Day 3 of conversion

[MBalce]

Hi Y'all - new member from Middle TN here. Have been doing a lot of lurking on the site and decided I needed some individualized guidance so created my profile and wanted to post a thread and hopefully get some guidance and feedback.

Decided to convert to Chlorine after reading a lot of the info on this site. 4 year old pool that's been on Baqua since day one, 3 part including CDX. I just finished dealing with my latest bout of pink slime and was doing some research on it which led me to TFP. Made the decision about a month ago, but I had some people coming in town for Memorial Day so I wanted to make sure the pool was open for them. I tried bringing the Baqua down as much as possible by not adding anymore and also draining about a foot and a 1/2 of water about a half dozen times and refilling, hoping to dilute the existing chemicals somewhat. Based on advice from pool store I added some non-chlorine shock into the skimmers and when the Baqua Sanitzer got down to high teens starting putting NST 70.2% Calcium Hypochlorite tablets in both skimmers. There was no reaction to the water and it remained crystal clear thru the holiday weekend even with a half dozen people using the pool pretty regular. FC levels never got over 1.5ppm but based on the water clarity I figured everything good.

Monday afternoon I added 3 1/2 gallons of 10% Sodium Hypochlorite liquid that I got from my local big box home improvement store. Got the emerald green reaction but based on the chlorine drop test didn't get much more than about 7ppm FC. Since then I have added a total of 22 gallons of 10% chlorine. I have never seen FC get above 10ppm. I did wake up this morning and first thing did a test which got to 6FC/2CC=8TC. After that test I added my last 5 gallons I had in 2.5 gallon increments waiting about an hour between.

Just ran a new test and came out to 8FC/2.5CC=10.5TC

Water is murky green, not the bright emerald green though that happened when I first started, and I have a lot of white particles suspended in the water. I have been brushing the pool and anything that was sticking to sides and bottoms seems to come off surface easily.

Now, where to go from here? Obviously need to pick up more liquid chlorine, probably buy another 20 bottles or so to start. I also have 7lbs of 98% Cyanuric Acid Hydrate, but initially wasn't going to add that until conversion complete and I had changed the sand in filter.

Other problem is I am leaving this Friday until Sunday night so will not be able to continue daily working on it over the weekend. I do have a bunch of the Calcium Hypochlorite tablets and was considering throwing some of those in each skimmer before I left.

Ok - so that's a lot but based on reading previous threads it seems more detail the better for feedback. Also attaching pic of current water.

 

[Texas Splash]

Now, where to go from here?

Yep. Chlorine, chorine, and more chlorine. The baqua goo combined with CDX is quite resistant. Don't add anything else to the water right now except liquid chlorine. In case you don't have the conversion link, here it is below. Welcome to the forum!

Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine

This Step-by-step guide will help you transform your pool from Biguanide (Baquacil, SoftSwim hereafter referred to as Baqua) to chlorine. Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[MBalce]

Any thoughts on adding the tablets while I am gone for 3 days? Yea or nay?

 

[Texas Splash]

Any thoughts on adding the tablets while I am gone

I would not. You don't want to add any CYA to the water during the conversion as it can hamper your progress. Once you return, you'll just have to pick-up where you eft off.

 

[Mdragger88]

I would not. You don't want to add any CYA to the water during the conversion as it can hamper your progress. Once you return, you'll just have to pick-up where you eft off.

They are cal hypo tablets right @MBalce ?

 

[MBalce]

They are cal hypo tablets right @MBalce ?

Yes they are the 3” 70.2% calcium hypochlorite tablets. Not CYA

 

[Flying Tivo]

Leave you filter in recirculate while gone, you dont want it clogged up. That is if you have your pump on a schedule.

 

[MBalce]

Leave you filter in recirculate while gone, you dont want it clogged up. That is if you have your pump on a schedule.

No timer on pump. Runs 24/7. Electricity is relatively cheap here.

 

[Mdragger88]

Hopefully you’ll be past the “goo” part by then. The more often you replenish 15ppm fc the faster the conversion will go.
Also - don’t let cal hypo mix with anything else! It should not be stored near anything thing else.
Use a floater for the tablets that is strictly for cal hypo & has never been used for anything else - you can never use it for trichlor tablets it can cause an explosion
Also, be aware that they dissolve at quite a slow rate.

