Never had this much trouble trying to get the water to clear after opening

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T

three4rd

0
Jul 20, 2014
206
Berks County, PA
Readings are all good....added several doses of algaecide...brushing, vacuuming, filter was cleaned, pressure is good...and yet still rather green. It's coming along but much slower than ever before. Friends of mine who also have a pool near us experienced the same problem...said it took nearly FOUR WEEKS to get it to clear up. I have mine open and running since Tuesday. Any suggestions? The foam visible is likely from excess algaecide. I guess I should probably backwash even though the pressure is still good (DE filter - biguanide system)

Any advice welcomed... (other than 'switch to chlorine'....lol)



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Well, as you don't want to hear what my real answer is - all I can really say is algaecide is a preventative product, not a reactive product to use once you get algae.

I wish I could help, but Baquacil is outside my knowledge base.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will jump in.
 
Hey tim5055,

I appreciate the reply. I probably should post this same thread on the Baquacil part of the forum. It's just really strange to have encountered this. The water looked aLOT better back in February and March...with no filtration...than it does now. Very discouraging really.
 
Re: New pool startup GREEN!

Same problem here....a (basically) clear green. Horrible. I also have new plaster that went in last summer. Filter has been running for days with very little improvement. And yet my readings aren't bad

pH 7.6
TA 110
CH 165

I'd love some suggestions. I think my next step is to backwash again, even though the pressure is fine.
 
The advice given for Baqua issues are slightly different than that given to members using Chlorine. To start off I must warn you it's been YEARS since I've dealt with Baqua products so my advice maybe somewhat sketchy.

For starters, can you post your test results for the Sanitizer and Oxidizer? At this point you really want to focus on these two items as they are key items to help keep the pool clean. For starters you should raise your Sanitizer level up to 50ppm and add the initial dose of Performance Algicide to the water. Brush the pool really well here to mix this into the water. This step acts as an Insurance Policy and is a MUST for any Baqua pool. Anytime you let the Sanitizer or Algicide levels drop you will likely get green water rather quickly. Keep up on these levels! After that add 1.5 gallons of the Oxidizer to the water once again brushing the water. The oxidizer is what will ultimately kill the algae and start turning your water blueish. You may need to do this step a few times before it fully turns, but the Oxidizer will eventually work.
 
Hi,

I really don't have the numbers on the sanitizer and oxidizer levels, but I know they were both good. Actually I added more Sanitizer than I would have needed to. All heck started to break loose after I added CDX (which is a yellow liquid). Tomorrow is time to add oxidizer anyway so we'll see what happens. Also, we had a severe thunderstorm with very strong wind on Wednesday (took a tree down on my property) and so I can only imagine what sort of stuff blew in the pool. For one thing, thousands of bridal wreath (spirea) spent blossoms blew in the pool. They are little and so clung to the sides of the pool, on the tiles, for a day or two. After that I added more algaecide, but no improvement following that. It's pretty frustrating. I just had this lovely replastering job done last summer, and all I see now is a murky green bottom and with the foam the whole thing looks like a toxic swamp. Pools sure are great. The 30+ grand I spent on the replastering could have gone into a new car that is alot easier to keep clean and nice looking......
 
three4rd said:
The 30+ grand I spent on the replastering could have gone into a new car that is alot easier to keep clean and nice looking......
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I know it's not what you want to hear, but I feel I must say so.......
My family used Baqua for over 15 years before finding the TFPC process. Every time it rained, green. Pool party, green. Hot weather outside, green. We too chased our tails trying to figure out the cause and spent hours working to get a blueish tint to the water. All to the tune of bout $1,000 a year. Now we run about $150 a year with greater quality and a lot less work.

For the most part the Oxidizer is the only product that will help clear your water. The other products help fight off algae and make it hard to grow. Report back with numbers and any changes after you add the oxidizer.
 
I have hardly ever had problems with green water...and have also been on Baqua for probably 15 years...actually longer. This is rare. Cloudy water....yes....but bluish-cloudy. And also loads of filter pressure problems (short cycles) and, of course, the ubiquitous slime and mold. Other than that...relatively few problems and NEVER trouble getting it clear like this. Your points are well taken. Don't think I have not thought of going back to chlorine already. It's just that my family does not like the feel of it and having to wash hair after swimming every time. I really appreciate your helpful advice. I will be generous with the oxidizer!
 
DaninFLA said:
just curious, and not attacking, but why are you so set on Baqua??
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I understand your question, but please know that I do get a bit weary of being asked this same sort of thing all the time here. I don't like the way chlorine pools feel as much, and also the women in the family have to wash their hair every time they swim...not so with non-chlorine systems. Also, I had a terrible experience with chlorine in that we got into a chlorine demand situation. (And every time I mention this someone will reply that this is because I was not regulating the pool balance correctly...which may also be true I suppose.) Near the end it was calling for some ridiculous amount...like 100 lbs. or something. That's when I gave up. I also disliked working with those strong-smelling smart sticks and so forth. It's not that I'm in any way enamored of baquacil per se. I had never heard of baquacil until maybe 7-8 years ago...after I switched from chlorine I started with "Softswim" and used that for quite some time but then was told that Baquacil is a bit better so I switched to that. It's all biguanide-based anyway. I do like the feel of the water better, as does the rest of my family, and I think it's a bit more gentle on the skin and hair. No plans to go back to chlorine at this point. I've been thinking that I really should find a different forum though..perhaps one specifically for baquacil pool owners. This part of the forum...while called "Baquacil...use and conversion"...is really geared more to "conversion" (as in converting back to chlorine..) than "use" the way it seems. There do not seem to be that many posts specifically from people who use baquacil that actually seek info about working with their baq pools other than questions about converting back to chlorine. Getting asked so often about why I don't want to convert....why do I want to spend so much....why do I want to live with the problems that are often inherent with non-chlorine....gets a bit old and is ultimately not very productive in terms of receiving practical advice, at least not on this part of the forum. Troublefree pool is a wonderful source but does seem highly slanted towards chlorine users, which is fine...I'm also not attacking but have gotten a bit tired of being asked why I want to continue with biguanide. You will need to excuse the rather rant-like quality of this post since I'm not in a very good mood being that my pool looks like you-know-what. Thanks for the reply. I do appreciate the concern.
 

