SICK OF BAQUACIL CHANGING TO CHLORINE BUT MAY HAVE MESSED UP

[ptravis]

HELP!!!!

I AM ALSO CONVERTING FROM BAQUACRAP BACK TO CHLORINE. I WISH WE WOULD HAVE NEVER CHANGED. BAQUACIL HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A HASSLE AND A MONEY PIT. I CANT FIGHT THE ALGAE ANYMORE. MY POOL HAS APPROX. 10407.6 GALLONS OF WATER. I DID NOT READ HOW MUCH BLEACH TO START OFF WITH AND I PUT IN 5 GALLONS. THERE IS A HORRENDOUS SMELL COMING FROM THE POOL. IS THIS A CHEMICAL REACTION BETWEEN THE BLEACH AND BAQUACIL? HAVE I ADDED TOO MUCH CHLORINE AND IF SO WILL IT HURT ANYTHING? IF SO WHAT CAN I DO TO FIX IT?

ALSO, I BOUGHT A TEST KIT - I-CARE K-1005 RESIDENTIAL POOL AND SPA TEST KIT - THAT TESTS FOR DPD CHLORINE (.5 - 5), DPD BROMINE (1-10), PH WITH ACID BASE DEMAND, TOTAL ALKALINITY, CALCIUM HARDNESS, CYANURIC ACID. WHEN I DID THE FIRST PART OF THE CHLORINE TEST, I ASSUME THIS IS TO FIGURE FC, IT WAS BARELY REGISTERING AT .5, I THEN ADDED THE OTHER DROPS AND IT REGISTERED OFF THE CHARTS, HIGHER THAN 5 TC, I AM REALLY NOT SURE WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO SHOW (WHAT COLOR OR WHAT NUMBER BETWEEN .5 AND 5) THAT WOULD LET ME KNOW THAT IT WAS AT 15PPM. CAN ANYONE HELP ME WITH THIS. HOW MANY GALLONS OF BLEACH DOES IT TAKE TO GET ME UP TO 15PPM. :? :? :? IS THE TEST KIT I HAVE OK OR DO I NEED TO ORDER A DIFFERENT KIND? IS THE ONE YOU REFERENCE ON THIS SITE BETTER THAN THE ONE I BOUGHT?

THANKS,

CONFUSED IN MCDONOUGH

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

Posting in all capital letters is not very polite. Standard mixed case is much easier to read.

You can sort of get by with that test kit for a little while, but it would be far better to have a test kit that can actually test for FC levels above 5, particuarly since your goal is to get FC up to 15 and hold it there. TF Test Kits, see the link in my signature, has a wonderful test kit.

Once you start the conversion the pool is going to go through all kinds of strange colors and smells. Don't worry about that, it is normal.

You are going to need way more bleach. Two and one half gallons of 6% bleach will raise your FC level by 15. Ideally, you should measure the FC level and then add more bleach to bring it back up to 15. The more frequently you can do that the faster the whole conversion will go.

You can use my Pool Calculator, see the link in my signature, to figure out how much bleach that is. At first, when FC levels fall quickly back towards zero, you can test with the kit you have and since FC will probably be below 5 you will get a number you can use. Eventually, when FC levels start holding above 5 you will need a better test kit.

When you add chlorine it raises the free chlorine (FC) level. The FC then reacts with the Baquacil and forms combined chlorine (CC). Adding yet more bleach will eventually get rid of both the Baquacil and the CC, but it takes lots of bleach. Exactly how much depends on what Baquacil level you had to start.

 

[ptravis]

I had no idea that posting in all caps was considered polite or impolite. I was not thinking about manners just trying to ask a question. I do apologize if you considered it not very polite. just a quick way to type something without having to think about the shift key and all. Sorry.

Which test do you recommended that I get. the big test or the one that just tests chlorine? When you speak of 15 ppm is that referring to the TC?

thanks

Confused in McDonough

 

[JasonLion]

The FAS-DPD test for chlorine is the one you need right now. However, the other tests in the full kit will all be useful in the long run. Getting the full kit is a good deal, the tests cost less in the bundle then they do seperately.

The 15 ppm goal during the conversion process is FC at 15. FC is free chlorine, the portion of the chlorine that is actively disinfecting your pool (and the portion that is making the conversion happen). CC is combined chlorine, an intermedediate chemical breakdown product that smells bad and can irritate your skin. TC is total chlorine, the sum of both FC and CC. You goal during the conversion is to keep FC at 15.

At first CC will tend to be fairly high. As time passes the CC will start to break down and go away more quickly than it is being formed and so the CC level will drop. When FC is 15 and stays at 15 overnight without adding any chlorine, CC is 0.5 or lower, and the water is clear you should change the filter media and then you are done with the conversion.

 

[ptravis]

Thank you very much for your quick response. I really, really appreciate it. I was afraid that after adding 5 gallons of bleach that I had added too much at one time. I will order the kit and continue from there.

Thanks again,


Confused in McDonough

 

[duraleigh]

ptravis,

Welcome to the forum. You will really thank yourself for doing the conversion.......it's gonna' save you quite a bit of money and keep your pool clear.

While you did overdose on chlorine, little chance any harm was done as the baq depletes the chlorine quite rapidly. Use Jason's calculator in his sig to calc your next dosage.....it's a great tool.

The kit I produce and the Taylor K-2006 are good choices that will last you for a long time and really, almost necessary to do the conversion and keep your pool sparkling. The other tests are very useful as well but the chlorine test will allow you to measure Cl in excess of 50ppm.

Ask lots of questions during your conversion....you'll get lots of good help. Remember, keep your chlorine level up....it's gonna' take a lot of bleach.