Hi. This is my first post on TFP, although I've been a member for 5 years. My pool has been a Baquacil pool since we installed it 15 years ago, and I'm one of the rare ones who never had any problems with maintaining a clear pool with Baquacil. The only complaint I've ever had with Baquacil has been the expense. The chemicals have been costing me about $800 per season (and in Michigan, the season is only May - September!). I've been half-heartedly considering switching over to chlorine and using a SWG for several years now due to the expense, but never got up the courage to do it.
I finally got the motivation to do the switch, though, because my pool place (the only Baquacil dealer in the county) went out of business last fall (the owner wanted to retire and couldn't find a buyer, so he just closed down). Rather than having to order the Baquacil online, I decided it was time to convert to chlorine.
I read every post on TFP about the conversion, printed out the instructions, laid in a HUGE supply of chlorine bleach, got the Taylor TF-100 test kit, and got started last Sunday. Unfortunately, I'm working really long hours right now, so I can't put bleach in very frequently. My husband puts it in first thing in the morning, and then I put more in when I get home from work, so it's only getting topped back up twice per day.
The water has gone from green to murky brown. It had a weird scum on top for a few days, but the scum seems to be gone. The color has stabilized at the murky brown color for the last 4 days without changing, which is why I’m concerned. From reading the other posts, it seemed like the color kept changing (and lightening) almost daily, but my pool seems to have stalled. Maybe I’m just too impatient, since it’s only been 6 days, but I’m beginning to wish I had just stayed with Baquacil, since my pool looked beautiful with it.
Here are my current test results, but I’m new at using this test kit, so I’m not sure how accurate the results are:
FC 13
CC 27
pH 6.8
TA 60-80 (not sure)
CH 300
CYA 0 (I think, because the water I poured into the CYA viewing tube was clear)
I guess I just need some reassurance that I didn’t do something wrong, since my pool seems to have stalled at the murky brown cesspool stage!
Thank you. TFP has been very helpful in getting me started on the conversion.
P.S. I have pictures and tried to upload them (both as an image and as an attachment), but it wouldn't let me. I just got an error message. Any advice about that?
I finally got the motivation to do the switch, though, because my pool place (the only Baquacil dealer in the county) went out of business last fall (the owner wanted to retire and couldn't find a buyer, so he just closed down). Rather than having to order the Baquacil online, I decided it was time to convert to chlorine.
I read every post on TFP about the conversion, printed out the instructions, laid in a HUGE supply of chlorine bleach, got the Taylor TF-100 test kit, and got started last Sunday. Unfortunately, I'm working really long hours right now, so I can't put bleach in very frequently. My husband puts it in first thing in the morning, and then I put more in when I get home from work, so it's only getting topped back up twice per day.
The water has gone from green to murky brown. It had a weird scum on top for a few days, but the scum seems to be gone. The color has stabilized at the murky brown color for the last 4 days without changing, which is why I’m concerned. From reading the other posts, it seemed like the color kept changing (and lightening) almost daily, but my pool seems to have stalled. Maybe I’m just too impatient, since it’s only been 6 days, but I’m beginning to wish I had just stayed with Baquacil, since my pool looked beautiful with it.
Here are my current test results, but I’m new at using this test kit, so I’m not sure how accurate the results are:
FC 13
CC 27
pH 6.8
TA 60-80 (not sure)
CH 300
CYA 0 (I think, because the water I poured into the CYA viewing tube was clear)
I guess I just need some reassurance that I didn’t do something wrong, since my pool seems to have stalled at the murky brown cesspool stage!
Thank you. TFP has been very helpful in getting me started on the conversion.
P.S. I have pictures and tried to upload them (both as an image and as an attachment), but it wouldn't let me. I just got an error message. Any advice about that?