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well this site is called trouble free pool and its mission is to maintain the pool the simplest and cheapest way, so yeah, not really slanted to this system at all, haha.

I think your concerns are not valid at all though, and are based on your experiences with improperly maintained chlorine pools. the exact type of pool maintenance this site is against. I have a saltwater pool and its great. I don't wash my hair after being in the pool, neither does my wife or baby. its very gentle on us. the stuff you are talking about reminds of public pools and water parks.

that said, I don't care either way what system you use or your costs associated with it. has no bearing on me in the slightest, so not interested in trying to convert either way. I was just curious about the reasons for going with the system is all, so thanks for taking time to respond.
 
Understood...really. I'm sorry...I really went on the aggressive there a bit. My only experience with saltwater pools is on cruise ships....liked it actually..great for floating! I KNEW you'd mention about "improperly maintained chlorine" though!! I could feel it coming. Actually right now thoughts are entering my mind to the effect that I'm getting a bit tired of simply working with ANY pool...AND the yard....And the flowerbeds.....approaching 60 years old and none of this stuff gets any easier the way it seems!! A 55+ community that has a pool that I don't need to have anything to do with other than swim in it is starting to sound better and better...especially with the way this season's opening is going.
 
three4rd said:
Understood...really. I'm sorry...I really went on the aggressive there a bit. My only experience with saltwater pools is on cruise ships....liked it actually..great for floating! I KNEW you'd mention about "improperly maintained chlorine" though!! I could feel it coming. Actually right now thoughts are entering my mind to the effect that I'm getting a bit tired of simply working with ANY pool...AND the yard....And the flowerbeds.....approaching 60 years old and none of this stuff gets any easier the way it seems!! A 55+ community that has a pool that I don't need to have anything to do with other than swim in it is starting to sound better and better...especially with the way this season's opening is going.
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hah, I hear ya. one correction though, the saltwater pools on cruise are just that...saltwater. from the ocean. saltwater pool is no where near that salty. good luck getting that pool cleared up, sorry cant help with solutions though.
 
I'm totally p-off at this point to be honest. I really don't know what to do. The worst part is the huge and ugly area of foam that collects right at the return lines...and there is yellow stuff mixed in with the foam. I think I really might need professional help with this.
 
About the Salt water pools on ships, are you saying they are filled with Ocean water? I have no idea, and didn't get in one the one time I cruised. If they are, a SWG pool will only have about a tenth of the salt, so they wouldn't have the float factor you mention. As for ease of use however, it doesn't get much easier than SWG pool. I do manual Chlorine and acid every few days and it's Crystal clear all the time.
 
You are right on a couple counts. First, this forum is a bit mis-named. Most people that join the forum are tired of using baqua and want to switch and we are very good at that.

Second, you probably right that you should try to find a forum that focuses on using baqua. Not that I am saying you should leave TFP, but TFPC is not a baqua system and few of us use it (or would use it even if it were free). We still have a large group of helpful individuals that can help you in non-chemical matters.

One point I won't let go unsaid though, you are unfairly lumping all chlorine pools together. What you experienced is what many of us experienced while using pool store methods. TFPC pools are not the same. The problems that pushed you to switching to baqua are the same problems that bring people here, and those who convert to TFPC will tell you that it solved those problems.

So if you can truely say you are happy with baqua, then I have nothing to say about switching. Your pool, your call. You just might need to find more knowledgeable communities on baqua use than TFP. Just remember that you are always welcome, even if we aren't much help.

From my HTC One via Tapatalk
 
mrsklement said:
Yes, saltwater pools on cruise ships are salt water right from the ocean. They drain the pools in the evening and refill them with fresh saltwater overnight so the water stays fresh and clean.
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I didn't realize this. What gets really wild with the cruise ship pools is when there is significant wave height and the water is sloshing from one side of the pool to the other! I do not care for crowded pools, and so the best time to get in to a cruise ship pool is right when people are boarding. Most folks do not bother with the pools since everyone is getting settled in their rooms and taking a look around the ship. OR if you do a back-to-back cruise check out the pools on the 1st day of the 2nd week...pretty much BEFORE the next group of passengers gets on the ship for the 2nd week. But I digress from the thread.....I opened up the filter and found that, despite the pressure still being good, there was all sorts of gunk in there, so I am hoping that now that it is cleaned out and a new charge of DE added, I will see some improvement in water color.
 
I'd like to pull this thread back on track at this point. IF the OP wishes to swap, then we'll assist them. At this point however it appears they have no interest in doing so.

three4rd, I will gladdy assist you in any way in cleaning your pool using Baquacil. As stated above, I've used the product in the past, however never could get a very good end result. I'm open for any questions you may have and hope to assist you the best I can.
 
If you can't get anything else to work, one thing you might try is going back to the original Baquacil system (before CDX came out). I used Baquacil for 15 years with my pool, and the only year I ever had problems was the year I switched over to their "new and improved" system (called Baquacil Ultra, which they don't make anymore). That year I could never get my water clear. I struggled the entire season with cloudy water and winterized it still with cloudy water. I switched back to the regular (original) Baquacil system the next year and had no problems. It might be worth giving it a try.

By the original Baquacil system, I mean the sanitizer, algaecide, and shock, and just don't use the CDX.
 

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