Flocculant to Reduce Baqua Goo?

[Eyoung1231]

Hello! We just got our pool last year and was recommended Baquacil by the pool installers and the pool store owner-biggest mistake of our lives. Now this year we've begun the conversion to chlorine. We've gone through the rainbow of colors and the large clumps of goo. Now there are just small pieces and I am wondering if anyone has use flocculant to make these pieces more manageable to filter. The color of the pool now is a milky blue, but you cannot see more than 6 inches down.

I am also concerned about the high levels of chlorine and the damage that it may be doing to the liner. This morning I added more chlorine to raise the levels close to 15ppm and now they've dropped closer to 6ppm. I'm hesitant to keep adding it without being able to see the liner under the water.

Has anyone experienced the conversion? How long does it take? Have you used flocculant to speed up the process? Have any of you damaged your liners with the high chlorine levels?

Thanks for your advice in advance!!

Erica

 

[HeyEng]

DO NOT use floc. Do a quick search and review the multitude of threads on the absolute mess this stuff makes!
Others will be in sooner than later to share their experiences but I did want to get this warning out there.

Oh, and welcome to TFP!!!

 

[anthonypool89]

DO NOT use floc.

I've heard this as well. I have no way to vacuum to waste with my current plumbing, so floccing would probably be rather pointless and just create more rather than less problems.

And, yes..I second the welcome to TFP!!!

 

[Leebo]

I personally have done the conversion on our pool and can say our liner survived. The key to remember is that especially in the beginning the Baqua will quickly consume the chlorine thus it’s kinda rare that your actual FC level will be very high.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

If you want to clear the pool more efficiently (clearing is the longest step in the process especially with a sand filter), then go buy the smallest bag of pool grade DE you can find and add DE to your sand filter according to this article -

Adding DE to a Sand Filter

 

[Husky25]

With no way to vacuum to waste, my guess is Floc would actually slow down the process by gumming up the sand and making the filter less efficient.

If you have a kit and are following the process, all you need now is patience.

 

[Matt_PEBKAC_Oh]

I am now a convert. I started May 1st with a 15 yr baquacil fiberglass pool with a sand filter. In our 13, 700 gallon pool, I believe we dumped close to 23-25 gallons in 2.5-3 weeks.

You can see it here.
Baquacil conversation process

 

[Poolhockey]

I use flock as a final clean-up step when I use chlorine free shock ( or Line Clean). I plan to backwash after every treatment. I also use pool socks in my skimmers to reduce the load on my filter. These help a lot but not quite enough to avoid the need to backwash after I use the flocculant (aluminum sulfate).

 

[anthonypool89]

I use flock as a final clean-up step when I use chlorine free shock ( or Line Clean).

I'm also using Line Clean as an (approximately) weekly maintenance dose but have no capability to vacuum to waste and so have never used floc.

Also curious as to how socks or hairnets are placed in skimmers (?) I've read several people talking about doing this in the forums - but - especially with a sock - where does it go?

 

[Matt_PEBKAC_Oh]

I'm also using Line Clean as an (approximately) weekly maintenance dose but have no capability to vacuum to waste and so have never used floc.

Also curious as to how socks or hairnets are placed in skimmers (?) I've read several people talking about doing this in the forums - but - especially with a sock - where does it go?

stretch it over. I have a small rock I put in the basket under the sock to drop the basket quicker

 

[anthonypool89]

I have a small rock

Well, I have lots of those - so sounds like a good idea.