Converted in spite of my local pool store

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maxhouse

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LifeTime Supporter
May 31, 2008
8
massachusetts
You got to love these pool stores. At the first store I was ‘confidently’ told I would need to empty my 30K IG pool to convert from Bq to Cl . I told the sales person (in so many words) that was untrue and left. The second store told me I needed to go with a non-chlorine shock prior to adding chlorine. That seemed reasonable so I continued the conversation. So they sold me three pounds of Potassium peroxymonosulfate which they told me to add to the pool and run the filter for 48 hrs. After two days I came back with a sample to which I was told to repeat the process. I seemed to be going nowhere fast. That’s when I found this forum and decided to go ‘full bore’ with the Cl.

So then I picked up 15 gal of 12.5% bleach, adding ~2.5 gal a few times a day over the weekend. Nice shades of green! By Monday morning I was clear. Then, not knowing how to proceed, I returned to the same store where they sold me a bunch of Calcium Hypochlorite shock, a bucket of TriCl tabs and a floating tab dispenser.

Then I read somewhere on the forum not to use the tabs. They weren’t giving me any FC anyway so I stopped using them and went back to the 12.5% Cl,
adding ~1 gal each evening. Readings are still too low so I’ve got to do some more research on the forum. I’ve got to find out more about CYA and alternate Cl dosing methods. My test kit does not test for CYA unless I’m missing something. I have a Leslie test kit that is similar to the Taylor #56-210 Test (4-High) Kit.

Current readings: FC: 2, TC: 3, PH: 7.5, TA: 120

Bottom line is that the pool looks great and I am so glad that I made the switch to Cl. Wish me luck going forward.
 
Hi maxhome and welcome to TFP!

You will definitely need to add some CYA/stabilizer to your pool. You will also need a test kit that has the CYA test included. You also need to be able to test your FC up to 15ppm. You can go with the TFTestkit sold by a member of this site, or the Taylor K-2006 kit. I checked both of them out and the TFTestkit is the better value for the money. It ships quickly also. In the mean time, take a water sample back to the pool store and request a CYA test. You want to add enough CYA to get your level up between 30-50.

Also, if your CL test is correct, you have a reading of 1 CC for your CL readings. This means that your conversion is not complete. In order for the conversion to be complete you need to have 0.0-0.5 CC's and be able to hold a FC reading of 15ppm overnight. You can use Jason's poolcalculator to figure out how much 12.5% you should be adding to get your FC reading up to 15. Here is the link:

http://www.poolcalculator.com/

You didn't mention what type of filter you have, but your will need to change out your filter media once the conversion is complete.

If you can get a full set of test numbers from the pool store and post them, that will give us a better idea of which direction to point you.

ETA: corrected test kit name
 
heatmisr said:
or the Taylor K6000 kit
Click to expand...

That would be the Taylor K-2006 test kit. Otherwise very good advice.

Persistent CC can be an issue for a couple of weeks after completing a baquacil conversion. Any time CC is over 0.5 you should bring FC up to 15 and keep it there till the CC goes down again. That will be much easier to do once you have some CYA in the water.
 
Wow! Talk about excellent feedback.

I'll address all these issues and order the suggested test kit and I added filter type (DE) to my signature block.

One further question, can I use an in-line/off-line chlorinator with some type of 'puck' that won't contaminate the pool with unwanted substances?

Thanks for all the information.

Max
 
maxhome said:
Wow! Talk about excellent feedback.

I'll address all these issues and order the suggested test kit and I added filter type (DE) to my signature block.

One further question, can I use an in-line/off-line chlorinator with some type of 'puck' that won't contaminate the pool with unwanted substances?

Thanks for all the information.

Max
Click to expand...

Truthfully, no. The pucks have CYA in them. For every 1ppm of CL added, 0.6 ppm of CYA is added. If they are used on a regular basis for chlorination, eventually your CYA level will become too high. Once that happens, the only way to correct the problem is to do a partial drain and refill. The pucks are best used if you are going on vacation so that chlorination can continue while you are away. They can also be used when first starting up the pool for the season to add CYA, but it is a slow process. That is why we advocate using liquid CL to chlorinate and adding the stabilizer/CYA separately.

