Baqua / Chlorine conversion
- Thread starter ulphen
- Start date
But is almost hard to notice because my liner color usually makes my water look a little green.
Yup. If you know what it will do, you may add it, in this case, add some CH to your lower level.
You got lucky then. There have been some where there were globs of *colorful* goop to net up and wipe off the sides. Here is hoping this goes fast for you!
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,077
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
I'm not familiar with the chemistry around phmb. But if it does decompose to ammonia and urea, then chlorine will take care of them. Both create a massive chlorine demand.
There are scenarios where (if FC had been allowed to drop to zero for long periods, e.g. when closing the pool over winter) certain soil bacteria can decompose CYA into ammonia. In these instances, you can pour litres and litres of chlorine into the pool, and FC will not rise. Until you used enough chlorine to decompose all the ammonia, and then FC will start to hold again.
Some of the chloramines (or "combined chlorine" aka CC) that get created along the breakdown process of ammonia and urea are what most people associate with "chlorine smell" in public pools (particularly indoor pools). They are unpleasant and in high concentrations not exactly healthy. But you are not using your pool during the baqua conversion process and it is well ventilated, as long as you keep those nifty glass panels you have open enough to get some ventilation. I don't see an issue there.
Once you'll have completed the baqua conversion, you'll be maintaining your free chlorine levels according to TFP's FC/CYA chart. As long as there is sufficient FC at all times, CC gets broken down continuously as it gets created (e.g. from nitrogen compounds in swimmer's sweat or should a child be too excited by all the pool business to go to the toilet, or from algae being killed), so chloramines should never build up in significant concentrations.
A properly maintained pool (i.e. with sufficient FC according to the FC/CYA chart) should have no "chlorine smell". But you should open your panels regularly to let any breakdown-product built-up breath off.
There is some information on ammonia (in regards to the above mentioned CYA decomposition) in the TFP wiki:
Ammonia - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
There is also some info on combined chlorine:
CC - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
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- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,077
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Your thinking sounds solid there. Some UV protection will help, but breathing is also important for the reasons mentioned in my answer to your other question.
Thanks mgtfp for the explanation.
Day 1 completed. Lesson learned that I need to buy a FAS/DPD test kit like you all said. Problem is that they are hard to find (Have to ship them overseas) over here and with our short swimming season over here I felt that I had to get this started. I began the day with letting my robot clean the bottom of the pool before I disconnected both lamps. After that I put in 4 litres of liquid chlorine witch made the pool get a slightly green tint as in the picture. I had a couple of other thing to fix today so I waited 4 hours before checking the pool. Expected 0ppm FC but i got 5-6 from by electronincal tablet reading device. It can only check to 6 ppm so I also checked by adding 2/3 of my non-chlorinated tap water and multiplied with 3. Added another 2,5 litres and waited another 4 hours. Somewhere here I am starting to realize that I need a better test kit. Meassured 9-10 ppm using method above and added another 1 litre och chlorine. Despite the measurement problems, it still feels like my pool will be a pretty easy conversion I hope
. There are probably several reasons for that. First and foremost I built it last season and only used it for a couple of months. I don´t think CDX exists here. Didn´t add any sanitizer when I closed it for winter. But most important I drained half of the pool thanks to you guys before I started. This made my Baquacil testkit show same color on pool water and tap water.
I also have one question about the pool roof I have. Can I have it closed over the night for saftey reasons or is that a bad idea?
Day 1 completed. Lesson learned that I need to buy a FAS/DPD test kit like you all said. Problem is that they are hard to find (Have to ship them overseas) over here and with our short swimming season over here I felt that I had to get this started. I began the day with letting my robot clean the bottom of the pool before I disconnected both lamps. After that I put in 4 litres of liquid chlorine witch made the pool get a slightly green tint as in the picture. I had a couple of other thing to fix today so I waited 4 hours before checking the pool. Expected 0ppm FC but i got 5-6 from by electronincal tablet reading device. It can only check to 6 ppm so I also checked by adding 2/3 of my non-chlorinated tap water and multiplied with 3. Added another 2,5 litres and waited another 4 hours. Somewhere here I am starting to realize that I need a better test kit. Meassured 9-10 ppm using method above and added another 1 litre och chlorine. Despite the measurement problems, it still feels like my pool will be a pretty easy conversion I hope
. There are probably several reasons for that. First and foremost I built it last season and only used it for a couple of months. I don´t think CDX exists here. Didn´t add any sanitizer when I closed it for winter. But most important I drained half of the pool thanks to you guys before I started. This made my Baquacil testkit show same color on pool water and tap water.I also have one question about the pool roof I have. Can I have it closed over the night for saftey reasons or is that a bad idea?
