Baquacil questions

[thodge]

Jason:
I stopped using Bac early last summer in anticipation of converting to chlorine and perhaps salt water later. I used algaecide and the peroxide to 'maintain', which seemed to work, but I closed the pool without a shock of Bac as suggested. I guess testing the FC is requisite for converstion but I understand there is a flocculant that occurs if the Bac is high. Do you think there will be a problem with the sand filter? Also do you think that it will take so much chlorine?

Thanks
Tom

The conversion will take lots of chlorine. How much depends on your baq levels but even fairly low levels can require quite a bit of chlorine. Numbers anywhere from 30 to 150 gallons of bleach are plausible. Bleach is best, but you can use cal-hypo if your CH levels are low enough. Totally avoid trichlor or dichlor for the conversion.

Before you start, balance the PH to between 7.0 and 7.4 and make sure the TA level is plausible (say between 50 and 200). It would be good if you could post a full set of test results so we can double check if there are likely to be any issues with any of the levels.

The basic process is to raise the FC level to 15 over and over again until the FC level holds steady overnight. That means testing the FC level and calculating the correct amount to add to bring FC back up to 15. While that is happening the pool will turn various interesting colors and the filter will need frequent cleaning/backwashing. Once the FC level holds more or less steady overnight you can add CYA and replace the filter media.

At the start the baq will consume chlorine at a very rapid pace and chlorine can be added frequently, every hour for as long as you can manage it. As things progress the FC level will start to partially hold and it becomes better to add chlorine a couple of times each evening and not as frequently during the day so you aren't losing all of the chlorine you add to sunlight.

 

[thodge]

Thank you, I saw that posting. Could you tell me what to use for the pH adjustment? Also, my pool is 35,000 gallons so I assume we'll need a whole lot of bleach (any particular brand, Sam's club OK?) We changed the sand in the filter last year (late) so I will pump to waste if I see a lot of precipitate. Does that sound right?

I'll try to post methodology and progress if I have the time. Probably start this weekend since it needs so much attention and I'm not on call.

Really appreciate this,

Tom

Jason:
I stopped using Bac early last summer in anticipation of converting to chlorine and perhaps salt water later. I used algaecide and the peroxide to 'maintain', which seemed to work, but I closed the pool without a shock of Bac as suggested. I guess testing the FC is requisite for converstion but I understand there is a flocculant that occurs if the Bac is high. Do you think there will be a problem with the sand filter? Also do you think that it will take so much chlorine?

Thanks
Tom

The conversion will take lots of chlorine. How much depends on your baq levels but even fairly low levels can require quite a bit of chlorine. Numbers anywhere from 30 to 150 gallons of bleach are plausible. Bleach is best, but you can use cal-hypo if your CH levels are low enough. Totally avoid trichlor or dichlor for the conversion.

Before you start, balance the PH to between 7.0 and 7.4 and make sure the TA level is plausible (say between 50 and 200). It would be good if you could post a full set of test results so we can double check if there are likely to be any issues with any of the levels.

The basic process is to raise the FC level to 15 over and over again until the FC level holds steady overnight. That means testing the FC level and calculating the correct amount to add to bring FC back up to 15. While that is happening the pool will turn various interesting colors and the filter will need frequent cleaning/backwashing. Once the FC level holds more or less steady overnight you can add CYA and replace the filter media.

At the start the baq will consume chlorine at a very rapid pace and chlorine can be added frequently, every hour for as long as you can manage it. As things progress the FC level will start to partially hold and it becomes better to add chlorine a couple of times each evening and not as frequently during the day so you aren't losing all of the chlorine you add to sunlight.

 

[JasonLion]

The lower your starting Baquacil level the less bleach you will need, but even fairly low Baquacil levels still require substantial amounts of bleach.

You need to replace your sand to complete the conversion. There is no way of avoiding that.

Any brand of bleach will do as long as it is unscented. But keep an eye on the %. Some of the cheap brands are only 3%, which is half as strong as the more common 6%, which means they really aren't as cheap as they appear to be.

 

[thodge]

And the pH, what do I use for setting it?
thank you,
Tom

 

[JasonLion]

You can adjust PH the same way you always have. PH can be lowered with muriatic acid or dry acid. PH can be raised with borax or soda ash. Most of the branded PH adjustment products contain dry acid to lower and soda ash to raise.

 

[thodge]

Thanks a lot. I've never adjusted the pH. First time pool owner.
Tom