CYA is needed and is a good thing, but too much of a good thing can be bad. If you don't have CYA, you will not be able to maintain your FC levels due to burnoff from the sun. If you have too much, it locks much of your CL and then not enough FC is available to keep your pool properly chlorinated.
 
Re:

frustratedpoolmom said:
Congrats on your conversion....especially your clear pool....
Click to expand...

A question on when it is said that the conversion is done when the FC holds overnight. When is the test taken to be considered overnight? 5am? 7am? I wasn't sure when this retest was done. Up untill 2 nights ago, I was retesting when I came home and everyone was out of the pool. This was about 7pm to 8pm or later. Then I had a brainstorm and thought maybe that the overnight time could be 5am when I am getting ready for work. I did so Tues and tried to post the results but I guess the transition period was preventing me from doing so, even though it seemed to be posted.

Another thing I got confused in posting was, under which topic subject was I supposed to be posting my stages of conversion. :?: :shock:

Thanks,

Steve
 
Well it's been just over a week since the pool cleared of the Bq junk and the water remains very clear. Very happy!

So, now I am testing the water when I get home in the early evening. It is always reading 0 FC so I add a gallon of 12.5% Cl to bring it back up. I'm also floating 4 pucks of TriCl (to help bring the CYA up.)

I just got my TF100 test kit so it's like taking the blindfold off. First set of 'real' readings:
FC 0.5
CC 0.5
TC 1.0
PH 7.8
T/A 200
CH 270
CYA 0
Temp 82

Added 2 gal of 12.5% Cl and ran filter for 1 hr to get:
FC 7.0
CC 0.5

So I've got some work to do - bring the PH and T/A down to spec and try to raise my CYA.

Can anyone guess at how much 12.5% Cl I will be adding for daily maintenance after I get everything straight? (Pool specs are below.)

What level would you expect to find your FC level at in the early evening after a hot sunny day?
Is going to zero OK or to be expected?

Thanks in advance for your continued help,
(I don't know where I'd be with out this great forum.)
Max
 

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It's been over two weeks since successfully completing my Bq to Cl conversion and the water remains crystal clear.

So, backing up a bit, when I went to my local pool store prior to starting the conversion they sold me 24 1 lb bags of Leslie's 'Power Powder' (60% Calcium Hypochlorite, 40% Other) and told me to add 3 lbs of it to the pool every week as a shock. (I wonder what that 40% stuff is.)

Well with everything going so well I don't want to mess it up by adding something I shouldn't.

Can/should I use this stuff? I don't think I can return it to the store as it is a chemical.

Thanks,
Max
 
Unless you Calcium level is above 400ppm, you can simply use it as a source of chlorine.

Either to shock (excellent for that) or simply to chlorinate your pool in small doses (Use Jason's calc) on a daily basis. Place it in the skimmer or possibly broadcast it but I don't like that option as well.
 
I thought I would close out this thread with some final comments.

My Bq to Cl conversion took just a few days and wasn't all that bad (scary at first though.)

When it was completed my pool water was crystal clear and has remained that way through today, half way through August. All I did was keep up with the daily Cl maintenance (missing a day or so once in a while) and bring up the CYA to ~50 ppm.

Naturally, I back washed my DE filter after the conversion but didn't need to do it again for two months, at which point my back pressure had only climbed ~4.5 psi. I did back wash it then (first week in August) because I was getting nervous that something was wrong. After all, with the BQ I was back washing at least once a week by the end of July. Needless to say, every thing was fine and I don't think I will need to backwash again this season.

I would suggest using the 12.5% chlorine, if you can get it, because it is so convenient and relatively inexpensive. I like it and I only have a single 5 gal returnable drum to deal with.
($19 - $6 container deposit = $13 /5 gal.; equal to $1.30/gal for equivilent 6% bleach.)

The expected chlorine smell from the pool never happened thanks to this forum's advice on keeping CC at zero.

My advice to anyone with a pool is the same that was given to me - get a good test kit such as the Trouble Free Test Kit TF-100 (available on this forum) and keep up the maintenance.

This has been the best and most inexpensive and enjoyable year for my pool in 18 years. Thanks to this forum and all you members.

Max
 
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