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- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,077
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
A while ago, someone was successful in ordering a K2006 from Spain:
Productos de análisis: Serie 2000 Taylor - Analizar Agua
analizaragua.es
Maybe that helps to at least order from within the EU.
Since there is some volume above the pool, gasses should be able to at least leave the water (it's not like you have a blanket on the water surface). So, as long as you give it a good airing in the morning, you should be good, I think.
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,077
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
I do realise that 211€ for a K2006 (without the "C") is not exactly a bargain. And for a baqua conversion, the small bottle of FAS wouldn't get you far. But it would probably be the easiest and fastest option for you. Then you could source the individual reagent replacements (apart from the indicator solutions preferably in the larger C-size) via Amazon US.
There are alternatives. I sometimes order the Taylor FAS-DPD reagents (R-0871 and R-0870) standalone from Amazon US in the C-size. I also once ordered a big quart-sized bottle (nearly 1 litre) of the CYA-reagent via Amazon US (R-0013 is very stable when stored in a cool, dry place). But you still needed to source the test vial.
For TA and CH there are aquarium tests, e.g. from Red Sea. They are a bit more fiddly than the Taylor tests, but they generally work with a few remarks.
Firstly, they are not designed to work with chlorinated water (fish don't really thrive in chlorinated water). The indicator of the TA test bleaches out when there is chlorine, so you needed to source some thiosulfate chlorine neutralizer (e.g. Taylor's R-0007).
Secondly, aquarium people use different units to pool people for Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness. But there are conversion formulas. It's just like using Miles vs. Kilometres.
For pH, the Taylor test really is the gold standard for phenol red based drop tests, it's the only one I am aware of that works well up to FC 10ppm. An alternative could be a good quality electronic pH-Meter. With good care (using proper storage solution and calibrating regularly with a pH 7 buffer solution), they are very reliable and even have the advantage of not being affected by high chlorine at all. I am very happy with my Apera pH60.
There are alternatives. I sometimes order the Taylor FAS-DPD reagents (R-0871 and R-0870) standalone from Amazon US in the C-size. I also once ordered a big quart-sized bottle (nearly 1 litre) of the CYA-reagent via Amazon US (R-0013 is very stable when stored in a cool, dry place). But you still needed to source the test vial.
For TA and CH there are aquarium tests, e.g. from Red Sea. They are a bit more fiddly than the Taylor tests, but they generally work with a few remarks.
Firstly, they are not designed to work with chlorinated water (fish don't really thrive in chlorinated water). The indicator of the TA test bleaches out when there is chlorine, so you needed to source some thiosulfate chlorine neutralizer (e.g. Taylor's R-0007).
Secondly, aquarium people use different units to pool people for Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness. But there are conversion formulas. It's just like using Miles vs. Kilometres.
For pH, the Taylor test really is the gold standard for phenol red based drop tests, it's the only one I am aware of that works well up to FC 10ppm. An alternative could be a good quality electronic pH-Meter. With good care (using proper storage solution and calibrating regularly with a pH 7 buffer solution), they are very reliable and even have the advantage of not being affected by high chlorine at all. I am very happy with my Apera pH60.
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Thank you for all information mgtfp. I will look into it.
When I woke up today my pool looked like this.
Water is very clear and nothing else happend when I added chlorine today. The challenge now is to pass the two last tests without a proper test kit. I think I am getting there tough soon. Just by smelling the test water you can tell that it is big difference in CC from when I begun.
When I woke up today my pool looked like this.
Water is very clear and nothing else happend when I added chlorine today. The challenge now is to pass the two last tests without a proper test kit. I think I am getting there tough soon. Just by smelling the test water you can tell that it is big difference in CC from when I begun.