Baquacil problems all the time.

[floridapooltech]

Although Baquacil is a good "cook book" approach to maintaining water quality, it is also just as easy to completely screw it up and become unable to fix without draining all the water and starting fresh un-like the other chemical options. Once a Baquacil pool is out of balance, it becomes completely infested with mold, giving you no other choice but to drain and start fresh. Another setback of Baquacil, is its absolutely unreasonable pricing compared to chlorine/bromine/salt. The best thing that can be done is switching to chlorine to save money and avoid scumming up your filters all the time!

[lisaryan5]

I have used Baquacil or soft swim in my 13,ooo gallon pool for 10 years and I noticed the last several years the costs going up due to having to use more chemicals.Never had a cloudy pool but have had some algea.This last two months hs been totally ridiculous.I have added oxidizer every couple days or at least weekly.I bought 6 gallons june 28 and all have been used.Cant clear up the algea and now the pool is so cloudy you cant see the bottom.I put a bottle of clarifier in last night and more algicide and it looked more green today.Cleaned it on waste,then backwashed it and then rinsed it, in an hour it will be green again.My husband is finally willing to quit using the baquacil and go to chlorine or we are going to look into the salt system.If anyone has info on the salt system please let me know plus if anyone knows how to switch back to chlorine without draining the pool correctly let me know
Thanks

[floridapooltech]

I have used Baquacil or soft swim in my 13,ooo gallon pool for 10 years and I noticed the last several years the costs going up due to having to use more chemicals.Never had a cloudy pool but have had some algea.This last two months hs been totally ridiculous.I have added oxidizer every couple days or at least weekly.I bought 6 gallons june 28 and all have been used.Cant clear up the algea and now the pool is so cloudy you cant see the bottom.I put a bottle of clarifier in last night and more algicide and it looked more green today.Cleaned it on waste,then backwashed it and then rinsed it, in an hour it will be green again.My husband is finally willing to quit using the baquacil and go to chlorine or we are going to look into the salt system.If anyone has info on the salt system please let me know plus if anyone knows how to switch back to chlorine without draining the pool correctly let me know
Thanks

A guide to converting your baquacil pool to chlorine can be found HERE. Switching to salt is a wise choice as the chemistry closely matches that of the human body, the water is softer, no more bleaching of clothes, toys, etc, or burning itchy skin and eyes, the benefits go on! Right now, we are actually running a special on chlorine generators found HERE. If you are unsure of which system you want, the Hayward Goldline is one of the lowest costing and time tested models. A new company called SGS came out with a new system that closely rivals the Hayward models yet is actually easier to clean. More expensive models such as the Pentair Intellichlor or Jandy Aquapure also are great units to use. The Aquapure Ei is a DIY system which all you have to do is drill two small holes in a pipe, fit the cell over them, then plug it into the wall. The difference is basically choice as you cannot go wrong with any.

[shani58]

I've used baquacil for 10 years. never had a problem until this year. Im so frustrated. Ive had the water tested and they tell me it looks good EXCEPT YOU CANT SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL !!! Ive used almost a whole bottle of algecide and several bottles of the shock stuff in 2 weeks. I even drained 1/4 of the water to see if that would help. IT DID NOT!!! I may end up closing the pool even tho it is only August and switching to chlorine next year definately !!!

[floridapooltech]

I've used baquacil for 10 years. never had a problem until this year. Im so frustrated. Ive had the water tested and they tell me it looks good EXCEPT YOU CANT SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL !!! Ive used almost a whole bottle of algecide and several bottles of the shock stuff in 2 weeks. I even drained 1/4 of the water to see if that would help. IT DID NOT!!! I may end up closing the pool even tho it is only August and switching to chlorine next year definately !!!

you can actually start, complete the process and be swimming in a chlorine or salt pool before the seasons over! If you want to know any more information, feel free to ask on here!

[ConfusedinNJ]

Baquacil was being used when we bought this home 17 years ago. Love the Baquacil but not the rising cost each year for chemicals. Have been reading about switching to chlorine but still not sure. Occasionally have problems with pink/green algae but able to take care of it. Last season was the worst as far as cost--the water was crystal clear but every time I went and had the water analyzed they said I had no shock in the pool even after putting it in a couple days before. All other readings were good so we spent a lot of $$$ on shocking the pool about every week or two. Could never figure out why no shock in the pool. Started to wonder about the place that was testing it. Considering converting to Chlorine but I'm still not convinced after reading testimonies. Any advice out there?

[chem geek]

"not convinced after reading testimonies"? What specifically are you concerned about? There are tens of thousands of pool owners reporting on multiple pool forums in addition to this one including Trouble Free Pool and The Pool Forum who almost all have chlorine pools that they maintain algae free and sanitary mostly using chlorine alone at low cost. The vast majority of the 8 million pools in the U.S. use chlorine as their disinfectant. The key is to use a sufficient Free Chlorine (FC) level relative to the Cyanuric Acid (CYA) level.

