Opening Pool this weekend - from Baquacil to Chlorine
- Thread starter tnthudson
- Start date
Almost done with conversion
Hey everyone,
I'm almost done with my Baquacil to BBB conversion, the water is losing more green each day and is clearer and clearer. Per Duraleigh's suggestion, I'm going to post a report to hopefully help others who decide to do it, I got pics., etc.
I do have 2 questions as I finish up:
1. Do I "have" to get FC at 15 and keep it there overnight? The pool is almost clear, but I'm holding to around 9.0 each night
2. What do I do when I am finally done? Do I balance to normal BBB levels (I'm sure I can find a list somewhere on this forum)? OR do I balance to SWG levels, since I'm getting a SWG installed on the 25th of this month?
thanks
Hey everyone,
I'm almost done with my Baquacil to BBB conversion, the water is losing more green each day and is clearer and clearer. Per Duraleigh's suggestion, I'm going to post a report to hopefully help others who decide to do it, I got pics., etc.
I do have 2 questions as I finish up:
1. Do I "have" to get FC at 15 and keep it there overnight? The pool is almost clear, but I'm holding to around 9.0 each night
2. What do I do when I am finally done? Do I balance to normal BBB levels (I'm sure I can find a list somewhere on this forum)? OR do I balance to SWG levels, since I'm getting a SWG installed on the 25th of this month?
thanks
Thanks, Mermaid Queen!
BTW, I read another post from last year, and Jason mentioned CYA...I have not added any to this point and I'm assuming it's zero since I'm converting from Baquacil?
Should I add any to hold my chlorine levels as I work toward holding at 15 FC? OR should I not add CYA until the conversion is complete?
BTW, I read another post from last year, and Jason mentioned CYA...I have not added any to this point and I'm assuming it's zero since I'm converting from Baquacil?
Should I add any to hold my chlorine levels as I work toward holding at 15 FC? OR should I not add CYA until the conversion is complete?
You shoudn't add any CYA until the FC level holds overnight and you replace the filter media.
I have never heard of the results you are getting with the sample turning yellow.
Ignoring the yellow, it sounds like you are getting very near the end. Tonight, if you can, add the bleach, let the pump run for an hour, test the FC level, and then test the FC level again first thing in the morning. If you get similar results tonight and tomorrow morning then you can move on to the next phase (replacing the filter media).
Ignoring the yellow, it sounds like you are getting very near the end. Tonight, if you can, add the bleach, let the pump run for an hour, test the FC level, and then test the FC level again first thing in the morning. If you get similar results tonight and tomorrow morning then you can move on to the next phase (replacing the filter media).
Almost over the hump, but not quite!
OK, I'm so close I can taste it...I have not been able to keep putting bleach in the pool during weekdays (my wife manages to do so a couple of times a day), so I know this is taking longer than it should, BUT I was holding 9 - 10 FC's overnight, and I suspect VERY high CC's (see above posts, I think the yellow may have been from very high CC levels)...
Anyway, I've added water/drained some due to rain, backwashing, etc. and now I'm holding about 8 FC's overnight the last few nights. I tried to test CC level this morning, and the water turned pink this time (instead of yellow, thank goodness), but I gave up when I got to 30 drops and the water was still very, very pink.
SO I'm still going to hammer away at the bleach, my wife is going to work it out where she can add maybe 4 times/day until I get home, but is that the best course at this point? I asked earlier about adding CYA, and was told not to do so until I'm done with the conversion, so that's okay with me, but what do I do about killing the high CC? My plan is to keep hammering away at the bleach, but if anyone sees anything I'm missing, please set me straight.
This a.m. -- FC 7.5 (added water last night), CC 15+, pH 7.2
Water is very clear, but some leaves and sand in it (getting sand replaced next week)
I did try a Baquacil test strip Sunday, and it showed no Baquacil (but very high TA, I need to test that with the TF kit)
thanks
OK, I'm so close I can taste it...I have not been able to keep putting bleach in the pool during weekdays (my wife manages to do so a couple of times a day), so I know this is taking longer than it should, BUT I was holding 9 - 10 FC's overnight, and I suspect VERY high CC's (see above posts, I think the yellow may have been from very high CC levels)...
Anyway, I've added water/drained some due to rain, backwashing, etc. and now I'm holding about 8 FC's overnight the last few nights. I tried to test CC level this morning, and the water turned pink this time (instead of yellow, thank goodness), but I gave up when I got to 30 drops and the water was still very, very pink.
