I just found out the pool at the house I am buying is using baquacil instead of chlorine. I definitely want to convert it to chlorine, but trying to figure out if I should do it now or wait until the spring. It seems like from reading here that the conversion takes a long time. If I were to stay on top of it every 30 mins or hour except when I was sleeping, how quickly could I get it done?
How quickly can I convert to chlorine?
- Thread starter gerg
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 24,411
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
It all depends on the Baquacil sanitizer level. If it's high, it can take up to a full week or more (with lots of babysitting) to make the conversion happen. You might be better off running out the season on Baquacil and just letting the sanitizer levels fall during the winter so you can convert more easily next spring.
That's what I was afraid of...I probably shouldn't have already bought all the stuff for a chlorine pool. Bad assumption! At least I'll only have to pay the outrageous prices for the baquacil stuff for about 6-7 weeks.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,411
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Well I got a salt cell and control panel and about 650 pounds of salt and 80 pounds of borax in the garage haha. I could probably return the stuff, but it's not worth it. I'll just save it until spring.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,411
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
It will last. None of that goes bad. Come spring the conversion will use a lot of liquid chlorine so hold off until then. You don't want to add the salt cell until after the conversion is complete and your pool is running in chlorine.
I just noticed you have a DE filter. That's even more reason to wait because the conversion process would be a nightmare with full strength Baquacil and a DE filter. Letting Baq sanitizer levels fall will be helpful.
Question - has any Baquacil CDX product been used? If you can, avoid using the CDX at all for the rest of the season.
I just noticed you have a DE filter. That's even more reason to wait because the conversion process would be a nightmare with full strength Baquacil and a DE filter. Letting Baq sanitizer levels fall will be helpful.
Question - has any Baquacil CDX product been used? If you can, avoid using the CDX at all for the rest of the season.
I haven't bought or added any baquacil products yet and I'm not sure what the prior owner was doing. Would you recommend just using the sanitizer and oxidizer and skipping the CDX for the rest of the season? Is there a test kit I could use to monitor the levels without bringing water to the pool store?
To the best of my knowledge there really is no "good" complete kit for Baquacil. You're more or less stuck with strips and the pool store. With you not having the full history of the pool I would assume the owner before did not use the CDX system and avoid using it as well. I don't know the full scientific reason why, but I've seen a handful of conversions where the user had used the CDX system previously and it was a pain to convert. Almost to the point it was easier to drain/refill. Simply stay away from the CDX. 
Continue to keep an eye on the sanitizer and oxidizer levels while adding a weekly dose of algicide. If you post your current test results and water clarity I'll do my best to help you maintain the pool these last few weeks of summer. Hopefully it's somewhat clear when you take ownership as this heatwave the east is seeing just screams POOL!!!
Continue to keep an eye on the sanitizer and oxidizer levels while adding a weekly dose of algicide. If you post your current test results and water clarity I'll do my best to help you maintain the pool these last few weeks of summer. Hopefully it's somewhat clear when you take ownership as this heatwave the east is seeing just screams POOL!!!
To the best of my knowledge there really is no "good" complete kit for Baquacil. You're more or less stuck with strips and the pool store. With you not having the full history of the pool I would assume the owner before did not use the CDX system and avoid using it as well. I don't know the full scientific reason why, but I've seen a handful of conversions where the user had used the CDX system previously and it was a pain to convert. Almost to the point it was easier to drain/refill. Simply stay away from the CDX.
Continue to keep an eye on the sanitizer and oxidizer levels while adding a weekly dose of algicide. If you post your current test results and water clarity I'll do my best to help you maintain the pool these last few weeks of summer. Hopefully it's somewhat clear when you take ownership as this heatwave the east is seeing just screams POOL!!!
I appreciate the help. On Thursday evening it was crystal clear. I took some water home for testing and got:
PH - 8
TA - 180
CH - 300
We take possession Tuesday morning, so I'll bring a sample to the pool store and pick up some strips. I already have the acid to fix the PH.
The pH and TA will be able to be tested using a kit like you would use for testing chlorine. Only your Sanitizer levels will you need to rely on strips. Granted that's one of the most important levels though in a Baqua pool.
Closed on the house today and brought a sample to the pool store. No Baquacil!? Apparently the prior owner was confused when I asked him about it....Anyway I appreciate the help from you guys!
If the pool store used strips to test for Baquacil, the test may not be valid. The portion of the strip that indicates baquacil level deteriorates once the container is opened and can give zero readings even if within the "use by" date. This happened to me at more than one pool store and my own. just a caution.
Thanks for the heads up. I did get some water in a cup and add some bleach to confirm nothing strange happened before I dumped it in the pool. No idea what the guy was doing - the pool was completely clear but no chlorine or stabilizer were present. Anyway, I've got it all sorted and balanced out and have been enjoying my new pool!