To convert or not to convert

[Leebo]

I haven't added because I was contemplating converting. However, the process has taken longer and now I think it will be a spring issue. I was adding the dosages weekly until my conversion thoughts started.

In many ways I don’t blame you. The swim season is short enough as is up north and taking a few weeks to convert makes it even shorter. So let’s tackle your algae now using Baquacil and worry next Spring about converting.

The first thing you need to do ASAP is get some Oxidizer in the water. You’re very very close to a major algae outbreak. Vacuuming to waste is simply putting a mask on the main issue, algae is reproducing faster than you’re killing it. Soon your pool will be a nasty green if you don’t get aggressive in killing the algae. Your Sanitizer/Algaestat levels seem OK at 50ppm however with zero Oxidizer in the water there’s very little killing going on. Add the recommended dose of Oxidizer and brush.

 

[anthonypool89]

uh, the baquacil system requires weekly additions. i see you let the oxidizer get to zero. you need to add this now. the sanitizer itself is not enough to prevent algae. there are numerous pamphlets on how much and when to test/add.

If you cannot maintain even weekly additions to your pool, you might consider hiring someone to take care of it. if you want to convert to chlorine, tell them you want to use the TFP method. or close your pool. TFP is great but it is not effortless, just easy. sorry to be blunt.

Yes..CDX is added immediately after the weekly maintenance dose of oxidizer. It goes right in the skimmer.

 

[WyldLyle86]

Ok, with your guys advice I will wait to convert and start getting the appropriate chemicals back in to make it through the summer. What should I avoid with the intention of converting? Obviously it wouldn't be smart to add the CDX, since that seems to wreak havoc on the conversion. As it is I plan to drain as much is as prudent for the winter, and then get a truck or two of water to help flush the CDX as has been described.

I don't want to be adding chemicals now that will complicate matters going forward.

 

[pookiesunshine]

have you added any oxidizer yet?
once you get it cleared up, i would keep adding oxidizer and algaecide weekly as prescribed by baquacil. i would add sanitizer as necessary to keep it at 30, no need to go to 50 as they suggest.
when you stop using the pool, do not add any more sanitizer. it might dissipate over the winter if you have ceased adding cdx. draining should help immensely.

if your baquacil test strips have been opened before this spring, they may not be reading correctly, regardless of the expiration date. The sanitizer portion of the strips tends to go bad before the other parameters (used to anyway, in my experience).

 

[Husky25]

You could consider supporting TFP, which will save a few duckets when it comes time to purchase your test kit. It is also tax deductible, and you'll get special offers periodically e-mailed to you as well.

Assuming you're committed to the conversion, take a few laps around Pool School, getting particularly familiar with the Baquacil conversion page and how to SLAM (which you will be, more or less, doing during the conversion), and play around with Poolmath. There is also a free TFP app.

Other than that and what you have already done, I'd say you are set until Springtime on the conversion side of things. Obviously you'll want to keep up with the BQ treatments until closing.

Do not add any BQ chemicals at closing. Then, just prior to opening the pool, get about 24 gallons of liquid chlorine or jugs or extra strength no additive bleach (There is a thread every year on where the most cost-effective bleach can be found all over the country.). You'll probably need more, but that will be a start. Again, Do not treat the pool with any BQ specific chemicals and certainly no CDX upon openning either. I don't know how necessary it is to have a truck of water on standby, but I never used CDX either and all evidence points to it extending the conversion timeline, so I suppose it can't hurt, provided it is cost effective.

Finally, get your filter pump running. Adjust your pH, and (assuming you've purchased your test kit.) pour in your first two gallons according to the guidelines.

P.S. Create a new thread so we can follow along and answer your questions as they come.

 

[WyldLyle86]

Thank you for the responses. I will continue to do my research and come up with a plan for next season. I know there is a lot of good information already on this website.

As an aside, how many hours a day should you run your pool filter under normal conditions? The pool store that sells the baquacil recommends 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the whole season. That seems crazy to me.