Some have automated systems including saltwater chlorine generators (SWG) or The Liquidator or peristaltic pumps while others manually dose chlorine regularly, from every day or two to twice a week.

[grandchildren13]

I have had a problem with test strips showing no oxid this year. No one recommended using the cdx regime at start up, recently I put in 2 pts cdx oxidizer into my 10000 gal pool and it appears to have helped. I too was using a full gallon of Baqua Shock often--costly! On the plus side the pool has the original liner and it is now 20 yrs old.

[Tulsa Gunite/plaster pool]

We've been giving everthing our best shots and best hopes of using Baquacil.
Starting-up with zero chlorine, clear light blue water and testing frequently with test strips and Dolphin pools lab, we found the water turning a light green after 3 days following the instructions on the containers
of the Baquacil steps 1,2+3. We've appled Baquacil sanitzers, oxidizers, algecides, metal controls, ph adjusters, chlorine neutralizers, chemically cleaning our cartridge filters, running the pump continually,
brushing and vacuuming 4 times, using a polaris pool cleaner, flocking and utilizing over 8 different advised cures. I wanted to be a Baquacil fan but it shouldn't be this difficult. Now we have "scaring spots" all over our Gunite/plaster pool. Help!
Making numerous calls to the Baquacil hot line and Dolphin pools begging for help.
They've even been consulting the president of Baquacil and chief chemists, but no one has been able to cure our, OVER $730.00 CLEAR LIME GREEN PROBLEM.
It has been more than SIX WEEKS AND WE STILL HAVE THE CLEAR LIME GREEN WATER.
Can any one help?

[Tulsa Gunite/plaster pool]

We've been giving everthing our best shots and best hopes of using Baquacil.
Starting-up with zero chlorine, clear light blue water and testing frequently with test strips and Dolphin pools lab, we found the water turning a light green after 3 days following the instructions on the containers
of the Baquacil steps 1,2+3. We've appled Baquacil sanitzers, oxidizers, algecides, metal controls, ph adjusters, chlorine neutralizers, chemically cleaning our cartridge filters, running the pump continually,
brushing and vacuuming 4 times, using a polaris pool cleaner, flocking and utilizing over 8 different advised cures. I wanted to be a Baquacil fan but it shouldn't be this difficult. Now we have "scaring spots" all over our Gunite/plaster pool. Help!
Making numerous calls to the Baquacil hot line and Dolphin pools begging for help.
They've even been consulting the president of Baquacil and chief chemists, but no one has been able to cure our, OVER $730.00 CLEAR LIME GREEN PROBLEM.
It has been more than SIX WEEKS AND WE STILL HAVE THE CLEAR LIME GREEN WATER.
Can any one help?

[Guest]

If you have water mold, you need to complete several steps in order to rid your pool of it. First step is to add a product called Line Clear from Baquacil. The generic form is potassium monopersulfate, sometimes called non-chlorine shock. Depending on the size of the pool, 2 to 4 pounds added slowly to the skimmer with the pump running. That will clear the plumbing lines of the water mold. Then add a Baquacil product called CDX wich inhibits an enzyme the mold produces that uses up the Oxidizer. Add the Oxidizer in front of the skimmer, then add the CDX in front of the skimmer. Brush the pool, clean the skimmers and pump basket. Brush everyting in the pool that might have water mold on it, ladders, steps, everything. After it clears, either clean your sand filter to remove it from the sand bed or replace the sand. I recommend replacing the sand.

You will continue to use CDX with Oxidizer to prevent another outbreak of water mold, throughout the season. It is very effective.

[jkeimer]

I have been a Baquacil user since about 1986. I worked in the pool industry for a time in a retail establishment. My pool was the "guinea pig" to see the user's side experience with the product. BTW, I have not been in the pool business since 1990. In all these years I have never had issues, until perhaps the last three or so. I have to agree with others that the shock gets eaten very quickly. I noticed on the test strips that there is not a "normal" level for shock either. It's either no shock or add maintenance dose. But it seems that when the water temp goes above 80 we get algae. I'm not sure if it's the product, but I'm considering converting back to chlorine after this long marriage to Baquacil. Does anyone else have this issue? 18x33AG with Hayward EC 40 DE filter and 1hp pump. Albany, NY

[Guest]

Same problems here. I had great luck the first 3 years on Bacquicil. Last year and this...crazy. Have spend literally hundreds of dollars on chemicals, get the water tested all the time. They say my water balance is perfect...REALLY?? Then why is it pea soup green and I can't see the bottom? Have swiched out sand for the second time THIS SEASON. Pool store has no explanation or guidance to offer. I wish there was an easy answer response on how to fix. Tired of throwing money in the pool and not enjoying it.

[Guest]

oh yeah, on post above, also added CDX with no result.........

[ellie855]

Oh---don't tell us we aren't maintaining right because I do--like most said---first few years were great--last year it was the pink algae--this year it is the green algae--nothing seems to be working....I have a family reunion in two weeks and am ready to switch out to chlorine just to get it clear again!!!