Sorry. I didn't realize you had Baquacil CDX also in there. We had never added the CDX to our Baq pool, mostly because of the things I saw on this forum. Matt is correct; CDX is a different animal than the regular Baquacil.
Finally Switching after 6 years
- Thread starter nscheun
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- Jul 21, 2013
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Converting from Baquacil CDX to Chlorine
Greetings TFP Community! I’m new here but have been doing LOTS of reading to try and help prepare myself for the Baquacil to Chlorine conversion. Many thanks to everybody out there for all the great information shared within this forum! I’ve read the Convert from Baqua to Chlorine link...
www.troublefreepool.com
Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine
This Step-by-step guide will help you transform your pool from Biguanide (Baquacil, SoftSwim hereafter referred to as Baqua) to chlorine. Read more
www.troublefreepool.com
- May 23, 2015
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- 16000
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- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You’re likely fighting on multiple fronts but peroxide is not the issue. That was eliminated many gallons ago.
What you are fighting is biological demand (algae and water molds) and a chemical demand (CDX) and both are going to be demanding. We have no good data on CDX other than it contains a chemical that is really bad for chlorinated pool water (ammonia and bromine). If you’ve been using it long term you’re in for a heck of time. I suggest draining heavily if you can. It’s the only way. If you can’t drain then the conversion will have to wait until next spring.
Sorry.
What you are fighting is biological demand (algae and water molds) and a chemical demand (CDX) and both are going to be demanding. We have no good data on CDX other than it contains a chemical that is really bad for chlorinated pool water (ammonia and bromine). If you’ve been using it long term you’re in for a heck of time. I suggest draining heavily if you can. It’s the only way. If you can’t drain then the conversion will have to wait until next spring.
Sorry.
So I am not sure if I am fighting algae, at least not anymore. I am beginning to think what I am seeing on the bottom is "baq gue." Let me summarize where I am at. So far I have added 58 1/2 gal of 12.5% LC. First lesson I learned is that I was a bit shy with trying to dump in large amounts of FC. (My advise to anyone attempting this is to start "hard and fast". I feel like the first 3 days I wasted because I was so concerned with getting the FC too high. Combine that with the fact my pool had a high level of Formula O and Peroxide because I was trying to maintain clear water. My guess is that the first 25/30 gal just disappeared nearly immediately, and it took me too long to put that together). Second lesson I learned is that this switch is best performed at the beginning of the year when another system is not in full swing, but after 30 gal of 12.5% FC I'm all in now. Last night at 9 pm I had the FC at 15ppm and woke up this morning at 5:30 am and the FC was down to 11.5ppm. CC was at .5 (maybe less) The water beside a bit of accumulation on the bottom looks as good as ever. I was having trouble holding my pH (even when the FC went to 0 during the day). (I did add 16# Borax during the last week, because I missed not adding CYA in the conversion of Baq Article, and I didn't think I needed to be concerned with baq seeing that nearly half the water was replaced since CDX was used in the pool. I realize that mistake now.)
My PH was down to 6.8 and my TA was at 150 yesterday mid morning when my FC was down to 1. So yesterday I started aerating and the rain helped a bit too, at least I think. Later in the day when my FC was coming down to 7.5 the PH was around 7.4. (I am not trusting that number completely due to the highish FC, but I think things are better.)
Overall I feel I am getting closer. During parts of this process I had CC up to 4 ppm, but now I usually see it at 0.5 ppm maybe not even that high. I am planning to test water again at lunchtime and will follow up then. In the meantime I have the following questions:
1. What do I do if I need to leave for a few days, so this doesn't completely regress? (I do have some Chlorine pucks without CYA)
2. I worry about the heat pump a lot with the PH. Should I be?
3. Am I fooling myself that I will turn this around without exchanging water? (remembering that about half this water was changed since cdx was added to the pool last season)
Nathan
Flying Tivo
TFP Guide
- Jan 24, 2017
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Do you have a bypass for the heatpump? If so just bypass the heater. If not and handy DIY with pvc go for it.
There is no bypass, and it is all hard plumbed. I definitely could rework the PVC, but was hoping not to. I guess it depends on how bad this is for the heat pump?
My test a bit ago was
FC 2 (Even though it is overcast, wow the little UV really wacks the FC)
CC 0
PH 7.0
TA 150
(CYA should still be around 20)
I vac'd the little bit on the bottom to waste, and plan to start adding LC around 6 or 7 pm.
Flying Tivo
TFP Guide
- Jan 24, 2017
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- Pool Size
- 7500
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As long as ph is above 7, there is no risk for the heater. Just keep an eye out for that.
- Jul 21, 2013
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Heat pumps do not use copper heat exchnagers like gas heaters do and are not as susceptible to low pH damage. I would not worry about a pH of 6.8 or above damaging the heat pump.
