Taking the plunge!

[cmtpres]

After a summer of frustration with my 20+ year Baquicil pool, I have decided to chuck it and try the BBB method.

A month of trips to the pool store and almost $500 in special treatments and shock and I still have a yucky yellow/green/brown soup. I found this site while looking for a cure for my algae problem and it looks like the way to go so, I bought a basic CL/PH kit (ordered the good kit here) and bought 15 182oz bottles of 6% clorox. CL was 0 and PH was 7.8 before adding CL.

At 5pm, I added 4 bottles to the pool and watches it foam and boil like a witche's brew. Will test CL at 7pm and add as necessary.

I haven't discovered how to add a signature but will enter pool info when I do - for now, 27500 gal vinyl in ground, Hayward S-200 filter and 1hp pump.

Richard

 

[duraleigh]

Hi, Rich,

Welcome to the forum. You're off to a great start.

Be prepared for that Chlorine to disappear very, very fast initially.

I'd almost bet you need to put some more in there right now. If it shows up five or less on your chlorine test, boost it back up to 15 with another 3-4 jugs. (And go to the store soon and get some more)

The key to the conversion is HIGH levels of chlorine CONSTANTLY replenished. Your chlorine usage will drop off after a couple of days but you really need to hit it hard now.

That said, calculate carefully. You don't want to damage your liner.

Lot's of folks here to help.....keep us posted.

 

[cmtpres]

Thanks Dave - I tested again at 7:00pm - 0% CL!

Added 4 more bottles - again, lots of initial foaming and strange colors. I do need to get more bleach.

[attachment=1:3id6y07i]DSCF0160.JPG[/attachment:3id6y07i]
Deep end - second treatment.

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Shallow end - second treatment.

More later - off to get bleach. Thanks for the heads up on that.

Richard

 

[duraleigh]

Hey,

Don't be discouraged by the massive consumption of bleach....it'll slow down....meanwhile, you are really helping speed your process by keeping it up there and checking often.

Try to get another dose in tomorrow AM if you have to work....if not, dose it all day every 4 hours or so.

I don't think I've ever seen that pretty of green in a conversion....wow! :-D :-D

 

[Casey]

Please take pics everyday so we can watch this amazing transformation take place! 8)

I can't wait to see the bottom of your pool!

 

[crewchief47]

I haven't discovered how to add a signature but will enter pool info when I do - for now, 27500 gal vinyl in ground, Hayward S-200 filter and 1hp pump.

Richard

'user control panel' is located at the top of the page right under the 'TFP' logo on the left side, click the link.
On the next page there is aa 'options' menu on the left side, click on 'profile'.
In the same menu, 'edit signature' will now appear. Add your info and click 'submit'.

Love the green pics too!

 

[TizMe]

Your conversion is under way. Sit back, enjoy the color show and have fun with the $$ your going to save next swim season !!

a) Go to "user control panel" located at the top of the page right under the 'TFP' logo on the left side, click the link.
b) Click "options menu" on the left side, click on "profile".
c) "edit signature" will now appear. Add your info and click "submit".

And your done !

 

[cmtpres]

Thanks for all the help - I got another 10 bottles (182oz 6%) - that will (hopefully get me through the night.

8:00PM readings CL 0.2 (Finally a bit of yellow in the test tube), PH still at 7.8. Added 4 more bottles of bleach. My weekend started tonight so I plan to test and dose every couple of hours (when I'm awake). I don't intend to pay any attention to anything other than CL and PH until my "Real" test kit gets here, I ordered it today and I suppose it will ship tomorrow but I don't know what kind of shipping or where it is coming from.

I turned on the pool light and was treated to a really interesting color (it is dark here now). Will re-test at 9:00 and try to get some more pictures then.

Oh, a question. The cheapie test kit I bought only displays up to 3.0on the CL side - I am aiming for about 12-14 for several days to kill this crud. Should I dilute my sample with tap water once I get readings above 3?

 

[JasonLion]

For now the chlorine level will go down so quickly you don't need to worry about dilution. By mid week you really want to have a FAS-DPD chlorine test. I suggest getting a top quality test kit from TF Test Kits, see the link in my signature.

