It depends the nature of the poster and the theme of the thread. You got caught in the crossfire of some one who habitually gets whooped by the Baqua. I will happily read all day with a thumbs up if you are detailing a great experience that you handle with ease.
For anyone wanting to successfully use baquacil....
- Thread starter anthonypool89
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When I or others come on here to ask a question about Baq Use, or how to resolve issues it is not helpful to hear CONVERT over and over. Can't we separate the two?
You should be able to, yes. And personally for me I don’t mind that you are seeking out help/answers providing that it wasn’t habitual complaining about how hard you have it. I will back you in the future if I see you getting an unfair shake.
I think for many here, baqua is basically the ultimate ‘pool storing’. They charge you a fortune and being impossible to properly test it becomes an expensive nightmare for most owners. True to the pool store experience, they make you drain and start all over at square one except this one costs a lot more for startup. It is allowed here because it does in fact sanitize, but it’s hardly trouble free.
The point that you’re missing is, while we certainly support anyone’s right to use whatever sanitizer they choose, the entire point of this website and these associated forums is to assist people in converting to the Trouble Free Pool Care method- whether that conversion is from Baqua, pool store BS, or from guess strips. Perhaps the “Use” in the title of this forum is a misnomer. This forum is not primarily for helping people use Baqua.
We don’t assist people in how to use guess strips or pool store testing and chemicals either.
And just for what it’s worth, if you’re having troubles or unnecessary expense that you wouldn’t be having with TFPC, convert isn’t necessarily bad advice, it’s just advice that you don’t care to hear.
I think this is perhaps an exaggeration and thus not really fair. I have often reported successes so as to maybe encourage others who are having issues. No, it has not been a smooth road by any means over the past 20+ years, but I truly thought that I had arrived at a workable, albeit expensive, solution over the past 3-4 years to keeping the water looking really good with a fairly minimal number of recurring issues. Problems really started to kick up once the Softswim "Assist" product was discontinued. I've been searching for products that make up for the loss of that one. Fairly successful results over the past 2 years or so unfortunately seemed to have changed by the end of last season with the development of increasingly shorter filter cycles due to pressure increase. The problem continues this season but I'm in the process of adjusting different aspects of my overall treatment program to see if the filter issue might improve. If it doesn't, as I've been saying, I am strongly leaning towards a conversion.
I admit to having vented frustration at times and probably unjustly used the forum for that purpose. My apologies for doing so as well as for any deliberate conveyance of having been "whooped" over the course of my threads and posts. I realize the tedium inherent for chlorine users here that wind up reading posts which might appear continually defeatist in nature. There have been times where I edited posts to be less negative.
I completely agree with the idea of a separate "conversion" and "use" aspect to the overall baqua forum. TFP has never seemed to be, overall, a supportive place for baqua users - and this is understandable since that is not the focus here. As a result, except for committed baqua users who may wish to share thoughts and ideas - probably best done by private conversation anyway - the concept of two separate baqua threads is not really all that desirable in terms of the overall forum though it could certainly be set up. In all fairness to TFP, it seems like most baqua users come here with the intention of converting, and so that's where the replies are directed towards. So, in theory, yeah, a separate category just for 'use' - those who perhaps are having positive experiences or even those who aren't and seeking help - is a laudable idea - but, realistically, how many of us are there here? It'd be interesting to know that. Always good to see new (or at least unfamiliar) baqua users show up to find out how things are going with them.
Precisely what has been told me recently. This is understandable. To start expanding the parameters of TFP could reach unmanageable proportions and detract from the main focus. I've been reading about the use of UV, for instance - done with either hydrogen peroxide or smaller amounts of chlorine - as yet another sanitizing option. Should TFP open up a whole new category that deals with all sorts of sanitizer program alternatives? Probably not. It would broaden (weaken?) the overall 'mission' of this place and eventually start to dilute the focus on TFP methodology. The issue for baqua users (meaning not those considering conversion at the present time at least) is that there does not appear to be the type of forum that is conducive to sharing and dealing with the issues of continued use. An option for this, of course, is to consult with baqaucil directly, and I've done that. Unfortunately, short of going over a somewhat scripted list approach to troubleshooting, I've never found talking to them to be of any real great assistance.
Newdude.....none really needed. You've offered helpful advice, as well as so many others! I just thought it worth responding - probably in a slightly defensive nature however. Please know how much I'm impacted by how people report so few problems once on the TFP system. It's certainly intriguing and certainly worthy of the greatest consideration I've ever given it, especially if I can't get this filter pressure issue under control. Oops..here I go again....
Fair is fair and I wasn’t. The apology stands even if I had been helpful to you previously.
Well, us overly committed baqua users probably need a reality check once in a while!! Out of curiosity - I just checked the description of the baqua part of the forum - it DOES say "learn about the pros and cons" - so the lack of the 'pro' part is likely what some feel is missing here. I assume it's pretty much felt among the TFP world that there simply aren't any worth mentioning, especially if the perception is that there are very few negative issues with chlorine use. A primary focus in TFP is that is a highly economical system, so right from the get-go baqua is contrary to that aspect of the philosophy since it is, admittedly, expensive.
