I am newbie at this. I wanted a chlorine pool, but my husband insisted on baquacil. Anyway, after we found TFP, he has decided to let me convert. It has taken us many weeks to get the pool clear and a lot of money. I have read how to convert, but I have a question as to when to do it. My husband posted a thread, but since I will be taking over the pool duties, I thought I would ask. Our pool filter capacitor broke after 5 weeks of use. It is not under warranty because we bought the pool at end of last season, so the part comes in while we are on vacation for a week. I am sure the pool will be green by the time we get back. Do I convert when I get back and the pool is a wreck? I am sure the sanitizer levels will be lower or do I wait for the end of the season? I figure the pool will be out of commission because of the algae issues. I really know nothing and cannot rely on any help for this. I will be on my own for the process and am a bit nervous about the whole thing. I will do as you say. I feel too, after I convert, i need a sand filter because then I can hook up a creepy crawly to it for the algae. The current vacuum system cannot pick up the algae and just shoots it in the water. I had to siphon it all out and the water was only clear for 2 days before the pump broke. I am so overwhelmed I feel like just trashing the whole thing, but my three boys need the pool for their energy outlet and my sanity. Any advice or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.
Need to convert to chlorine
- Thread starter Kellayharnish
- Start date
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
Welcome to TFP 
ok, just looked up that filter and it would take you forever to convert from bauq to chlorine...
I almost never recommend this but it may be the easest, fastest and cheapest route to take in your situation..
1. empty pool
2. while empty change to sand filter
3. clean pool with a bleach spray and shop vac everything out until clean
4. refill your new chlorine pool..
now you say sand filter and pump.. this is a salt water generator and pump that would be really easy for you because when salt is added to the pool it will create chlorine..
Amazon.com : Intex 120V Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump Garden
it may be a pain to connect it to the pool, could you post pictures of the hoses you have now connected to the pool?
Let us know how you want to go about this
ok, just looked up that filter and it would take you forever to convert from bauq to chlorine...
I almost never recommend this but it may be the easest, fastest and cheapest route to take in your situation..
1. empty pool
2. while empty change to sand filter
3. clean pool with a bleach spray and shop vac everything out until clean
4. refill your new chlorine pool..
now you say sand filter and pump.. this is a salt water generator and pump that would be really easy for you because when salt is added to the pool it will create chlorine..
Amazon.com : Intex 120V Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump Garden
it may be a pain to connect it to the pool, could you post pictures of the hoses you have now connected to the pool?
Let us know how you want to go about this
You can never use a filter to remove live algae from your pool. Live algae is a chemistry issue and the chemistry in your pool must kill the algae first.
When you convert to chlorine, count on your pool water chemistry to kill and prevent any algae.....not your filter.
When you convert to chlorine, count on your pool water chemistry to kill and prevent any algae.....not your filter.
First and foremost.......Welcome to TFP!!
Before worrying about converting lets make sure you have your own FAS/DPD test kit. I wouldn't even attempt to convert without one. From there it's really a toss-up when is the best time to convert. If it were me I would bring the chlorine level up to 15 before leaving for vacation just to "start things off" and then complete it when you get back. During the conversion algae will be the least of your worries. The "BaquaGoo" created by the conversion will turn the pool green in seconds but will turn as there is less and less Baqua in the water.
As for switching to a sand filter.......
I would wait until you convert to chlorine to worry about your filter. It really sounds like your problem is a chemistry issue, not an equipment one. Switch to chlorine and maintain it for a few weeks. You can decide then if you still need to upgrade your filter.
Before worrying about converting lets make sure you have your own FAS/DPD test kit. I wouldn't even attempt to convert without one. From there it's really a toss-up when is the best time to convert. If it were me I would bring the chlorine level up to 15 before leaving for vacation just to "start things off" and then complete it when you get back. During the conversion algae will be the least of your worries. The "BaquaGoo" created by the conversion will turn the pool green in seconds but will turn as there is less and less Baqua in the water.
As for switching to a sand filter.......
I would wait until you convert to chlorine to worry about your filter. It really sounds like your problem is a chemistry issue, not an equipment one. Switch to chlorine and maintain it for a few weeks. You can decide then if you still need to upgrade your filter.
