I would highly suggest tossing ALL tools into the water, just after you raised the FC to 15. Brushes, nets, vacuums, toys.......all get a bleach bath.
The end of Baquacil ...process starting on Sept 15, 2013
- Thread starter bbodb1
- Start date
Thanks, Lebo!
In goes the dolphin just after a FC test of 11 - 11.5 and a dose to bring the FC back to 15. There was a about a 2 hour time frame from the last test. Watching the dolphin looked a lot like a lunar lander kicking up dust on the surface of the moon - except in this case, the dust is goo and the atmosphere is water!
This will be the first cleaning of the pool with the dolphin since the conversion. Prior to the conversion, I picked up copious amounts of goo/slime/mold (all white) in the dolphin. I suspect the first dolphin bag I empty will be full of goo but will look and feel much different. We shall see.
I have noticed a change in the backwashing. While this may have happened all along and I just never noticed it before, I am seeing sand being discharged through the backwash hose during the backwashing procedure. It is NOT a lot of sand, but enough that it was noticed (which is a first). Not sure what this means but I do know we will be changing our sand at some upcoming point in this process.
In goes the dolphin just after a FC test of 11 - 11.5 and a dose to bring the FC back to 15. There was a about a 2 hour time frame from the last test. Watching the dolphin looked a lot like a lunar lander kicking up dust on the surface of the moon - except in this case, the dust is goo and the atmosphere is water!
This will be the first cleaning of the pool with the dolphin since the conversion. Prior to the conversion, I picked up copious amounts of goo/slime/mold (all white) in the dolphin. I suspect the first dolphin bag I empty will be full of goo but will look and feel much different. We shall see.
I have noticed a change in the backwashing. While this may have happened all along and I just never noticed it before, I am seeing sand being discharged through the backwash hose during the backwashing procedure. It is NOT a lot of sand, but enough that it was noticed (which is a first). Not sure what this means but I do know we will be changing our sand at some upcoming point in this process.
Not quite 2 hours later, FC count is 11 ppm. First run / cleaning of dolphin was about as expected - a good amount of goo, water still cloudy on bottom of pool. In retrospect, I should have been running the dolphin much sooner in this process to help rid the pool of the goo. On the plus side, the dolphin diaper smells a lot better....
Another day of working around the work schedule means not a lot of dosing done today. Hopefully I am not going backwards on this process...
Pool water seems to be getting a bit clearer but that may be a function of more goo just settling to the bottom. Dolphin is back in pool and trying to do its best. Unfortunately, the dolphin too seems to be blowing around the goo on the bottom more than picking it up. May have to consider some other ways of removing the goo that do not end up stirring the goo up more than removing it.....
More updates tomorrow with more photos coming.
Pool water seems to be getting a bit clearer but that may be a function of more goo just settling to the bottom. Dolphin is back in pool and trying to do its best. Unfortunately, the dolphin too seems to be blowing around the goo on the bottom more than picking it up. May have to consider some other ways of removing the goo that do not end up stirring the goo up more than removing it.....
More updates tomorrow with more photos coming.
KenGood
0
- Jul 12, 2013
- 290
The high levels of chlorine will break down the goo in time.....the biggest thing needed to break down Baqua is just circulation and high levels of chlorine. Everything else is just there to help some. Given the fact that it seems like you're not able to do hourly testing/slamming due to work it may just take a few extra days. I've seen several people do the conversion only during the night with great success, just takes extra time. Make sure in addition to running the vacuum that you're brushing the walls down often. Stirring up all the water will help the chlorine do it's job as well. You'll get there.......I promise ya.
How are you on retesting supplies?? The conversion uses a TON.........I've OFTEN seen people run out 1/2 way.
How are you on retesting supplies?? The conversion uses a TON.........I've OFTEN seen people run out 1/2 way.
Thankfully, I read (and followed) the advice with respect to the TF-100 test kit and ordered the XL version for the FC test. Those supplies are holding up pretty well right now.Leebo said:
As of today (Sunday, Sept 29), the pool is now clear. I still have baqua goo on the bottom of the pool but it is really more like baquca dust. Vacuuming and cleaning with the dolphin is becoming less effective as the dust gets spread out more than picked up but each cycle of cleaning does seem to still be lessening the overall amount of goo.
It is ironic that we've pretty much ignored the pool for the past 36 hours and the pool now seems to be in the best shape it has been since we started this conversion. Hopefully, I'll be able to attend to the pool a bit more regularly for the next few days and resume a (somewhat) regular test cycle. I know I'm not done with this process yet but it is rewarding to see a pleasing (to the eye) pool once again.
I know it is hard to tell a great deal of detail in the photos but there is absolutely NO green color to the pool anymore. This is also the first time in several weeks I have been able to see the bottom in the deep end of the pool.
