Baquacil OUT/ BBB IN - need advice

[Jersey Devil]

After suffering with Baq for the last few years I am ready to switch. I started last season by withholding the Baquacil and leaving the pool open longer than usual to aid decomposition. I used sodium monopersulfate regularly during that time. I did not want to chlorinate as I have a DE filter and was pretty sure that I would not be able to remove the resulting goo effectively. Upon opening I changed about 70% of the water as added insurance. My pool now tests at zero Baq (pool store test and my own strips). I also poured bleach into a bucket of pool water and got no reaction whatever. Therefore, I have concluded that I am Baquacil free. I will also clean and soak my filter to make sure there are no remnants there.

Now what? My water was tested at the pool store (I ordered the test kit, but it has not arrived yet). The water is relatively clear, a little greenish, but not cloudy:

TC 0
FC 0
ph 7.9
TA 110
CH 125
CYA 0

I am ready to go, but would appreciate any last minute advice before I start adding chemicals.

 

[NCFlyersFan]

Great choice of test kits.

I assume you have read Pool School at this point. If not, every TFP page has a link in the upper right page corner. Also, follow the Pool School link to the Pool Calculator. It will tell you how much of what to add to your pool based on current test results and what your desired levels are.

You need to lower your pH. Add about 2 cups or muriatic acid, let the pool circulate, and test for pH again. It may take one additional cup to get pH down to 7.5.

Shock your pool. Although you are probably at 0 baq based on what you did last fall, there may be some residual. Don't be surprised if you get some colored water. It will take about 3 gallons and 1 quart of 6% sodium hypochlorite Bleach to get to a shock level of 10 ppm (with 0 cya). If your water changes colors, gets more cloudy, etc, you probably weren't baq free. Follow the pool school article for a baq pool conversion and continue to shock at this level until you can hold FC overnight.

Once you are sure your pool is baq free, add about 6.5 lbs of granulated CYA (a.k.a stabilizer) to raise CYA to 40 ppm. After you do this, you need to assume CYA is 40, even though it may take up to a week for the CYA to fully dissolve and register on a test kit. Your new shock level will be 15 ppm and the recommended FC level will be 3 to 7. Continue to shock until you can hold FC overnight, CC is 0.5 or less, and your water is clear. This may take a little time since you say you have a green haze.

After that, enjoy your sparkly, clear pool that is no longer a baquagoo money pit!

 

[Jersey Devil]

Sounds good. Yes, I have read all the Pool School articles and associated links. I am familiar with the Pool Calculator and am now ready to go. Keeping my fingers crossed about the residual Baquacil, but I have enough bleach on hand to tackle it if it rears its ugly. (I find the 12.5% more convenient, so I will adjust per the Pool Calculator)

 

[Richard320]

What he said. Except I'd aim for pH 7.2 and have some vigorous circulation/aeration going to help push TA down a little. It's going to push pH back up anyway in a matter of days if not hours, and testing pH while shocking is useless. Might as well get ahead of the game a little bit.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

This is still considered a Baq conversion so you should follow the steps in the "how to" article... see below

Get your PH down to 7.2 before you start

Your shock level for a Baq conversion is 15, don't add CYA until the FC holds overnight and you have changed the filter media.

Here is the article:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/baqua_chlorine_conversion

 

[Jersey Devil]

Latest update. dropped pH, added bleach to 15 ppm; no colors; residual cloudiness seesm to be diminishing. Don't want to count my chickens, etc. but so far, so good.

 

[Jersey Devil]

One additional question....once i stabilize FC overnight and get the CC down, how long should it take for the high FC level to diminish to a safe level for swimming?

 

[JasonLion]

Depending on just where you levels end up and what you count as safe, it will be somewhere between no time at all and one sunny day for the FC level to fall to a safe level after you get to the end of the conversion. You shouldn't swim during the conversion.

 

[Jersey Devil]

Overnight reading FC = 6 ppm. Pool is clear and DE filter flow pretty good. Adding bleach to 15 ppm. I really need to clean the filter today (late nights at work starting tomorrow!). Any major downside of doing this before achieving the stabile overnight reading? (In other words, do you think I am "close enough" to change the filter media today?)

 

[duraleigh]

The FC Loss test should include 2 results....one in the evening and one in the morning...the difference in those two is the overnight loss.

"FC=6ppm" doesn't tell us what the overnight loss is.

 

[Jersey Devil]

Sorry. I have been adjusting to 15 ppm per the accepted process. Level was 15 when I went to bed last night, so I am still burning something. Whether it is Baquacil or the remnants of organic materials that loaded up my pool due to a failed safety cover (it just got old and deteriorated) is probably not relevant. Topped up to 15 this am and will check frequently today.

 

[duraleigh]

I got ya' now. So your overnight FC loss was roughly 9ppm. Back to your post, I would not even consider changing your filter media until you can demonstrate an overnight loss of 1ppm or less. Doing so sooner may very well recontaminate your filter and lengthen the process.

Everyone is anxious to get this done.....I understand that all too well.

It's very important to be patient (POP) and to completely clear your pool so you don't have to do it again later on.

 

[Jersey Devil]

OK. I'm with you. "Patience is a virtue".