I always keep a couple boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax on hand in case I get too close to the lower end of pH. (It never goes bad if kept dry.) Aeration works too, only slower. You are maybe walking the line at 7.0 pH. For SLAM purposes, 7.2 is ideal to start. Note: Twenty Mule Team should have very little effect on your TA.
I asked if you had hoses, because by-passing that heat pump is relatively easy with hoses. With hard plumbing, there's a couple different ways to do it, and makes it even easier to bypass the heater, but you've got a lot on your plate for now w/o redoing your plumbing.
With our pool, I like to take care of issues one at a time, if possible, if for no other reason than that so much of pool care is interconnected. I get confused too easily at my age to have more than one can of worms open at a time. YMMV.
I am not afraid to add Borax. I have added 16# since Sunday, but my PH did not go up at all until I started aerating and then only from 6.8 to 7.0. I have another box here and could add that but will test the PH first to see if my aeration moved it more, or if it was just last night's rain.I always keep a couple boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax on hand in case I get too close to the lower end of pH. (It never goes bad if kept dry.) Aeration works too, only slower. You are maybe walking the line at 7.0 pH. For SLAM purposes, 7.2 is ideal to start. Note: Twenty Mule Team should have very little effect on your TA.
I asked if you had hoses, because by-passing that heat pump is relatively easy with hoses. With hard plumbing, there's a couple different ways to do it, and makes it even easier to bypass the heater, but you've got a lot on your plate for now w/o redoing your plumbing.
With our pool, I like to take care of issues one at a time, if possible, if for no other reason than that so much of pool care is interconnected. I get confused too easily at my age to have more than one can of worms open at a time. YMMV.
I had the original hoses here, but must have tossed them after moving them a dozen times. (it would have been quick to throw those in)
I too like to handle one issue at a time, but nobody told my pool that and it is giving me more than one problem at a time
Does anybody have a thought on this question I had from above... Am I fooling myself that I will turn this around without exchanging water? (remembering that about half this water was changed since cdx was added to the pool last season)
- Jun 1, 2018
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It seems like u are holding chlorine better now - that is your guide to how it’s going.I am not afraid to add Borax. I have added 16# since Sunday, but my PH did not go up at all until I started aerating and then only from 6.8 to 7.0. I have another box here and could add that but will test the PH first to see if my aeration moved it more, or if it was just last night's rain.
I had the original hoses here, but must have tossed them after moving them a dozen times. (it would have been quick to throw those in)
I too like to handle one issue at a time, but nobody told my pool that and it is giving me more than one problem at a time
Does anybody have a thought on this question I had from above... Am I fooling myself that I will turn this around without exchanging water? (remembering that about half this water was changed since cdx was added to the pool last season)
Follow the Baquacil article. As u said- you’re in it now !
- May 23, 2015
- 24,474
- Pool Size
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I'm fairly concerned that there is something wrong with your testing. With all the bleach and borax you have added, your pH should be way higher. Yes, chlorine oxidation reactions tend to be acidic, but not that acidic.
Are you absolutely sure your pH reagents are working correctly? You might try another method, one that chlorine can not interfere with, like getting a pH probe.
Are you absolutely sure your pH reagents are working correctly? You might try another method, one that chlorine can not interfere with, like getting a pH probe.
I've done the PH tests with 2 different test kits, granted they are both Larson, but I get consistent results. The one kit is the kit I have been using for about a year, and it always seemed correct in the past? I am not familiar with a PH probe.
Last night added my LC at 8:30 pm. At 10:15 pm, I tested my FC and it was 15.5 with CC of 0.5. This morning at 6 am the FC was 13.5 with CC of 0.5. I'm getting closer.
(FYI, I am only adding FC at night at this point because the UV during the day is a killer. With a vac to waste in the evening when the FC is gone)
(FYI, I am only adding FC at night at this point because the UV during the day is a killer. With a vac to waste in the evening when the FC is gone)
- Jun 24, 2021
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If you are only adding chlorine at night, this will extend your slam. I understand that the sun is using chlorine, but you are also killing the algae.
I'd recommend you keep slamming during the day.
I am a bit confused by this. I am following the baquacil conversion document and that makes it sound like overnight is the most important. With little to no CYA in the pool, I feel like I would go through A LOT, like 10s of gallons during the day to do this?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,640
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
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- CircuPool RJ-60
The more often you can test and boost your FC to 15, the faster the conversion will go. From the article:
Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine
This Step-by-step guide will help you transform your pool from Biguanide (Baquacil, SoftSwim hereafter referred to as Baqua) to chlorine. Read more
www.troublefreepool.com