 

[Husky25]

Determine Pump Run Time

The Baquacil manual recommends 12 hours/day.

When I converted, I went down to 8 hours. The above link suggests that 4 hours/day is sufficient to mix daily chemical doses and clear of debris. I'd venture a guess that most of us are somewhere in between due to individual set up, swim load, personal preference, and outside considerations (i.e. amount of debris).

This season I am down to 7 hours/day. The timer is set to kick on at 2pm and turn off at 9pm. Even on the weekend (with a 5 year old and 18 month old) that is prime swimming time, plus a little extra so I can dose and let the chemicals circulate after the sun sets. I will turn the pump on manually if we use the pool or I need to vacuum prior to 2:00.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Thank you for the responses. I will continue to do my research and come up with a plan for next season. I know there is a lot of good information already on this website.

As an aside, how many hours a day should you run your pool filter under normal conditions? The pool store that sells the baquacil recommends 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the whole season. That seems crazy to me.

That is crazy.

With manual chlorination and properly operating pool equipment, studies have shown that most people can't tell the difference between a pool that has been filter for as little as 2 hours and a pool that has received constant filtration.

So, depending on your setup, you may be able to run your pump as little as 2-4 hrs per day.

 

[kcindc]

Here are a few thoughts for after your conversion.

If you want a system where you don't have to manually dose with liquid chlorine, you can always go with either a salt water generator or a liquidator/stenner pump.

With a SWG, it converts salt to chlorine. We recommend that a SWG be 2 to 3 times the size of your pool as anything smaller would mean you would have to run your pump much longer thus saving on energy costs and you won't have to replace the cell as often. SWG have a high initial investment, but the lifetime costs are very close to manually adding liquid chlorine. I manually dosed for years and converted to a SWG last year and I love it! I just replastered and tiled my pool and temporarily back to manually dosing while my plaster cures. SWG tend to make PH rise faster and you might have to add acid bring down your PH.

A liquidator/stenner pump uses a big tank to store liquid chlorine and injects it into your pool. It is much less expensive than a SWG, but you still have to fill up the storage tank with liquid chlorine. There are quite of few of these users on the forum who would be happy to give you the details to set up a system like this.

Best of luck on clearing your pool and whenever you start your conversion!

 

[anthonypool89]

That is crazy.

With manual chlorination and properly operating pool equipment, studies have shown that most people can't tell the difference between a pool that has been filter for as little as 2 hours and a pool that has received constant filtration.

So, depending on your setup, you may be able to run your pump as little as 2-4 hrs per day.

I often wondered about this as well. The past few years I have my filter timer set to run around 10 hours a day (used to do 12). But figuring that my pump is 80 gpm, that means the pool water theoretically is filtered approximately every 2.5 hours. I'm sure that doesn't happen, but it makes one wonder about how much filtration time is actually required. It brings up another interesting question which would be which areas of the pool water don't move as much in the overall circulation pattern and perhaps do not get filtered within any given timeframe. I generally have my diverter valve set mostly towards the skimmer, and very little from the main drain. So it's possible that the deeper water is not getting filtered as much as that compared to the surface. Now that I think of it, wonder if that contributes to the build-up of mold moreso on the bottom and lower sides of the pool walls?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I often wondered about this as well. The past few years I have my filter timer set to run around 10 hours a day (used to do 12). But figuring that my pump is 80 gpm, that means the entire pool theoretically turns over ever 2.5 hours

In a Baquacil pool, things are a little different. The main mode of action is coagulation and filtration and then sanitation. Because the kill times for algae and pathogens is slower, coagulation and capture in the filter ensures that the pathogens will be fully exposed to the peroxide oxidizer. This is similar to how the German pool standards are implemented - coagulate and capture algae and pathogens and then use lower doses of chlorine (without any CYA stabilizer) to destroy them.

So, in a Baquacil pool, longer pump run times are necessary in order to ensure that biguanide/peroxide sanitizer system has the ability to work properly.

 

[anthonypool89]

Makes sense...thanks!