Spring Conversion Baquacil to Chlorine

[Leebo]

How much did you end up draining? Say 75% maybe?? Reason I ask is that’s a LOT of green for a pool that’s had a water exchange.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Uhhhhhh …. I thought you said you drained a lot ….

While all that Baqua-goo is forming, put the filter in recirculate mode and don’t try to filter the gunk at first. Manually remove as much as you can with a leaf rake or skimmer bag.

And you might want to source more chlorine cuz this looks like it could take a while

 

[magiteck]

How much did you end up draining? Say 75% maybe?? Reason I ask is that’s a LOT of green for a pool that’s had a water exchange.

Based on OPs prior posts it looks like they were able to drain only about 1/3 to 1/2 of the water volume. So lots of baqua left in there I'm guessing!

If we drain to leave at least 18” to be safe on shallow end of my pool design, this by our calculations will drain around 5760 of 14,200 gallons and if we take it down to 12” on the shallow end of pool would allow to replace about half of the water, around 7K gallons.

Drained down to 14” on shallow end

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

Draining down to 14” on shallow end would only get half of the water. Checked our calc’s with water meter reading and we put back in 7K gallons.
As per Baq test strip early this morning we were probably still at 30 ppm sanitizer. Will stock up some more chlorine while its available.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Focus on keeping the FC levels at 15ppm as consistently as you can. The chlorine you add is reacting with the baquacil and getting used up immediately. It wouldn’t be unheard of to have to make 4 or 5 additions in a single day to keep the FC levels up. Get as much of the solids OUT of the water as possible and not into the filter where it will just sit and eat up more chlorine. This stuff is an organic compound that doesn’t break down easily so it takes a TON of chlorine to destroy it.

Once the chlorine demand starts to subside, then you can filter more. But for now, recirculate and skim.

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

I have a test mode, I do not have a recirculation setting to bypass filter that I can tell.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Ok. Weird … what does “Test” do??

Keeping the FC elevated is important. So focus on that.

 

[kimkats]

SO in to watch and

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

Ok. Weird … what does “Test” do??

Not sure but the crazy thing is that I have JUST hit 15 ppm FC and have not had really that much surface scum and Baquagoo. I am cleaning the surface and edges very regular and testing water as much as I can. I have put in 11 gallons of bleach to this point. Will stay with it. The water is looking very clean other than the green (if that makes sense)!

SO in to watch and

Better hang on, it may be a bumpy ride! Thanks for the cheers

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

Priceless!

 

[Newdude]

Better hang on, it may be a bumpy ride! Thanks for the cheers

You have NO idea about Kim. That cheerleader icon was invented for her. I forget the code but if you type [kim] or whatevs, the pom pom emojii shows up.
got it. Colon kim colon. No spaces. But yeah. She got you now. Bask in the glory.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Priceless!

You’re going to love testing for chlorine. So much easier and MORE ACCURATE than baquacil “guess”-strips. You test your water, know exactly what’s in it, PoolMath tells you exactly what to add and BOOM! you’re done. Pool sparkles and you get to drink a beer and torch some animal meat on an open flame

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

I’m loving it already and haven’t even got the pool clean May have to convert some friends so I don’t get bored after I get my SWG installed!

FC still @ 15 with 30 min since last Chl addition! Checking about every 30 min.

 

[Leebo]

FC still @ 15 with 30 min since last Chl addition! Checking about every 30 min.

That’s VERY odd yet a very good sign. With that much green showing I would have thought that you’d see a large drop as the chlorine breaks down the Baqua. That said…..it’s great that it’s not all getting broke down.

 

[Flying Tivo]

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

Thank you Flying Tivo, the pool is already looking great and it’s only been 1 day of adding bleach. I think the drain and refill and the constant attention today with the guidance of TFP members has been key!

This pool is clearing FAST and taking less and less chl input!

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

Finding good use for my left over Baq remnants! At this point 15 gal of liquid chlorine and several containers of the shiny silver liquid gold!
It’s been a long day!

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

Just to give you a slight idea of this amazing transformation! The pics don’t do it justice. That’s 3’ deep and already clearing up real nice!
FC is between 14 and 15 by adding 1/2 gal every 30 min or so. Testing every 15 min to stay on top of it!!!!!

 

[Newdude]

Testing every 15 min to stay on top of it!!!!!

No doubt this is your biggest asset here. The more effort you put in, the better it goes regardless of 'how bad' it was to start

 

[SunnyDayz4US]

No doubt this is your biggest asset here. The more effort you put in, the better it goes regardless of 'how bad' it was to start

I agree, persistence and good guidance!