 

[cmtpres]

For now the chlorine level will go down so quickly you don't need to worry about dilution. By mid week you really want to have a FAS-DPD chlorine test. I suggest getting a top quality test kit from TF Test Kits, see the link in my signature.

I ordered it today - Hopefully it will arrive by mid week.

WOW - I just checked again and they are in Creedmore, NC (only 100 miles away) - I'll probably get it Tuesday.

 

[duraleigh]

I'll probably get it Tuesday.

You will. :-D :-D

 

[TizMe]

LOL Dave !

 

[cmtpres]

I'll probably get it Tuesday.

You will. :-D :-D

Thanks!

Here's the 9:00pm report - CL 0.2 (again just a tinge of yellow), PH 7.8 - added 4 more 182oz bottles 6% bleach. Here are two pictures - one with just the pool light and one with pool light and flash.

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[attachment=0:1bq2c5ju]DSCF0163.JPG[/attachment:1bq2c5ju]

Looks like a real witches brew.

 

[TizMe]

This is cool to watch ..... I've never seen a baquacil conversion. I hear its pretty to watch though !
Pics are cool cmtpres

 

[cmtpres]

10PM report

CL is 0.4 PH is 8 - added 4 more bottles (I may have to go to Wally World before the night is out!)

I'm starting to get a bit of a CL reading and the foaming is not as wild as last hour. I can't see the colors much as the darkness and pool light color everything yellow. Here's the picture this hour:

[attachment=0:2mt9v3oa]DSCF0166.JPG[/attachment:2mt9v3oa]

More after 11.

 

[duraleigh]

Nice work, Richard. Your determination is impressive.

Your chlorine consumption is as fast as any I've seen reported here. It implies you' had a lot of baquagoo in your pool and will need a stunning amount of Chlorine to get it out.

Keep the faith. This will work and your consumption will slow down soon. Great pictures!.

 

[cmtpres]

11:00 PM - CL 0.6 - PH 8 - 4 more 182oz bottles of 6%

Nice work, Richard. Your determination is impressive.

Your chlorine consumption is as fast as any I've seen reported here. It implies you' had a lot of baquagoo in your pool and will need a stunning amount of Chlorine to get it out.

Keep the faith. This will work and your consumption will slow down soon. Great pictures!.

That just leaves 2 of my original 26 bottles. I ran around from 10-11 but everyone was closed. Will dump the last two bottles first thing in the morning and go get some more. Will take more pictures in the morning. I expected lots of chlorine consumption but this is quite a bit more than I had assumed. It will be worth it to get control of this algae breeding machine.

 

[cmtpres]

The 6am news:

CL 0.6 (Amazing after 7 hours that I have any CL reading at all) PH still around 8. Added my last two bottles of bleach so I have to get more ASAP - Lowe's opens at 7 so I probably won't be able to add more until 8am.

Compare the pictures below to those from 10pm - it is a bit difficult to describe as the pool is still yucky but the whole brew seems less forboding. Last night it literally boiled with activity whenever I added bleach. This morning, I just got bubbles but no wild action. It will be interesting to see what daylight brings.

[attachment=1:3i39lx4q]DSCF0167.JPG[/attachment:3i39lx4q]

[attachment=0:3i39lx4q]DSCF0168.JPG[/attachment:3i39lx4q]

I'll be back as soon as I can get more bleach. Next pix in daylight ought to be interesting.

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, Rich,

Somewhat off the subject, but your FC readings (.2, .6, etc.) are puzzling to me.

Is that kit that only goes to 3ppm incremented in tenths?

Regardless, keep the FC up there like you've been doing.

 

[cmtpres]

Hey, Rich,

Somewhat off the subject, but your FC readings (.2, .6, etc.) are puzzling to me.

Is that kit that only goes to 3ppm incremented in tenths?

Regardless, keep the FC up there like you've been doing.

It reads 0.2, 0.6, 1.0, 1.5, 3.0 - really crude but I just wanted to get it to use until my "Real" kit gets here. At the rate I'm going, I will deplete the entire town of bleach before I gegin to get a handle on this thing and then I'll really need the good kit to get it settled down.

I am assuming I need to get this pool to 10-12PPM CL and hold it there for several days to kill all this junk - does that seem correct?