... either way.

 

[heikejohn]

Thank you! Thank you!

All the help is truly appreciated!