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OK, here goes.
I have been using Baquacil since 1992 in three different in-ground pools. You learn a lot in 28 years.... Several "Aha" moments, in sequence:
First, take out your ladder (permanently if you choose) and any other equipment where the bioslime can hide. Take out your eyeballs and clean them and the return fittings, same issue.
Second, Baqua Floc (Alum, Aluminum Sulfate) is your friend for clearing up haze or slightly cloudy water. Use the lower "filter aid" amount, not at the level for pool opening/vacuuming. This takes the bioburden and gets it out of the pool via backwash before you waste a lot of Peroxide shock. I have only had sand filters so not sure where this would leave DE or cartridges.
Third, Ahhsome. I always saw increased hazy breakouts toward the end of each year and cloudy pool upon start-up, apparently due to line build up. I also changed the sand in my filter yearly to avoid bioslime buildup (when I had an Hayward S-200, PITA). Using Ahhsome to clean the lines, filter, etc. has eliminated both those issues.
Fourth, Solid autocover. Expensive, but after 25 years of solar rollers and mesh winter covers, SO worth it. Have opened clear the past two seasons.
I finally sprung for a ColorQ kit this year. As others have mentioned, may read a bit low on Biguanide but I mainly look at the Shock. A dive in the shock level seems to be the best early warning for a possible water mold/pink slime event.
I only recall one instance of green algae, early in the season on the shaded side of the pool. Have never used the Baq algaecide, switched to CDX program when it came out 20 ish years ago.
My chemical use seems to be down this year so far *** cross fingers ***. Autocover? Weather? We'll see what happens the rest of the season........
auto covers keep the UV exposure down and debris out of chlorinated pools, which are 2 of the biggest factors for sanitation. Indoor pools for example with little to no debris or sunlight require much less managing. I imagine the autocover would do similar for you.
So, Anthony, what do you consider to be the pros?
Do you use this once monthly as suggested? Was wondering also if you've ever used Aqua Finesse tablets? So it sounds like you've always been on baqua as opposed to starting first with chlorine like I did. You've been using longer as well. I think I was still on chlorine in '92 - might have switched around 2000 - maybe a few years after. Given that you have sand, it's a somewhat different experience than biguanide with DE - at least from what everyone tells me.
OK...first, please know that anything I mention is based on my personal experience with chlorine - which seems to run contrary to what TFP users are reporting. This, alone, is most intriguing to me - but that leads into a slightly different subject matter which has pretty well been covered in replies I've gotten
I like the overall softer feel of the water, with no chlorine odor on skin. I liked not having to work with those very strong odor chlorine "stingy" sticks and the other granular "burn-out" product that I was told to use. (Remember, I was pool-store-driven all the way during most of my pool years). And so, I liked the idea of all-liquid chemical treatment (and, now, of course, I'd be looking at using liquid anyway if I convert). So, overall, it seemed like the ABC chemical treatment system just seemed easier (no more chlorine sticks to cut in half!!!). My wife liked the idea of easier on the hair than chlorine is said to be. Please know I was told in the very beginning already that I "will need to work with the filter more", and sort of blew that off - until now. I can deal with a filter change every 2-3 weeks (have sometimes had cycles as long as a month), but every few days is sort of pushing things a bit. I was also told biguanide is more stable in sunlight than chlorine. So I guess a main appeal was that biguanide was purported to be an overall less 'harsh' chemical treatment system. You have to keep in mind that it was originally billed as "soft swim". The connotation of that term alone appealed to us. I only started using the actual baquacil chemicals a few years ago - since it did seem like they worked a bit better. Hope that helps answer the question.
Anthony,
I've used Ahhsome every other month for the last 2 years.
Not familiar with Aqua Finesse, how do you use it?
I was on Chlorine for 1 year on my first inground pool in 1991 (the 12 ft dia x 3ft Service Merchandise special in my 1st house doesn't count). Didn't like the daily monitoring and hassle. Baquacil was new at the time and got converted the next year.
BTW for here is a clear pool using Baquacil (I do need to run the Dolphin)....
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I have clear water too, but do still get white water mold and the most distressing thing of late is the rapid filter pressure rise and frequent backwashing - as in every 4-5 days...totally unprecedented in my 31 years with the pool. AF is a round tablet that goes in the skimmer. Has disodium metasilicates and sodium carbonate (and so raises the pH).
Are you using up shock like crazy? That to me suggests WWM. I had a minor pink slime issue a couple of years ago that did NOT crash the shock level - very confusing- that's when I got clued in to Ahhsome.
Have you tried the heavy floc, settle and vac treatment? A bit drastic for mid-season, but it sounds like you've had unusual challenge with the neighbor's activity.
Sorry, I just read your other thread and see that you can't vacuum to waste. Hmmmm....