Started conversion tonight - unsure if I'm testing properly?

[zea3]

How does one aerate the pool short of jumping in a playing around? Also, is there a recommended brand of salt strip testers that is carried at one of the big box stores, or, possibly at a pool store?

You can aim the return jet so it breaks the surface of the water with a churning action. You can also get a fountain or make an aerator out of pvc. The fountain and aerator come with the added bonus of helping to cool down the pool a few degrees when it is really hot outside. Google homemade aerator or above ground pool fountain to see a few examples.

 

[Positronic]

How does one aerate the pool short of jumping in a playing around? Also, is there a recommended brand of salt strip testers that is carried at one of the big box stores, or, possibly at a pool store?

You can aim the return jet so it breaks the surface of the water with a churning action. You can also get a fountain or make an aerator out of pvc. The fountain and aerator come with the added bonus of helping to cool down the pool a few degrees when it is really hot outside. Google homemade aerator or above ground pool fountain to see a few examples.

Good idea, I bought one of those fountains for my light last year but it didn't work very well though should work for this (now just have to find the darn thing).

 

[Positronic]

Here's a photo of a black nylon sock filled with 4lbs of CYA. I hung it from the ladder as it was too big to fit in the pool skimmer filter (it's about 8' away from the skimmer). The directions said to put the CYA directly and slowly into the pool filter but it must not be the best way to do it as everyone here says to hang it in a sock. How many days should I wait before testing CYA?

[attachment=1:3uv5n3y5]cya sock.jpg[/attachment:3uv5n3y5]

Photo of pool - day 13. It's slightly clearer than my last pool photo. Lots of vacuuming to do after the CYA levels go up so I can backwash again.

[attachment=0:3uv5n3y5]day 13.jpg[/attachment:3uv5n3y5]

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

5-7 days before testing for the CYA - but you have to maintain shock level until the CC is .5 or less for two consecutive days.

You have to change your filter media again - prob should have done this before adding the CYA. But do it tomorrow if you can.

 

[Positronic]

5-7 days before testing for the CYA - but you have to maintain shock level until the CC is .5 or less for two consecutive days.

You have to change your filter media again - prob should have done this before adding the CYA. But do it tomorrow if you can.

Thanks for all your help over the last 2 weeks, especially clarifying some of the directions. Do you think that if I maintained FC at 3ppm (normal levels) that the CC levels would drop to .5? I plan on experimenting a bit to see if the process can be shortened as 3 weeks is a long time to treat a pool, i.e. 2 weeks to get the FC level to maintain overnight and another week of adding CYA while getting CC to drop to .5. It'd be helpful if the conversion guidelines gave estimated timelines as I think most people think the process will only take a week or so to complete.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Every pool is different, I've seen conversions take less than a week total.

No, I don't think maintaining 3ppm you will see the CC levels drop.

We don't count adding the CYA as a week of the process and it's unusual for the CC to take a week to go away as well once the FC holds. Usually it's a day or two. If it hangs on it's usually attributed to a build up in the plumbing some where or Baq hiding in some little crevices or light niches, etc. or under ladders, etc. where the pool owner isn't reaching with a brush for example.

We don't count CYA cuz that's mostly at the end of the conversion anyway; once you add the CYA you just assume that the CYA you targeted is your level and adjust your chlorine levels accordingly. It's always done after changing the filter media, usually the CCs are gone within a few days of adding it.

Glad to help

 

[Positronic]

Every pool is different, I've seen conversions take less than a week total.

No, I don't think maintaining 3ppm you will see the CC levels drop.

We don't count adding the CYA as a week of the process and it's unusual for the CC to take a week to go away as well once the FC holds. Usually it's a day or two. If it hangs on it's usually attributed to a build up in the plumbing some where or Baq hiding in some little crevices or light niches, etc. or under ladders, etc. where the pool owner isn't reaching with a brush for example.

We don't count CYA cuz that's mostly at the end of the conversion anyway; once you add the CYA you just assume that the CYA you targeted is your level and adjust your chlorine levels accordingly. It's always done after changing the filter media, usually the CCs are gone within a few days of adding it.

Glad to help

I think you're right about the CC not dropping while maintaining FC at 3ppm; plus I won't even be here throughout the day and the FC would drop to nothing anyways. Based on how much it had been dropping (.5 a day) I've probably got 5 days left. For my pool I have that 4' x 20' solar heater with lots of little tubes so that is probably what is contributing to how long it's taking for the CC's to drop.

