We are having an unusually warm spring so this past weekend I decided to open the pool. After 2 years of spending mucho $$ and putting up with various colors of slime I am ready to make the conversion from Baquacil to Chlorine. Can someone give me the step by step process for this? I am open to using the bleach method or chemical method whichever is the easiest.
Good-bye Baquacil
- Thread starter locokoko
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
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.
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.
Locokoko, Welcome to TFP 
You have a big job ahead of you, but the gurus here will walk you through.
If you will list your pool and equipment info in your sig, it will be a big help.
Good luck with the conversion.
You have a big job ahead of you, but the gurus here will walk you through.
If you will list your pool and equipment info in your sig, it will be a big help.
Good luck with the conversion.
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