New to a baqu conversion

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I don't think bought more 12 pounds and we have already used 2 of of yesterday, test kit went out today so I should have by tuesday and can't wait.


I don't have a cheap test kit from wally world yet, but my husband is getting one today. will just a regular chlorine one work because it is my understanding that I am only looking for the FC levels?

Most of those kits don't go up to 15ppm right...so should I just see what my results are with the wally kit and then plug into the pool calculater until my new kit comes?
 
just got back and bought a 4 way test kit with drops for 10 bucks at my local ACE couldn't make it to our walmart about 30 min away and I have a 3 month old, lol...anyways not sure if my drop kit will work before I use it need to know if it is the right one, etc just to get a basic Chlorine reading, my TF100 kit is on order.

ACE Kit Specs-
Pool Test Kit 4-Way
Tests for Chlorine, ph, Alkalinity, and acid on demand

The Chlorine test has easy directions as says "to obtain a chlorine reading match the colors within 10 seconds..this result is read in ppm. A continuous devp. of color indicates CC. The reading at 5 min will give Total Combined chlorine. A large difference between readings indicates the need for superchlorination....."

I think I read some where that you can take the CC and subtract the TA or something like that just need to know the specifics and if this cheap test will work till my other one comes??


Help!
 
That is an OTO chlorine test, drops turn the sample yellow and you compare to a color chart, the standard "cheap" chlorine test. It will do just fine for the next few days. You basically add chlorine, wait for the TC level to fall low enough that the OTO test can measure it (which won't be very long at first), and then add more chlorine.

Very few people are able to get useful readings of FC or CC from an OTO test. The colors change fairly quickly just at first and you need to be really fast at distinguishing shades of yellow to get a meaningful FC level. Just let the color settle and you will be reading TC.
 
Re: my coversion is almost complete!

Hate to go OT, but this may help you out in your calculations. I have an 18' round pool as well. Mine is 54" high and holds 7500 gallons MAX. I see you posted 7700 gallons. Perhaps you have a concave base or my calculations are off. If so, please disregard this message. If not, then you may want to recalculate your numbers.

I'm a newbie, so I could very well be wrong.

Even so, the numbers are not that far off, but every bit counts.
 
Update...didn't use the OTO test figured I would screw it up, etc. So hubby picked one up on his way home, it is a strip test. I know their not all that accurate but figured it would be easier b/c it does measure the FC.

Just did a sample and the FC was light yellow, what I figured and the ph looked okay.

I just backwashed. The water muddy looking I am assuming this is expected and then it got more normal looking. The edges of the pool were clear but the middle was very murky.

I just added 2 more bags of turbo shock. Lots more foaming and a weird greenish yellow color. Assuming it is doing its job and getting rid of baqua goo.

I will take another reading of FC in an hour.

My question thus far is if the FC comes back at 10 (that is the highest the strip goes should I add another 2 bags of shock or just wait till tomorrow?
FYI it is raining here will this hurt the conversion.
thanks again!
 
When I went back and checked the FC on my cheap strips it was the a very very pale yellow as in there was no FC hardly in the pool. I will have to wait until the morning to add another round of the turbo shock.


Am I on the right path?
Once I get my new kit I am assuming everything will be much easier and exact. We only have 8 bags of the turbo shock left so once that is gone will are going to the liquid bleach or (BBB method)

I am working on posting pics.
 

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I will do tomorrow b/c it is raining..boo
Anyways my concern is if I 2 more bags of turbo shock in the morning lets say at 9am...then I test the FC with the strips at 10am...if the FC reading is still low according to my lovely strips like at zero, should I go ahead and dump in 2 more bags of shock at 10 am? and continue like that through out the day?

will this hurt my liner, pool pump, etc?????


When My reading gets lets say to an FC of 5 can I enter that into the pool calculater to see how much more trubo shock I should add?
 

Day 1 of the conversion before it is started. This what my new baqua pool was looking like boo!

HPIM2530.jpg

7/8/09 first dose of Chlorine added
HPIM2531.jpg

HPIM2532.jpg

HPIM2533.jpg
HPIM2535.jpg

HPIM2536.jpg
HPIM2539.jpg

after the first dosage of 2 bags of turbo shock....looks great!
 
justmarried1220 said:
I will do tomorrow b/c it is raining..boo
Anyways my concern is if I 2 more bags of turbo shock in the morning lets say at 9am...then I test the FC with the strips at 10am...if the FC reading is still low according to my lovely strips like at zero, should I go ahead and dump in 2 more bags of shock at 10 am? and continue like that through out the day?

will this hurt my liner, pool pump, etc?????


When My reading gets lets say to an FC of 5 can I enter that into the pool calculater to see how much more trubo shock I should add?
Click to expand...

You've got it right, test, enter your current reading and the goal and hit calculate.

Adding more hourly won't hurt your liner. Much of the FC is being consumed within minutes.
 
Here are photos from today day 2 of conversion
Right before 2nd dose is added
HPIM2540.jpg


HPIM2541.jpg


The edges look clear and the middle is yucky.
HPIM2542.jpg


HPIM2543.jpg


2nd dose added in
HPIM2544.jpg

HPIM2545.jpg


This is when our neighbors started getting concerned as to what we were doing to our pool :wink:
HPIM2546.jpg


more photos to come from tomorrow! day 3
 
Sorry about the pictures being to big I will try to fix them next round :lol:

updates and questions

Today got up and checked the pool I could actually see the bottom, even though it was a weird color I was just glad it wasn't hazy.

I brushed the walls and bottom and then backwashed really good, lots of gunky water came out.
I feel as though I am getting some where!!!!!

Question for ya,

Since I added the stabilizer per the pool store( should have known better)....when I started and my bags of turbo shock are 73% strength when I take the FC test with the strips and it reads "low" or zero is that the amount I should enter in the pool cal?


In the Pool calculator I have my gallons set at 11400 and then I enter zero for FC now and goal at 20 (since I used stabilzer early on I believe this is what was recommed early in the thread) the pool cal. recommends added 42 oz of the cal-hypo. So that is 2.6 pounds, should I underestimate and just add 2 bags of the cal-hypo?

We just added this nights dose.
Tomorrow I would like to add more throughout the day...what is your recommendations...check FC every 2 hours or every hour not sure? At every FC check is that when I re figure with the pool calculator and adjust the dosage?

I want to speed this up and can't wait to have my pool back!
 
You don't want to over do it on chlorine. If the calculator says 2.6 bags, don't add three bags. You can add two bags if you only want to deal with entire bags, or add two and a half, the other half will keep for a couple of days without any problems.

Testing and adding chlorine more frequently will speed up the process. At some point you will start to have fairly high FC readings, say FC higher than 10, after an hour. When that happens you can slow down to every other hour. When the FC level is remaining high after two hours, you can slow down again, and so on. Eventually, you will be adding chlorine once a day in the evening.
 
Once you run out of Cal Hypo, stock up on WalMart Great Value bleach. :wink:
You could even start buying it now and putting it aside.
I see you're enjoying all the pretty colors! :mrgreen: It's wild isn't it! :shock:

You'll love the BBB and the clarity of the water once you're done.
You will also love your new test kit!
 

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