 

[Positronic]

Strange, I was at 3ppm of FC this morning and added enough to bring it up to 15FC but after a nice hot 85 degree day and 9 hours later it's at 17FC. I must of measured something wrong. I'll measure it once more at 9pm. The CC has dropped to 2.5ppm. The CYA sock looks to be about 1/2 full still.

 

[Positronic]

I'm thinking CYA must keep the FC from dropping as I haven't added bleach since yesterday at 9am and my FC is still at 15 at 10am. Is this what a stabalizer does, keeps FC from dropping? CC is still 2.5. Also, the Solar Dome Cover probably is also keeping out the ultraviolet rays which I'm guessing breakdown the CC. I do have the ladder door unzipped and 2 windows open. I think I'll attempt to take off part of the dome cover and hope it doesn't rip up.

 

[Positronic]

I was able to pretty easily undo half of the cover so this should help burn off the CC quicker I'm hoping....

[attachment=0:1lfm5g14]pool cover off.jpg[/attachment:1lfm5g14]

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, the purpose of CYA is to keep sunlight from burning off all of your chlorine.

 

[Positronic]

Yes, the purpose of CYA is to keep sunlight from burning off all of your chlorine.

Will the CC go down with the CYA having been added and FC at 15? Also, what causes CC to go back up, and, to get it back down will I need to add more chlorine to get FC back up to 15ppm? For instance if CC goes up to 1ppm does it have to be treated again? Hopefully this doesn't happen to frequently otherwise it wouldn't be very trouble free and take a lot of time...

Kind of off topic but my hot tub has been cold for about 8 months and I was thinking of starting it back up again. Does someone have a link for a place similar to this that talks about the best way to maintain a hot tub? We use a floater with bromine tablets but since it's seldom used so I do not monitor it regularly. Also the high limit switch at times kicks off so every few months when I do want to use it and open the lid the water is cold.

 

[JasonLion]

During and for a couple of weeks after a baquacil conversion there is still some residual baqgoo in the plumbing that oxidizes very slowly. As it oxidizes it forms CC, which is then eventually broken down by chlorine and sunlight. Once the baqgoo is all out of the system you will hardly ever see any CC. But for the next few weeks CC will tend to come and go depending on the FC level and the amount of sunlight the pool gets.

 

[Positronic]

Wow, taking half the dome cover off really helped alot, the CC dropped to 1.5ppm so it dropped 1ppm today (it was a hot day, 85 degrees). FC dropped from 15 to 12ppm.

Jason, thanks for the help on those questions. I'm glad to hear that CC's don't rise after the baquagoo is gone. Since you say the CC will fluxuate for the next few weeks I think I'll keep half the dome cover off during this time to help burn off the CC's. How about adding a SPA message board as many people that have Pools also have hot tubs?

 

[JasonLion]

We do have a Spas and Hot Tubs section.

 

[Positronic]

We do have a Spas and Hot Tubs section.

wow, how'd I miss that.. thanks!

 

[Positronic]

DAY 17 - CC still at 1.5ppm so no drop today. Weather was overcast and in 70's so not very hot. The CYA was completely dissolved as of yesterday. FC went down to 12ppm from this morning. Is it ok to backwash now that the CYA is completely dissolved?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yes, you can backwash.

 

[Positronic]

Day 18 - morning, CYA tested at about 78ppm. FC at 12ppm (didn't put any in last night so no drop) and CC at 1ppm. Backwashed but water was clear. I probably have 2 more days to get the CC down to .5 as we're still expected to have overcast 70's weather. As I'm only loosing about 3 FC during the day it'll take about 3 days to get down to the normal range so hopefully the CC's will drop to .5 during this time. I'll then be able to add the salt and hook up the SWG hopefully by Sunday.

 

[Positronic]

Day 18 - evening, FC at 10ppm (didn't put any in this morning) and CC still at 1ppm. My pool bottom has a lot of debris from over the winter. I'm guessing the debris is keeping the CC's elevated. I probably should have vacuumed but with the plastic roof on I can't vacuum unless I'm in the pool and the water was too cold to get in to vacuum. In hindsight, if I'd known how easy it is to partially remove the plastic roof, and, the importance of vacuuming the debris, and, how direct sunlight aids in burning off CC, I would have done that. But the weather hasn't been that great and I haven't been around much due to work to use the pool so no big deal.