Water Converted - Now Green (Overnight)

[JasonLion]

Putting the pump on low is fine. You want some circulation, but you don't need high speed.

Leave the FC level alone as long as it is orange. If it starts going yellow add some more chlorine.

 

[MrFr33z3]

Leave the FC level alone as long as it is orange. If it starts going yellow add some more chlorine.

I believe the FC level is still way up there this morning. Looks like the water is clearing even further though! I'm hoping the trend will continue over the next couple of days. I won't be adding anything to the pool in the interim.

 

[MrFr33z3]

Wanted to post an update really quick, since my family and are all very pleased with how things are turning out!

Since this morning, the water has cleared quite a bit. The FC levels must still be in the 10ppm+ range, based on the color orange I'm still seeing with the test kit, and the test strips that I still have laying around. I'll only be adding more chlorine if the numbers come down in the 5ppm range, I suppose, but if the CYA levels are still up there, I may be adding some sooner. We haven't been getting as much rain as I'd hoped this week, but I'm sure things will level off as we continue through the rainy season.

 

[JasonLion]

Congratulations! Things are moving along very well.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Looks GREAT!

 

[MrFr33z3]

Thanks, guys!

I think we're good. I just received my TF test kit, and although I'm having trouble deciphering what "red" and "blue" mean in the context of water testing (I see hues of pink or magenta, for instance), I like the kit. The "basic" Taylor kit in there showed that both my pH and FC were in normal ranges now, but the FC was still *slightly* off the chart.

Here are my TF kit findings (I tested twice):
FC: 10.5
CC: 2
TC: 12.5
pH: 7.2-7.5 (closer to 7.3 or so, I believe)
TA: 150 (The color changed to a pinkish hue upon hitting 150, but not red, per se)
CH: 200
CYA: 50

I then went to the pool store to compare results - Here are their results:
TC: 4.0
FC: 4.0
pH: 7.5
TA: 140
CH: 325
CYA: 50

So, I think we're doing fine now. We can only consider this conversion completed when I replace the filter media though.

I've attached the latest shot I took about an hour ago, and another image I created to compare the clarity/shades. :-D

Again, thank you for the guidance. You'll be seeing me around the forum, I'm sure!

 

[Butterfly]

Wonderful comparison pix!

Things are really looking great! :lol:

 

[MrFr33z3]

Things are really looking great! :lol:

Thanks!

And to think... All I really needed to do was "complete" the conversion. It took me finding this forum to figure that out.

I didn't put enough chlorine in there the first few times, since I was simply doing what the pool store folks were telling me... 2.5 gallons here, a couple bags of shock... another 1.4 gallons there... It wasn't doing the trick. The water was staying green, and I couldn't keep chlorine in the pool overnight. After reading up on the forum a bit and listening to the feedback on just how much chlorine it actually takes to do it right, voila! A few days later and we can now use the pool. Didn't end up having to add anything other than chlorine. Enough chlorine to kill a large elephant, but nothing else, which is very cool.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I think it would turn the elephant blonde, not kill him.....

I like the comparison shots too!

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Very nice!! notice how your water sparkles so much more than in the first pic! (Although I must say, the clear green was really pretty! )

You still have 2 cc's... is your FC holding overnight? If not, you need to keep your pool at shock level till those cc's get down to <0.5 and you can hold the FC overnight. Sparkling water you already have. Then change your filter media, let your FC drift down, and hop on in there!!!

kudos on a job well done!

 

[SPP]

Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats !!! Z3
Ijust love to hear success story like this.

If I never learn of this forum, I would have blown my CYA so high that I may suffer. Its a cool 25 now.:-D :-D

 

[MrFr33z3]

Very nice!! notice how your water sparkles so much more than in the first pic!

Ya know? I was just thinking about that this morning. There is a "sparkling" to the water that I don't believe I ever achieved with Baqua. Wierd. I'm not complaining though!

You still have 2 cc's... is your FC holding overnight?

It appears as though the FC's are dropping slowly over time, but not "disappearing" overnight. I hadn't added any more chlorine since the huge shock, and the FC level has been dropping steadily, but not rapidly. I might be losing about 2-3ppm or so each day at the moment, but it's hard to tell. I just received my test kit yesterday, so I'll be doing another test each morning over the next few days and gauge from there.

If not, you need to keep your pool at shock level till those cc's get down to <0.5 and you can hold the FC overnight.

I figured I'd need to get rid of those CC's. Those must be left over from the whole conversion, eh? Since I'm no longer at shock levels, and would like to try and use the pool this weekend/possibly even tomorrow, can I just put in enough chlorine at night to keep the levels up and on Sunday night shock it again with about 1.4 gallons of 10.5% to rid myself of those 2 CC's?

Thanks again for all the help, guys!

 

[JasonLion]

Baquacil conversions often have lingering CC levels. The last bits of baq goo have hardened in the plumbing and it takes time for chlorine to break them down. Ideally you should shock any time CC is above 0.5. If you prefer not to have your FC level that high for swimming then keep the FC level as high as you are willing to keep it, and that will slowly get rid of the CC.

Because of your relatively high CYA level, the CC will linger for a little longer than it otherwise would, probably for a couple of weeks. The CC level will drift down over that time, but likely not get down to zero for a while.

 

[Butterfly]

Have you replaced your filter media?

 

[MrFr33z3]

Thanks, Jason!

Baquacil conversions often have lingering CC levels.

Yeah, I figured that was the case. I still need to swap out the filter, but won't be able to get to that until Saturday. I've been keeping up on cleaning the cartridge 4 days or so, but it would still turn that pale brownish Baquagoo color and be completely saturated with it. It is now a permanent shade of light brown and getting darker, so it is really a must, I suppose. I'll be shopping around for the best deal.

Ideally you should shock any time CC is above 0.5

Very good to know. I don't believe I've come across this bit of info in the pool school yet, but I've been having to skim it pretty quickly. Now that I can properly test my water, I'll be able to adjust things as frequently as I wish knowing that my results are accurate. Testing frequently is a must around these parts in the summer, as the amount of rain we can receive in a single afternoon can throw things off completely.

On a related note, I ordered the TF kit this past Sunday night. It was immediately shipped out on Monday morning and received the kit Weds. morning. Great service! Thank you, TF people.

 

[MrFr33z3]

Have you replaced your filter media?

Nope! I plan to soon. It's a time thing. I'm having 2 loader buckets of large river rock delivered today, and I've been digging a 1.5' perimeter around the pool over the last couple of days to prepare. And there's always my job that keeps me from doing what I really want as well.

I'm doing quite a bit of work back there this summer... But I'll share pix of that process in the "oasis" area at some point.