 

[MBalce]

Hopefully you’ll be past the “goo” part by then. The more often you replenish 15ppm fc the faster the conversion will go.
Also - don’t let cal hypo mix with anything else! It should not be stored near anything thing else.
Use a floater for the tablets that is strictly for cal hypo & has never been used for anything else - you can never use it for trichlor tablets it can cause an explosion
Also, be aware that they dissolve at quite a slow rate.

When I put them in the skimmer I was actually surprised how quickly they dissolved. Usually 2-3 days and gone. Was planning on buying a new floater if I continue using as they make cleaning the skimmer baskets more difficult. So I think I am hearing it should be okay to put some in a new floater for the 2 1/2 days I will be gone.

 

[Mdragger88]

When I put them in the skimmer I was actually surprised how quickly they dissolved. Usually 2-3 days and gone. Was planning on buying a new floater if I continue using as they make cleaning the skimmer baskets more difficult. So I think I am hearing it should be okay to put some in a new floater for the 2 1/2 days I will be gone.

Yes-
Just for a vacay, not recommended for daily chlorination as they increase ch level

 

[MBalce]

May have some progress. Went and ran some errands, including picking up another 12 gallons of chlorine. Got back and water was noticeably clearer, though still green. Also saw for first time a bunch of yellow deposits on bottom. Maybe because of earlier brushing it clumped up and sank. Tested FC came in at 1.5ppm.

Going to vacuum to waste, add more chlorine, probably backwash just cuz it went up a few lbs.

 

[Texas Splash]

Progress is good!

 

[MBalce]

Think things are getting there but still having issues getting FC to 15. Water cleared up last week and no longer turns green when adding chlorine but still have never got the FC level to 15. Last night added chlorine twice in the amounts Pool Math said to but the reading was only 7.5 with a CC of .5

this morning i tested FC at 4.5 and CC remained at .5 Water looks crytal clear, and getting very little sediment at bottom, will vacuum to waste today. Filter pressure seems pretty good but will backwash just because.

Lots of sun right now so doesn’t seem possible to get FC up during the day. With the CC staying so low am i getting close? Last week the CC was hovering between 2-4. The hard part right is the water looks great, but i still tell everyone they cant go in yet but hard when we are hitting 90 degree and sunny days. Since i started about a week ago I have gone thru over 50 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine.

 

[Texas Splash]

Lots of sun right now so doesn’t seem possible to get FC up during the day.

Yes, it is very difficult during the day. But at night you should be able to add as much chlorine as required to cut through that stuff and reach an FC of 15. That number 15 and passing an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test is a critical step before completing the conversion. I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of CC.

 

[MBalce]

Thanks. Well, back to the store for a couple more cases of bleach!

 

[MBalce]

My next question is - can people go in the pool at this stage of the conversion? If either the water may not be a good experience, or it would slow the conversion process I would not want to do it obviously.

Current condition:
Water is crystal clear and looks great, pump is running at 19-20lbs which is close to as low as I have ever seen it. At 9am, with full sun hitting the pool for almost 2 hours now the FC is at .5 and CC is .5 and PH is 7.5 I have never yet added any CYA so I would surmise that to be at zero.

 

[Texas Splash]

can people go in the pool at this stage of the conversion?

I would not. If your conversion was complete and this was a regular SLAM with stabilizer/CYA in the water, sure. But in this case we're counting on the unbuffered chlorine to be more strong and cut through any remaining baqua and/or CDX product. I wouldn't want to take a chance at this point. Sorry.

 

[MBalce]

No worries, thanks for reply. Since it appears the FC dissipates extremely rapidly with the sun hitting. my current plan is to just wait to this evening and then start loading up on the chlorine when the sun is off the pool. Does this seem like a good strategy? Also, how long after adding the chlorine can i run a test for it to be considered a valid test?

 

[Texas Splash]

Your plan does sound good. Once you start adding chlorine again, I would do another test in about 15 min with good water circulation. Try to keep it maintained as best as you can when you are home and the sun is down.