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Another day of testing, dosing and repeating. Pool still looks clear with only the previously mentioned baqua goo (in the form of sand) in patches in the bottom of the pool. Bleach gallon count is now over 60 gallons I believe. Does anyone have a good use for rinsed out bleach jugs? Our community has no recycling program and I hate to generate so much waste but short of crushing the used bottle to as small as possible (and use as little landfill space as possible) I haven't come up with any better use.
I use mine to hold the cover down over the winter. Fill with water and use rather than water bags. I'll toss them in the spring then.
bbodb1 said:
Ask around if any near by community does have plastics recycling. Different counties offer different things in my area. If they do, just plan a trip out that way for some reason and drop 'em off. No need to rinse, just remove the caps as they're not the same as the jugs.
As I am approaching the end of week 3 of this process, it's amazing how clear the pool water is now. Given current weather is still in the high 80's, it is still nice to have an open pool these days.
I am not seeing as much goo these days and I suspect (as many of you have said) the chlorine is doing its job in breaking down the goo. What goo still comes out is still in larger chunks but these chunks do not emerge nearly as often anymore.
The first photo below shows a couple of chunks that blew out today - still pretty good size. Even with that, the pool color is a happy blue and the smell of the pool is much improved. Even though the dosing schedule has pretty much been once in the early morning and 2-3 times in the evening I can still see signs of progress.
Bleach count is around 66 gallons and continuing.
I am not seeing as much goo these days and I suspect (as many of you have said) the chlorine is doing its job in breaking down the goo. What goo still comes out is still in larger chunks but these chunks do not emerge nearly as often anymore.
The first photo below shows a couple of chunks that blew out today - still pretty good size. Even with that, the pool color is a happy blue and the smell of the pool is much improved. Even though the dosing schedule has pretty much been once in the early morning and 2-3 times in the evening I can still see signs of progress.
Bleach count is around 66 gallons and continuing.
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Your making great progress! Where are you at in terms of step 7 of the process (what is your OCLT)?
Hello Linen,linen said:
Because my dosing has been so inconsistent lately, I haven't been able to follow the OCLT procedures but today....here we go!
Note: I am following the OCLT procedures as detailed on this page.
At about 7:20 pm tonight, I dosed my pool with my last chemical addition of the day.
At 8:00 pm tonight, my FC was 10 ppm.
At 6:30 am on Tuesday morning, my FC was 5 ppm.
Something is still having a chew on my chlorine.....
Repeating the test tonight....
Last bleach dose at 8:15 pm.
At 9:45 pm, the FC read 11 ppm.
Thursday morning, at 6:30 am, I had 5.5 ppm.
Still chewing....
Last bleach dose at 8:15 pm.
At 9:45 pm, the FC read 11 ppm.
Thursday morning, at 6:30 am, I had 5.5 ppm.
Still chewing....
Let us know what you get for a FC reading in the morning. Do this morning reading before the sun is on the pool.
Apologies for checking out for the winter season but our pool was pretty much closed down for the winter after the previous post. The sand was left in the filter over the winter and earlier this week, the sand was replaced. It is interesting to note that throughout this winter, the water stayed clear until foreign debris blew into the pool. What little discoloration of the water resulted from the debris was quickly resolved with an application of bleach.
About the only issue that remains is the very fine residue/silt (I previously referred to it as goo but it now no longer looks like that) remaining in the pool. I've tried to vacuum this stuff out straight to waste and it works somewhat okay but I hate to waste all that water.
As of today, I am picking up with the testing to see if I can raise / maintain the chlorine count as previously directed. Thanks again to all who have helped in this thread and I'll keep the progress reports coming.
Attached to this post is a shot of the pool as it appears today. This is the best quality our pool water has ever been at the point of the year where we opened it up.
About the only issue that remains is the very fine residue/silt (I previously referred to it as goo but it now no longer looks like that) remaining in the pool. I've tried to vacuum this stuff out straight to waste and it works somewhat okay but I hate to waste all that water.
As of today, I am picking up with the testing to see if I can raise / maintain the chlorine count as previously directed. Thanks again to all who have helped in this thread and I'll keep the progress reports coming.
Attached to this post is a shot of the pool as it appears today. This is the best quality our pool water has ever been at the point of the year where we opened it up.
With the pool reopened and the sand changed, I am running the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT). My guess is the pool probably won't pass the test but we shall see.
At 8:30 pm
FC 13.5
CC: none
I am adding bleach needed to return the pool a FC measure of 15 and will retest 30 minutes after.
At 8:30 pm
FC 13.5
CC: none
I am adding bleach needed to return the pool a FC measure of 15 and will retest 30 minutes after.
Given the lack of chemicals over the winter added to the water you may do better than you think. I'll be interested in the results.
At 7:30 am the following morning
FC 8
Looks like I need to continue the SLAM process for now.
Compared to where I was when last fall, this is a distinct improvement in the OCLT results.
FC 8
Looks like I need to continue the SLAM process for now.
Compared to where I was when last fall, this is a distinct improvement in the OCLT results.