SO I'm still going to hammer away at the bleach, my wife is going to work it out where she can add maybe 4 times/day until I get home, but is that the best course at this point? I asked earlier about adding CYA, and was told not to do so until I'm done with the conversion, so that's okay with me, but what do I do about killing the high CC? My plan is to keep hammering away at the bleach, but if anyone sees anything I'm missing, please set me straight.
This a.m. -- FC 7.5 (added water last night), CC 15+, pH 7.2
Water is very clear, but some leaves and sand in it (getting sand replaced next week)
I did try a Baquacil test strip Sunday, and it showed no Baquacil (but very high TA, I need to test that with the TF kit)
thanks
If you put the CYA in now, you have to add more chlorine to be effective. While that is a good thing under normal operating procedures, it is counterintuitive at this point.
Do what Jason suggested... test your water after you circulate your bleach for about an hour at night, and then again first thing in the morning, before the sun hits it. When you are only losing a MAX of 0.5ppm overnight, only then can you safely say you are finished! Don't change your sand until then, or you may end up with some tiny bits of baquagoo in your new sand, which will complicate your TFP!!
pH is great, keep it right where it is.
After your conversion is complete, we can deal with your TA and get some CYA in there for you!!
Keep hanging in there, you are almost finished!!
Do what Jason suggested... test your water after you circulate your bleach for about an hour at night, and then again first thing in the morning, before the sun hits it. When you are only losing a MAX of 0.5ppm overnight, only then can you safely say you are finished! Don't change your sand until then, or you may end up with some tiny bits of baquagoo in your new sand, which will complicate your TFP!!
pH is great, keep it right where it is.
After your conversion is complete, we can deal with your TA and get some CYA in there for you!!
Keep hanging in there, you are almost finished!!
It is not unusual to get very high CC levels during a conversion as the biguanide is oxidized. Keep the FC level up and you will eventually get rid of it. You're doing great.
OK, I went from 10 FC an hour after adding bleach last night to 7 FC this morning, and I was running short on time and did not count CC drops this morning, but the vial turned really pink, so I'm sure my CC must still be high...so I've still got some more bleach to buy.
I did want to ask...it finally got sunny here after a week of rain and overcast skies -- it seems from posts I've read that adding bleach during the day won't help keep my FC but so high, since the sun kills the bleach so fast. So I'm concentrating on my night and my early morning bleach, and laying off some during the day (until I can stay home on Saturday and babysit it).
But will the sun help kill the CC? I think if I can get those down, I'd be in much better shape to keep my FC up.
I did want to ask...it finally got sunny here after a week of rain and overcast skies -- it seems from posts I've read that adding bleach during the day won't help keep my FC but so high, since the sun kills the bleach so fast. So I'm concentrating on my night and my early morning bleach, and laying off some during the day (until I can stay home on Saturday and babysit it).
But will the sun help kill the CC? I think if I can get those down, I'd be in much better shape to keep my FC up.
Your CC is from the biguanide that is being oxidized. The more chlorine you put in and the more often you put in chlorine the faster you will burn it all off and finish the conversion.
How is your water looking? Is there any yellow, green, or brown coloration? Is it clear or cloudy?
Clear, blue looking water is the best indicator that you are nearing the end of the conversion.
How is your water looking? Is there any yellow, green, or brown coloration? Is it clear or cloudy?
Clear, blue looking water is the best indicator that you are nearing the end of the conversion.
OK that's great news, waterbear...the water is looking very clear & blue, though I can smell "chlorine" sometimes (from the CC I'm sure). I did take pictures and will add them after the conversion to help others know what to expect.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Hmmm....This weekend, I hit the pool every hour or two, with the exception of a period in the middle of the day on Sunday. Anyway, I had 12 FC Saturday a.m., 7.5 CC. I stayed on it Saturday, but had 4.5 FC Sunday a.m. and 8.5 CC...it was late in the morning and the Sun had come up, when I tested, though.
So I put in alot of bleach Sunday throughout the evening, maybe went higher than I should, didn't test until this morning. Had a whopping 25.5 FC, and I got a reading of 10.0 CC this morning (we did get alot of rain last night, not sure if that alters anything).
So now I don't know what to do? Do I keep adding bleach to kill the CC, or wait till the FC comes down?
So I put in alot of bleach Sunday throughout the evening, maybe went higher than I should, didn't test until this morning. Had a whopping 25.5 FC, and I got a reading of 10.0 CC this morning (we did get alot of rain last night, not sure if that alters anything).
