Baquacil to Bleach conversion (help needed)

[duraleigh]

Sorry.. Cl = Chlorine FC = Free Chlorine

For your purposes, virtually the same thing.

If I follow what you're saying, you tested 15ppm last night, then added 1.5 gal Clorox (4.5ppm). Test this morning - 15ppm. So you consumed around 4-5ppm Cl.....is that right?

The fact that your water is not where you want it is still your driving factor...keep the Cl in there.

Another helpful additive that hasn't been mentioned in a while (and we all need some of this) is POP (pool owner patience)

[revhendrix]

"If I follow what you're saying, you tested 15ppm last night, then added 1.5 gal Clorox (4.5ppm). Test this morning - 15ppm. So you consumed around 4-5ppm Cl.....is that right?" Yes, that's right.

Too funny....."POP". I need a little of that with everything!!

Thanks again.

[eyesfinallyopened]

Rev,
You haven't posted in awhile. Is that because you've been enjoying your pool?

--Deborah

[revhendrix]

Hi Deb...I wish I was enjoying the pool. I'm still into the process. Tonight marks the fourth full day. My pool is a clear green and you can almost see the bottom throughout the pool. The deep end, however, still has some dark spots. I'm hoping to see crystal blue within a couple of days. My "POP" is wearing off......!!

I just pulled the owner's manual for my Jaccuzzi 190L filter to try to learn how to change the sand.... Hoping, of course, that I'll be changing it by the weekend.

Thanks for checking in....

[garrard]

Hey Rev,

I too am in the middle of a Bac to CL conversion, but I've had a little better luck. I'm replying to your post re the sand. I started my conversion on Friday, went through the shock of water you could walk across on Saturday, then rejoiced in the clear, blue water on Sunday. On Monday, I replaced my sand. I was amazed at what I found. The sand, 300 lbs worth and new at the start of last year, was packed into the filter and was a real bear to remove. I used my shop vac (on the wet setting) to get a lot of the water and sand out, but I finally ended up scooping it out with my hands. I had multitudes of sand "rocks" that were too hard to break up with my hands. These were laced with green layers of embedded algae and some white stuff that looked like pieces of bone (no family members are missing, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't bone!). I guess thats where all the calcium went that the pool store people kept me replacing for no good reason (I have a vinyl liner). I doubt I would ever completely get rid of the algae without replacing the sand.

Bottom line - replace your sand, but don't have any expectations that it will be easy. My arms look like I was in a cat fight and lost!

About your green water, do a search on copper. I've seen some other posts where people can't get the "algae" out and copper has developed as the lead suspect.

Best wishes,

Doug

[revhendrix]

We just had our water tested at a pool store and the ph level was "off the charts" probably between 21-32. Our cl level was 8. The guy at told me that we are in a state of "chlorine lock" and the chlorine will no longer work because the water is too acidic because of the high ph level. He suggested that we use ph minus -- a product to lower the ph to normal level so the chlorine will work. You add it every hour or so to the skimmer and run the filter continuously and wait for the levels to drop. He also said not to add anymore bleach until the level is lower(maybe a day or so). It's not so much the $$ of buying the ph product, I just don't want to get "pool stored" and also I don't want to delay the completion of this conversion. This is our 5th day and the water is clearing but still dark green in the deep end. Help!

[duraleigh]

Rev,

Are you sure you don't have those numbers reversed? pH=8 and Cl=21-32?

Even if you do, the pool store is incorrect.

This post points again to how important it is for everyone to have a decent test kit and understand what the results mean.

Rev, the process will work and I'm sure the pool store guy is a nice guy....but, he's misinformed.

Double check those numbers and get a complete set of test results....pH, Alk, FC, TC. That'll do more to help you get back on track than anything you put in your pool without testing.