- Jul 4, 2012
- 24
I think I may have a record-timing conversion (though still ongoing). This site was invaluable. I thought I’d share my experience with you. I took pictures but can't seem to upload them. The file size is correct. I'll give it another try after I get this posted.
History: I decided last season to quit SoftSwim. Only had my pool for four years and always had issues (cloudiness, slime). Opened the pool in May with a “B” level of about 30. I simply stopped adding things. When the B was down to 20, I started adding weekly algicide. I also put in weekly clarifier (NOT the SoftSwim "C"). Not sure if it made a difference but the pool looked pretty good!
Fast forward to July 1. “B” was at 9. I was in a bit of a quandary with it getting so low and the 4th of July coming up. I just held tight, had the party (with a bit of algecide added). By the end of the day, the pool looked "worn".
July 5th I'm ready to roll (day off, etc), got the bleach, read the conversion, etc. Did my chemical test this morning with the K-2006. Used the Jason’s pool calculator of course! Baseline readings were….
FC - neg
TC - neg
pH - 7.8
TA - 170 ppm
CH - neg
CA - neg
"B" – unknown but < 9 (reading from pool store couple days ago).
I basically checked every 1-2 hours. I didn’t write it here each time but of course I loaded back up to FC of 15 after each measurement.
DAY 1
9 AM – Started. Added 290 oz of 6% bleach. Turned bluish green.
10 AM. FC 1.6 ppm. Added 280 oz bleach
10:40 AM FC 1.8 Added 280 oz bleach
11:45 FC 1.8 Added 270 oz bleach. Also added 1 lb of pH Down (sodium bisulfate). Due to the baseline pH of 7.8. Color pretty much same.
12:45 FC = 2 Combined Chlorine=5.5 pH=7.0 TA=170. Added bleach.
(Went to lunch, bought more bleach)
2:15 pm FC 4.8 (looked awful. I was sick about it because I realized/thought that our pool was going to be out of commission for 1-2 weeks. It is HOT!)
3:15 pm FC 5.0 (I have a two speed pump, had it on "low" all day. I vacuumed to waste and then left it on "high".
4:15 pm FC 6.0
5:45 pm FC 10.5
7:30 pm FC 11.5
10 pm FC 9.5 CC=4.0
Day 2
6 AM FC=8.0. Went around pool and brushed sides/bottom. Could just start to see the brush at the bottom of the pool. Didn’t really think much of it.
7:30 AM FC = 15. Did not add chlorine. Went to work.
12 Noon. Called from work. Had daughter add 1.5 gallons of bleach blindly.
4 PM. Got home from work. Holy Crud! The pool is clear! FC=0.5. Thought when I shocked to 15 again it would turn colors but it didn’t!
8 PM FC=12 CC1=1.5. Added bleach to get to 15 again. Guess I might as well do a OCLT!
Will let you know how it goes tomorrow. It is going to be HOT. I'm thinking I might be able to let the kids get in the pool (?). I'm enjoying doing all the tests myself. Empowerment!
History: I decided last season to quit SoftSwim. Only had my pool for four years and always had issues (cloudiness, slime). Opened the pool in May with a “B” level of about 30. I simply stopped adding things. When the B was down to 20, I started adding weekly algicide. I also put in weekly clarifier (NOT the SoftSwim "C"). Not sure if it made a difference but the pool looked pretty good!
Fast forward to July 1. “B” was at 9. I was in a bit of a quandary with it getting so low and the 4th of July coming up. I just held tight, had the party (with a bit of algecide added). By the end of the day, the pool looked "worn".
July 5th I'm ready to roll (day off, etc), got the bleach, read the conversion, etc. Did my chemical test this morning with the K-2006. Used the Jason’s pool calculator of course! Baseline readings were….
FC - neg
TC - neg
pH - 7.8
TA - 170 ppm
CH - neg
CA - neg
"B" – unknown but < 9 (reading from pool store couple days ago).
I basically checked every 1-2 hours. I didn’t write it here each time but of course I loaded back up to FC of 15 after each measurement.
DAY 1
9 AM – Started. Added 290 oz of 6% bleach. Turned bluish green.
10 AM. FC 1.6 ppm. Added 280 oz bleach
10:40 AM FC 1.8 Added 280 oz bleach
11:45 FC 1.8 Added 270 oz bleach. Also added 1 lb of pH Down (sodium bisulfate). Due to the baseline pH of 7.8. Color pretty much same.
12:45 FC = 2 Combined Chlorine=5.5 pH=7.0 TA=170. Added bleach.
(Went to lunch, bought more bleach)
2:15 pm FC 4.8 (looked awful. I was sick about it because I realized/thought that our pool was going to be out of commission for 1-2 weeks. It is HOT!)
3:15 pm FC 5.0 (I have a two speed pump, had it on "low" all day. I vacuumed to waste and then left it on "high".
4:15 pm FC 6.0
5:45 pm FC 10.5
7:30 pm FC 11.5
10 pm FC 9.5 CC=4.0
Day 2
6 AM FC=8.0. Went around pool and brushed sides/bottom. Could just start to see the brush at the bottom of the pool. Didn’t really think much of it.
7:30 AM FC = 15. Did not add chlorine. Went to work.
12 Noon. Called from work. Had daughter add 1.5 gallons of bleach blindly.
4 PM. Got home from work. Holy Crud! The pool is clear! FC=0.5. Thought when I shocked to 15 again it would turn colors but it didn’t!
8 PM FC=12 CC1=1.5. Added bleach to get to 15 again. Guess I might as well do a OCLT!
Will let you know how it goes tomorrow. It is going to be HOT. I'm thinking I might be able to let the kids get in the pool (?). I'm enjoying doing all the tests myself. Empowerment!