So now I don't know what to do? Do I keep adding bleach to kill the CC, or wait till the FC comes down?
I'm 98% positive your test results are incorrect. I'm sending you a PM.....check it out
Yes, you should wait for the FC level to come down, which should only take a day. Then test the water and double check your PH. It has been a while and now would be a good time to fix any PH drift that might have occurred over the last two week. But you shouldn't measure PH when the FC level is above 10, so wait for it. It is also be a good time to check the filter and make sure the filter pressure hasn't gone up too much and backwash/clean as needed.
I know that this process can seem endless but you are actually doing really well.
I have been thinking that now might be a good time to bring CYA up to between 10 and 20. Keep in mind that the conversion is normally done to completion before CYA is added, so I am speculating without experience here. You are at a stage where the reaction rate slows down, so you are losing quite a bit of chlorine to sunlight each day before it has a chance to react with the baquacil. Adding CYA will reduce the amount of chlorine available to react but it will also preserve the chlorine from sunlight losses. Adding some CYA will also make it much safer to raise the FC level as high have you have been going without the corrosion risks that you currently have.
Without CYA, you want to focus your chlorine additions to days when you are available to add chlorine ever hour and evenings/nights. During the day much of the chlorine is lost to sunlight. Adding chlorine in the evening gives it all night to react. At first the reaction was so fast that it didn't really matter, but at this stage the reaction with baquacil has slowed down and sunlight losses start to be significant.
I know that this process can seem endless but you are actually doing really well.
I have been thinking that now might be a good time to bring CYA up to between 10 and 20. Keep in mind that the conversion is normally done to completion before CYA is added, so I am speculating without experience here. You are at a stage where the reaction rate slows down, so you are losing quite a bit of chlorine to sunlight each day before it has a chance to react with the baquacil. Adding CYA will reduce the amount of chlorine available to react but it will also preserve the chlorine from sunlight losses. Adding some CYA will also make it much safer to raise the FC level as high have you have been going without the corrosion risks that you currently have.
Without CYA, you want to focus your chlorine additions to days when you are available to add chlorine ever hour and evenings/nights. During the day much of the chlorine is lost to sunlight. Adding chlorine in the evening gives it all night to react. At first the reaction was so fast that it didn't really matter, but at this stage the reaction with baquacil has slowed down and sunlight losses start to be significant.
OK, these results seem a little more reasonable than yesterday...
I left the pool alone yesterday (no bleach added), then I tested the pool after dark...got 11.0 FC and 4.0 CC, trying a different area of the pool. I then tested the spot that I got my original goofy results, and the FC at the 'goofy' spot was about 2.0 FC higher for whatever reason.
Anyway, I added bleach per Jason's calc., and an hour later the FC was up to 17.5, and CC was at 3.5.
This morning, the FC was still at 17.0 FC, but CC was now 4.5 (possibly 4.0, kind of borderline).
So, am I now converted officially? Or do I still have some work to do on the CC's?
I left the pool alone yesterday (no bleach added), then I tested the pool after dark...got 11.0 FC and 4.0 CC, trying a different area of the pool. I then tested the spot that I got my original goofy results, and the FC at the 'goofy' spot was about 2.0 FC higher for whatever reason.
Anyway, I added bleach per Jason's calc., and an hour later the FC was up to 17.5, and CC was at 3.5.
This morning, the FC was still at 17.0 FC, but CC was now 4.5 (possibly 4.0, kind of borderline).
So, am I now converted officially? Or do I still have some work to do on the CC's?
1. Hold FC overnight
2. zero cc's
3. sparkling water
These are generally the criteria, when all are met, that say "It's over!"
You still need to work on those cc's! How much sun does your pool get?? sunlight seriously helps burn off cc's...
2. zero cc's
3. sparkling water
These are generally the criteria, when all are met, that say "It's over!"
You still need to work on those cc's! How much sun does your pool get?? sunlight seriously helps burn off cc's...
I think it's hurting me that it's been cloudy/rain ALOT here in VA; also, I'm on the side of a mountain in the woods, so I'm getting a few hours of direct sun each day, but nowhere near the whole day.
But I'll keep on it and try to kill the CC's...it does look like the tide is turning!
But I'll keep on it and try to kill the CC's...it does look like the tide is turning!
The problem might be the sand in your filter at this point. If the water has cleared and the only problem is the CC then you might want to go ahead and change the sand to get rid of any residual biguanide that might be trapped there.