Thanks so much. I have already bought one of the test kits that the site offers. Since our pump is currently not working, can i even start the conversion until I get back? Then do I leave the filter out, so the goo doesn't clog it or just wash it out every few hours. I have read enough to know that I must scrub the pool steps, but what about the tubing. Does that need to be scrub inside or will the bleach take care of that? Thank you. Sorry one last question, when I convert,it is possible that if I keep the chemistry on point, then I will not need to worry about algae?
If you have a pool cover pump, you can put it in one end of the pool and the hose in the other end for circulation, but you need a working pump to effectively make the conversion.
Your preference. Your probably gonna have to get new cartridges anyway, but If possible, I would just recirculate the water for at least the first 12-24 hours, before starting to filter it.
If you are talking about the return jets, the elevated levels of chlorine should take care of the lion's share of gunk. However, I would scrub the eyes and the Weir at the mouth of the skimmer. Also if there are areas of low water flow, that needs to be addressed as well.
Before you start the conversion process, get your pH to 7.2. Then just focus on FC. Do not worry about the algae. You are effectively doing a concentrated and dedicated SLAM. Test the water and bump FC to 15ppm as often as every hour, brush, and vacuum periodically. Once your pool is clear, start testing CC. Once you pass the 3 criteria to complete a SLAM (OCLT, CC=<0.5, clear water), replace your cartridges.
Thank you for you all's help. If I need the pump to be working, then I will wait until I get home. Bummer. I will be asking questions when I get home then. Thanks.
Okay, I am back and finally have a working pump again. I reread the baquacil conversion guidelines and began this morning. I noticed a problem soon into it. I have a taylor 2006 test kit. The first couple of times i tested, I had no free chlorine. My beginning baquacil number according to the pool store was 13. Tonight I added my chlorine for the night and it was pink after I waited an hour. I tried adding the chemical, but the water just got pinker. I think I am not doing it fast enough. I have now read that I might need speedstir sticks. I will order them now, but any suggestions until I get them. I want to continue my conversion. I vacuumed up the goo and brushed my stairs according to what I had read. I just need an accurate FC number.
I have a few more questions now. When you add the chlorine, as the baqua is eaten up will the colors stop or lessen? I brushed the walls and floor of the pool and around the intakes. I have plastic pool stairs that you add water in to keep them done. My husband upgraded the stairs for the kids. I took them out, scrubbed them, refilled them with water and then attempted to pour bleach in it. I am not sure what else to do with that. I am going to guess that baqua is still lurking. Also, my kids have two fabric floats that have been in use since we got the pool. Should I just hose them down really well? I can't leave them in during the conversion or they will bleach. The FC was at least 15 at 145am this morning ( I got called into the hospital), But by the time I woke up at 830 it was 3. I added more bleach, but it wasn't accurate since the sun had been on the water for over an hour or two. I have been called in to the hospital the ;last two nights and was just too tired to get up at 6. I figured since it was my first day of conversion, it probably didn't matter so much. I do not have any goo that I can physically see. I vacuumed that up yesterday, but will vacuum again this afternoon. Any thoughts are helpful. I am assuming I will have several days of this. I have gone through 17 bottles of bleach so far.
When the water stops turning color as you add bleach, you are a lot closer to completing the conversion and the amount of yellow goo will be a lot less.
Dont forget to backwash or rinse the filter cartridges, however you clean them, as i am not familiar with them.
I vacuumed my piles of goo to waste instead of into the filter; you might want to do that if you haven't been doing it or if you have any more piles. The piles of goo early in the conversion are easier. Later on you may find it helpful to turn the pump off for several hours (after you have let the last batch of chlorine circulate) to let any more goo settle out so it will be easier to vacuum.
The fabric floats may be a little harder to clean than vinyl ones. i understand your reluctance to use bleach on them. when you are close to completing the conversion, you can try rinsing them in the pool when the chlorine level is down to your normal level and watch for goo.
Good luck.
Dont forget to backwash or rinse the filter cartridges, however you clean them, as i am not familiar with them.
