AF and Ahhsome do keep the water looking really clear, I must say. I never quite experienced that with only the ABC chemicals. Do you still use poolstore-bought pH chemicals?
For anyone wanting to successfully use baquacil....
- Thread starter anthonypool89
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no. nor alkalinity. IF i use algaecide, that would be one, but i dont normally use it.
Thanks YP. I read a couple threads here on the inaccuracy of the ColorQ and am approaching the readings I get with some skepticism until I have a consistent baseline. I’ve verified against my local pool store and while not exact they seem in the ballpark. At this point I’ll settle for consistency over pinpoint accuracy as the test strips have neither and the Baquacil brand strips don’t test fo CH. I’ll keep testing and verifying as best I can for the next month or so. If I can determine the ColorQ is always under or overstating by X-amount then I can factor that into my readings whenever I test. If there is absolutely no pattern or consistency to the readings then I’ll have to look for a different kit. That would be a shame as the ColorQ is so easy to use.
PD...did you consider the La Motte kit I suggested to test biguanide? The color change seems to work pretty well. Can't get much easier to use than this. The titration is in shades of yellow (low end) to green/blue (high end). It's not exact, but if you keep it in the green side I'm fairly certain there is around 40 ppm. I've heard of the ColorQ but not familiar with it. I only use it for biguanide - no need for the pH side of the kit since I do that with a Taylor kit.
Yes I did consider it but my preference was to try and find a single kit that had all the tests I would require for Baquacil. The ColorQ seemed to fit the bill. That might make a good backup/calibration kit. And for $20 not too expensive either.
With this (baquacil) program, you gotta do what works for you - and then hope that everything KEEPS working.
Moved from Just converted from baquacil to chlorine and have been told I have a chlorine lock
How very interesting. As a 20+ year baqua user who is considering switching back to chlorine, maybe I should start following some of these threads more closely. I'm not liking the sound of having to partially drain every time CYA gets too high. Is that the only option?
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I think you know the answer to that already. TFP advocates testing and adding only what the water needs. CYA is one of the values we test and it is not difficult to control CYA levels if you use liquid chlorine or an SWG. If you use stabilized chlorine which is what trichlor tablets and bags of dichlor "shock" are and do not pay attention to the amount of CYA those products add to pools, then yes eventually you will have to drain and replace water. It is only inevitable to drain and refill if you ignore CYA levels.
Which, again, is typically the direction the pool store pushes you. They get the sales today, and the headaches down the road. So yes, if you abandon the Baquacil but *still* listen to the pool store with endless pucks and shock, you will have just as many issues.
Been reading some of the threads I typically don't pay much attention to. I should do this to start getting acquainted with some of the problems people are reporting - many of which are new to TFP the way it seems. Quite honestly, though I've seen the term hundreds of times here, I still have absolutely no idea what SLAM truly consists of. It seems to be a fairly standard reply to peoples' reported problems.
Problems get the people here, and the results keep them sticking around. The newbie SLAM preachings are two-fold. It clears their pool and after many tests and adjustments it teaches them how to keep it that way.
Here is the basics : SLAM Process
Here is the basics : SLAM Process
Why don't you hold off making new threads to every question that passes your mind and discover PoolSchool! Basic to advance articles explaining exactly how the TFP method works, as this is the chlorine method this chlorine forum touts.
I think you'll find answers there that you haven't even thought up the questions yet to!
www.troublefreepool.com
I think you'll find answers there that you haven't even thought up the questions yet to!
Pool School
www.troublefreepool.com
I also dare say that between splashout and rain overflow, and subsequent refilling, CYA actually goes down over time as long as you use nonstabilized chlorine (be it SWG, bleach, or even calhypo). So you’ll actually be adding CYA (albeit piecemeal) over time.
CYA drops on its own about 3-5ppm per month for most people. Factoring in the 3 reasons you mentioned would be a hair more than that. Those of us with mesh covers and 30+ inches of winter rain get to start each spring with a big reduction.
Yes, after suffering with ~100 CYA from stabilized tri- or di-chlor the year before, it was fun seeing it at 20 the next spring.
@anthonypool89
how much, by your estimation, do you spend on chemicals in a year to care for your baqua pool?
how much, by your estimation, do you spend on chemicals in a year to care for your baqua pool?
Roughly $1100 for this season, but there is often a good amount of overlap - especially on the amount of DE and Oxidizer that I buy - also wind up with lots of extra Aqua Finesse tablets. I might be stopping those however, and so will have alot left either to send back to the site I bought it from or else try to sell it on my eBay account.
Anthony, not trying to beat a dead horse here, but we have similarly sized pools (mine is 13k gallons) I luckily found this website before I ever started with my pool and she has been on the “TFP Bleach Diet” since day 1. This is the 4th season with my pool. In 4 years I’ve yet to spend $1,000 total on chemicals. My pool has NEVER been green, never been cloudy, even when opening for the season. And I mean NEVER. Not even one time in 4 years. The worst water condition I ever get is when the pH is a little out of whack and it loses its sparkle.
Here is a photo from when my pool was filling. It’s the dirtiest my water has ever been.
I open every year to a crystal clear pool, the only thing I have to clean out of it are the leaves that get in taking the winter cover off. This is a picture from opening this spring
I open my pool in early May and close it after Halloween. Last year I closed it on Black Friday. Including opening and closing I spend less than $200 a season on pool chemicals. My water is always crystal clear and sparkly. You asked in another thread about chlorine users and how their skin feels. Mine feels like when I get out of the bath/shower. No odor, no stickiness or dry skin feeling, no irritation. I spend less than 5 minutes a day on my pool, 5-7 days a week. I used to spend an hour or so vacuuming on Saturday, but now that I have a robot it just drop it in and hit the button. Just wanted to give you an example of what life can be like “on the other side”.
Jim, you make a strong case for your use and experiences with chlorine...pool looks great! Believe me, it is on my mind a lot lately. Have to take the filter apart again today after only 3-4 days. This is, admittedly, craziness, and can't continue. Thanks so much for sharing your info. Lots to think about during the off season after October.
I wish they would make separate "Use" and "Conversion" forums to avoid the inevitable scolding we get from the Chlorine Crowd.