Started Baquacil Conversion

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krock918316

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May 27, 2016
26
Poteau, OK
Thanks to everyone here for the notes on how to convert from Baquacil. I've been lurking here since the end of last season. We have a 24' AGP that was installed last June. Used Baqua last year with no issues (except for a very light wallet).

Pulled the cover off today and topped off water. Was pleasantly surprised by the condition the water was in.

5e621f5c376dd6177f6771c310a96eac.jpg


I balanced the Ph and started adding Chlorine using the poolmath calculator (it called for 2 gallons of 10% bleach). Poured it in and watched the colors!

b0d7b2abf7817526d5bbed0a8a2b3834.jpg


Now to my question. I waited an hour and pulled out my TF-100 test kit. I got a water sample with 10ml and added a heaping spoon full of R-0870 and set on the speedstir. It turned pink. I then started adding R-0871 a drop at a time. It almost got clear at about 18 drops - BUT THEN IT GOT DARKER PINK.

Am I doing something wrong? I repeated several times but never could get the sample completely clear.
 
I suspect the quick reaction of your FC testing is because the early stages of the Baqau conversion. Your water and reagents are reacting to the heavy amounts of CC that is elevating as the chlorine breaks-down the baqua. Do the best you can to maintain the FC of 15 and follow the steps as noted on the TFP Pool School - Convert Your Baqua Pool to Chlorine page. It may help to test FC about 30-60 minutes after adding chlorine at some point to get a more stable reading. But your method of FC testing with the one heaping scoop and 10 ml sample are spot-on. Hang in there!
 
Add more powder. Use two heaping scoops. You're likely not putting in enough dye and your FC may be much higher than 15ppm. CC's will not usually react with the R-0870 unless iodine is present (that's the R-0003). Just use two scoops.
 
I figured out what was wrong. I was putting way too much of the R-0870. I was using two heaping scoops of the flat end. When I just retested I noticed the tiny scoop on the other end. DOH!

Retest indicated 0 FC. Just added 2 more gallons of 10%
 
LOL, someone who doesn't know about this stuff might take a look at this thread and think you're going *backwards* LOL

Keep it up...that nasty Baquagoo will be all out of there and you're gonna have a great summer swimming!

Yip :flower:
 
Yep. You're destroying all the biguanide in the water. It takes a lot bleach initially to oxidize everything. It takes time and patience. You'll get there.

Is this a sand filter? If so, get a small amount of DE to put into the filter once the the FC starts to hold and you need to help clear the pool water.


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Ahhh...meconium green...such a "lovely" color....

Keep at it. You gotta hold 15ppm FC....


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JoyfulNoise said:
Yep. You're destroying all the biguanide in the water. It takes a lot bleach initially to oxidize everything. It takes time and patience. You'll get there.

Is this a sand filter? If so, get a small amount of DE to put into the filter once the the FC starts to hold and you need to help clear the pool water.


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Click to expand...

Yes it is a sand filter. How do you get the DE in the filter?
 
krock918316 said:
Yes it is a sand filter. How do you get the DE in the filter?
Click to expand...

madwil said:
Just add a cup to your skimmer after each backwash. Double ch ck your pressure and add a second cup if needed to raise pressure 1/2 psi.
Click to expand...

Please hold off until you have started to hold FC at 15ppm. You want to use DE in the clearing phase of the process NOT in the initial oxidation phase or else you will plug up your filter too fast and require excessive backwashes.

DE is added 1/4 cup or less at a time through the skimmer (premix it with water) until the filter pressure increases by 1 psi. Most sand filters will use less than a cup of DE. Some smaller sand filters only need a few tablespoons.


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Quick update (no pics. Sorry!):

Tested FC when I got home yesterday - it was down to 1. Water was much clearer - and there was a lot of baqua-goo on the bottom of the pool. Vacuumed the pool (to waste), and boosted FC back to 15 right before dark. Took a new reading this morning, and was down to 7 FC this morning. Boosted back up to 15 before heading to work.

I'll try to get some pictures tonight.
 
Any chance anyone can dose while you're gone? Trust anyone enough to do it right?

The better you can maintain the 15ppm FC, the faster this process will go. A 7ppm overnight loss tells me you're still fighting lots of baqua-goo in the water.

Did you backwash the filter yet? The goo will get trapped in the filter and be a constant source of FC demand. The cleaner you keep it, the better.


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