I vacuumed my piles of goo to waste instead of into the filter; you might want to do that if you haven't been doing it or if you have any more piles. The piles of goo early in the conversion are easier. Later on you may find it helpful to turn the pump off for several hours (after you have let the last batch of chlorine circulate) to let any more goo settle out so it will be easier to vacuum.
The fabric floats may be a little harder to clean than vinyl ones. i understand your reluctance to use bleach on them. when you are close to completing the conversion, you can try rinsing them in the pool when the chlorine level is down to your normal level and watch for goo.
Good luck.
Thanks. I did waste the water and I threw the floats in this time. I am about to vacuum again. My FC was3 and the CC was 6 just now. Will add more bleach to get it back to 15.
All,
When I was adding chlorine it would turn orange in thevery pool. Now it stopped and theven WHOLE pool is green. My CC is high. I just checked it and my FC is 2.5 and my CC is 5.5. I bumped my FC back up to 15. What am I doing wrong? See attached picture of the pool that is green.
Do pools turn green in this process? Does FC climb this high early in the conversion? I am not getting any Baquacil goo anymore.
When I was adding chlorine it would turn orange in thevery pool. Now it stopped and theven WHOLE pool is green. My CC is high. I just checked it and my FC is 2.5 and my CC is 5.5. I bumped my FC back up to 15. What am I doing wrong? See attached picture of the pool that is green.
Do pools turn green in this process? Does FC climb this high early in the conversion? I am not getting any Baquacil goo anymore.
Attachments
In middle of conversion to Chlorine from Baquacil. HELP!!!
I need HELP.
I am in the middle of the conversion and everything was going great until yesterday. My pool is green. Last night :FC 9.5 and CC:4.
This morning FC is 4 , CC is 6.5. I added bleach to bump it back up. There was gooo floating on top and on bottom but it is all gone. I scrubbed ladder, liner, intake and outtake lines, cleaned filter every 8 hrs, and we upgraded to a plastic ladder that you fill with water to stabilize.
Any ideas as to where Baquacil is hiding? Is this all part of the process?
I am starting on my 3rd day of conversion. My Baquacil number was 13 when I started.
I really appreciate your help. It seems I made it worse and not better.
Kellay
I need HELP.
I am in the middle of the conversion and everything was going great until yesterday. My pool is green. Last night :FC 9.5 and CC:4.
This morning FC is 4 , CC is 6.5. I added bleach to bump it back up. There was gooo floating on top and on bottom but it is all gone. I scrubbed ladder, liner, intake and outtake lines, cleaned filter every 8 hrs, and we upgraded to a plastic ladder that you fill with water to stabilize.
Any ideas as to where Baquacil is hiding? Is this all part of the process?
I am starting on my 3rd day of conversion. My Baquacil number was 13 when I started.
I really appreciate your help. It seems I made it worse and not better.
Kellay
Re: In middle of conversion to Chlorine from Baquacil. HELP!!!
Conversions take time, the goo is normal, keep adding bleach to shock level & bump it up every hour or so.
My conversion took about 60 or so bottles of bleach & around 2 weeks.
Conversions take time, the goo is normal, keep adding bleach to shock level & bump it up every hour or so.
My conversion took about 60 or so bottles of bleach & around 2 weeks.
Re: In middle of conversion to Chlorine from Baquacil. HELP!!!
Have you read any of the past conversion threads yet? That will give you a good idea of what to expect.
Yet another Baquacil Conversion
Scared - Page 2
Have you read any of the past conversion threads yet? That will give you a good idea of what to expect.
Yet another Baquacil Conversion
Scared - Page 2
Re: In middle of conversion to Chlorine from Baquacil. HELP!!!
Yes, I have read a bunch of them, but I hadn't read anything about people's water turning green. Mine turned colors with the bleach, but then went back to clear. Last evening when I put the bleach in is when it turned the whole pool yellow green and I wasn't sure if that was okay. I read on one of the forums that it could indicate copper in your water and you may need sequester. Also, I hadn't read about people's CC being so high, but I may have not read the right ones. I have been picking the ones with the most replies. Mostly, I have read that the water was crystal clear, but the FC wasn't holding through the night.
