We're FINALLY making the switch

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J

Jaxie

0
May 5, 2018
15
Cleveland, Ohio
Hi all! We had a 30' round above ground pool (21,000 gallons) installed in spring of 2016 and made the expensive mistake of using biguanide products for the first two seasons. The first year was great, but last year was a constant nightmare and we decided we were done with it after we closed the pool last October. The plan was to bring the water level down to no more than 1 foot, scrub every inch of the liner clean and then completely drain the last of the 'dirty' water before doing a clean re-fill. Water charges aren't too bad in our area and considering how much we've spent on biguanide chemicals the past two years, figure this is a nothing cost in comparison.

We're using a Hayward SP15239S Power-Flo Matrix 1.5hp two-speed above ground pump and Pleatco PXST 150-M (Microban) filter cartridge.

I'm making a shopping list of sorts and could do with your help. The TFTest Kit 100 (couldn't find a source for the XL version) is on the list. We'll need a boatload of chlorine from Walmart or Sam's club, but wasn't sure if we'd need the 20+ gallons suggested if we're completely emptying the pool?

I've had a look at the Pool Math page and expect it to make more sense once we get started with the switch.

Are we taking the correct path for a start? Shopping list help (links if available) much appreciated, thanks! :D
 
woodyp said:
TF-100 Test Kit â„¢ There's you a link to the XL option in the check box, but you shouldn't need it with basically a new fill. I'd pick up a dozen bottles of bleach which you'll use anyhow, a jug of CYA from Wamart, and wait to test your new fill to see where we go from there
Click to expand...

Thank you for the link! I wasn't sure if that site was safe to buy from, but not now. Is there anything else in that drop down list I should add to the cart before checking out? I saw something around the forum about a magnetic stirrer to use with this kit. Any idea what they were talking about?

Everything we need will be ordered online or picked up in store this weekend. We'll take the cover off the pool and get started once the online orders arrive. Thanks again!
 
SHE who owns that site and tfteskits.net ALSO owns this forum. I think you're pretty safe! That Speed Stirrer add on sure beats swizzling a test tube while trying to count drops at the same time. I guarantee more accurate results using one too.
 
Ah, brilliant! Test kit and stirrer order done and dusted. Once that stuff arrives, we'll take the cover off the pool and get cracking on the cleanup. For now, we're off to Walmart for bleach and CYA. Would it be a good idea to use diluted bleach when cleaning the liner prior to the refill or save it for the fill?
 
The pool has been emptied, cleaned and re-filled. Our test kit and speed stirrer are here as well as the 12 gallons of 'Pool Essentials' chlorinating liquid (10%) we purchased from Walmart. My husband is stopping on his way home from work to pick up the cya because I forgot. Ooops :) What's next?

Edit to say - from what I can gather using the pool math calculator, I need to add 400 oz of the chlorinator stuff to get things started, but not sure if I should wait until evening or can do it now while the sun's still shining?
 
Hi and thank you!

I got the 400 oz of 10% liquid chlorine based on this
Pool School - Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine

After being told I needed to follow the conversion instructions in my intro post in the welcome section of the forum
Hi from Ohio

Now I'm confused and don't know if I'm supposed to aim for 15ppm to do a 'conversion' completion or 3ppm. :confused:

Also, if I'm meant to follow the conversion instructions, is it ok to start adding chlorine during the day or better to add in the evening only?

Thanks for your help!
 
OK - this is a Baqua conversion. My mistake. Disregard my post above. Follow the Bacqua to chlorine protocol.

Take care.
 

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Hi, can you post the rest of your test results? PH, etc.

So, you completely drained your pool, scrubbed everything down, cleaned filter and so on, and you are essentially running a chlorine pool, correct?
 
I haven't put in the new filter yet because someone said to wait until readings are 100% and indicate the conversion is complete.

We added 3 more gallons of chlorine after the sun went down and readings 30 minutes later are ph 7.8, fc 15 and cc .5

Not sure what other readings I need to do right now? I'll take another round of readings in the morning. If all goes well, are we on to changing our filter to a new one, adding cya and calling it job done?
 
Woke up a bit late this morning, as ya do when the Cavs are scraping a win to get to game 7.

This morning's test results are
PH 7.5
FC 12
CC .5
CH 150
TA 120

Since CC has been .5 the past two days, can I add CYA and call the conversion done or do we need to go another while?
 
Hope someone can help me with confirmation here. Changed out the old filter for a new one and added CYA yesterday.

Readings afterward were as follows
PH 7.5
FC 15
CC 0
CH 150
TA 120
CYA 20

Did another set of tests this morning and these were the readings
PH 7.5
FC 14
CC .5
CH 150
TA 110
CYA 30

Am I right in thinking we stop adding chlorine now (trying to maintain an FC level of 15) and let it get down to a target level of 4 - 6?
 
I’m so sorry you haven’t gotten any other responses. I know nothing about baqua, but hoped my bumping you with my question would get you more attention.

But, essentially everything is new now, since you have changed your cartridge, right? I think if I were in your shoes I would proceed to treat this like a chlorine pool. Not sure you’ll want to keep your CYA at 30, though. As summer wears on, many find it worthwhile to bump to 40, or even 50.
 
Thank you Kelly! Yeah... apart from test kit confirmation, it's been a bit of a ghost town on my thread. Since we did a drain and refill it's lacking fun photos of horrible water that tend to draw the crowds. lol

I've added the correct amount of cya to get us to 40 and will test again tomorrow to confirm we got there. Have to pick up another bottle to get us to the 50 mark, but it's now on the list. Thanks for the heads up! :)

How about chlorine levels? Should we keep it around 7, higher or lower?
 
The fact that FC has not dropped means you had almost no Baqua left in your pool. Very good on changing your filter as most of the baqua goo is trapped there. No need to test PH if FC levels are above 10ppm it just does not work. You need to perform an OCLT test. This will tell us if you need to keep at slam/conversion levels. Keep your pump running. If you pass the OCLT then proceed to let the FC drop to correct level according to FC/CYA chart.

Felipe
 
Haven't been on here for a while and just read your post. I made the switch about 2 years ago without the drain and refill, and it took a lot of chlorine to get it right. Sounds like you are ahead of the game with the drain and refill which is good. If I remember correctly you may want to wait a week or so after adding Cya to get a good reading. I would also agree to get CYA to around 40 but no more than 50. With CYA at 40 you are at the 5 - 7 range for chlorine. Here is a link for the chart. Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart.
If you have a Menards near you they usually carry 12.5 % chlorine at a decent price. After I made the switch the pool has truly been trouble free!! Good luck.
 
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