Yes, I have read a bunch of them, but I hadn't read anything about people's water turning green. Mine turned colors with the bleach, but then went back to clear. Last evening when I put the bleach in is when it turned the whole pool yellow green and I wasn't sure if that was okay. I read on one of the forums that it could indicate copper in your water and you may need sequester. Also, I hadn't read about people's CC being so high, but I may have not read the right ones. I have been picking the ones with the most replies. Mostly, I have read that the water was crystal clear, but the FC wasn't holding through the night.
I see you started a new thread on the green, might want to keep it all here so people that see the other thread will see the history here.
Not sure about color change to green. cant remember how mine changed. i did get CC around 5 to 6 though. I would keep the target FC up until water clears and CC is low. Did you clean your filter?
Not sure about color change to green. cant remember how mine changed. i did get CC around 5 to 6 though. I would keep the target FC up until water clears and CC is low. Did you clean your filter?
Re: In middle of conversion to Chlorine from Baquacil. HELP!!!
Metal is indicated when the water is clear and tinted green, more here, Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains
According to this, Pool School - Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine
When you lose 1 ppm of chlorine, or less, overnight it is time to clean out your filter and change the media. Once the filter is cleaned up, add enough CYA to reach 30 ppm. Continue to maintain FC at 15 ppm.
Your conversion is complete when CC's are 0.5 or less two days in a row.
Have you reached these points yet?
Metal is indicated when the water is clear and tinted green, more here, Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains
According to this, Pool School - Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine
When you lose 1 ppm of chlorine, or less, overnight it is time to clean out your filter and change the media. Once the filter is cleaned up, add enough CYA to reach 30 ppm. Continue to maintain FC at 15 ppm.
Your conversion is complete when CC's are 0.5 or less two days in a row.
Have you reached these points yet?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,722
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Re: In middle of conversion to Chlorine from Baquacil. HELP!!!
Kellay, some other things to confirm or keep in mind that may help you or us as we watch your thread:
- Which test kit are you using? Please add it to your sig
- Have you added anything else to your water other than regular bleach?
- Is your local water from a well or source known to have metal in it (iron or copper)?
- It is important to maintain an FC of "15" and continue to do so until you pass TWO overnight (OCLT) tests. Until then, the bleach needs to continue to breakdown anything in the pool/system that may be holding residual baqua. Remember that while your FC of 15 is trying to breakdown baqua, the sun is trying to rob the pool of your FC as well since there is (or should be) no stabilizer (CYA) in the water at this point.
We'll watch and try to help as needed.
Kellay, some other things to confirm or keep in mind that may help you or us as we watch your thread:
- Which test kit are you using? Please add it to your sig
- Have you added anything else to your water other than regular bleach?
- Is your local water from a well or source known to have metal in it (iron or copper)?
- It is important to maintain an FC of "15" and continue to do so until you pass TWO overnight (OCLT) tests. Until then, the bleach needs to continue to breakdown anything in the pool/system that may be holding residual baqua. Remember that while your FC of 15 is trying to breakdown baqua, the sun is trying to rob the pool of your FC as well since there is (or should be) no stabilizer (CYA) in the water at this point.
We'll watch and try to help as needed.
Re: In middle of conversion to Chlorine from Baquacil. HELP!!!
Thanks in advance for your help. I have only been adding regular bleach- no scents. No, I am not done converting and have not reach the parameters yet. I used town water to fill it, but I do not know if they have a problem with copper in it. I have continued to try to keep it at 15 and will continue. I just wasn't sure with the whole pool turning green do I need to do something else?
I do not know how to test for copper. Do I take a water sample to the pool store?
I am going to go out and scrub and vacuum everything now again even though I don't see anything to scrub. Should I not worry about CC until I have held my FC through the night?
- - - Updated - - -
Here is a pic of the pool now
Thanks in advance for your help. I have only been adding regular bleach- no scents. No, I am not done converting and have not reach the parameters yet. I used town water to fill it, but I do not know if they have a problem with copper in it. I have continued to try to keep it at 15 and will continue. I just wasn't sure with the whole pool turning green do I need to do something else?
I do not know how to test for copper. Do I take a water sample to the pool store?
I am going to go out and scrub and vacuum everything now again even though I don't see anything to scrub. Should I not worry about CC until I have held my FC through the night?
- - - Updated - - -
Here is a pic of the pool now