Baquacil problems all the time.

[kmn]

I have used Baquacil for 8 years. The last 6 weeks of 2006 was terrible, and this year has been worse. It's eating the shock as fast as I can put it in. I have a 24 foot round pool and the first 6 years I used baquacil I had no problems. I have been taking my water in to be tested every week, and most times twice a week. We have to back wash it at least twice a week. We've had the fingers dipped 4 times, three weeks ago we had the pink algae, used the GLB and shocked it, and now it's back again. I've gone thru 4 cases of shock so far this year. The pool people tell me the water looks good, but it's plugging the filter......I am ready to switch over to chlorine.
There is definitely something wrong with the Baquacil chemicals...
I'm open for any ideas for help.
The water is fairly clear, the biggest problem is the constant development of algae

[Backglass]

This is a recurring theme amongst Baquacil users. Things are wonderful for a year or three...then odd things start to happen. Weird colors, exotic water mold, toilet paper algae, etc.

Switch to chlorine and watch your problems disappear. Don't be afraid of chlorine. The stories of red eyes, bleached suits and stinky pools are from people with poor chemistry and badly out of balance water. A properly chlorinated chlorine pool wont smell, sting your eyes, dry your skin or develop bizarre algae.

[Guest]

Here is an expert opinion: I've seen it all or pretty close. I can have any type of sanitizer for my pool. I choose Slow dissolving tablets in a chlorinator. If you notice a chlorine smell that is from high chloramines that must be burned off by shocking the pool. Also check you cyanuric acid levels (Stabilizer) If they are low (below 25) the pool will not hold a chlorine level. You must add stabilizer and maintain a level between 50 - 100 and you'll be fine. Also usea quality name brand like Sun or Nu-clo (Leslies is good as well) Cheap chemicals have animal fat binders in them to hold the material together and the old saying applies "you get what you pay for".
Levels for a balanced pool:
Free Chlorine 1.0 - 3.0
Cyanuric acid 50 - 100
PH 7.2 - 7.6
Alkalinity 100 - 150
Calcium Hardness 200 - 400 ppm
Use a good poly 60 algacide and a claen filter and you should be fine!
Hope that helps!

[chem geek]

The only reason that a PolyQuat 60 algaecide has to be used with the previous post's recommendation of FC 1-3 and CYA 50-100 is that the FC level is too low for the CYA level. If you keep the FC at a minimum of 7.5% of the CYA level, then you don't need to use an algaecide (or a phosphate remover unless possibly if phosphates are over 3000 ppb which is rare). The disinfecting chlorine level (the chlorine that is free to kill bacteria and algae) is roughly proportional to the ratio of FC to CYA as most chlorine is bound to CYA (and mostly ineffective, though protected better from breakdown from sunlight). Of course, the choice is up to the pool owner as the algaecide can be seen as insurance in case the chlorine level every drops too low. Technical details may be found here.

As for using slow-dissolving Trichlor tabs, for every 10 ppm FC added by Trichlor it also adds 6 ppm to CYA so it can build up quickly unless the pool is smaller and frequent backwashing is done to dilute the pool water. They are also very acidic. Also, in a properly balanced pool with sufficient disinfecting chlorine, combined chlorine is very rare especially in an outdoor pool exposed to sunlight. If the FC is too low relative to a high CYA, then it takes much longer (hours) for chlorine to break down ammonia so you can smell combined chlorine (monochloramine).

You can read more about problems with Baquacil/Baqua/PHMB pools here and here and many threads here.

Richard

[Menchie01]

Here is an expert opinion: I've seen it all or pretty close. I can have any type of sanitizer for my pool. I choose Slow dissolving tablets in a chlorinator. If you notice a chlorine smell that is from high chloramines that must be burned off by shocking the pool. Also check you cyanuric acid levels (Stabilizer) If they are low (below 25) the pool will not hold a chlorine level. You must add stabilizer and maintain a level between 50 - 100 and you'll be fine. Also usea quality name brand like Sun or Nu-clo (Leslies is good as well) Cheap chemicals have animal fat binders in them to hold the material together and the old saying applies "you get what you pay for".
Levels for a balanced pool:
Free Chlorine 1.0 - 3.0
Cyanuric acid 50 - 100
PH 7.2 - 7.6
Alkalinity 100 - 150
Calcium Hardness 200 - 400 ppm
Use a good poly 60 algacide and a claen filter and you should be fine!
Hope that helps!

I truly agree with you. Thanks for sharing your opinion.

[THETOOLMAN]

I used clorene & it was OK. I swiched to bacquacli & I really liked it .... then te next year I could not get a clear pool no mater what I did... so back to clorine this year NOW I got bugs swimming areound in the water .. its always something ain't it??

[jonespg]

WE have had the same issue. This is our 4th year with Bacquacil...AND OUR LAST!! It has been a nightmare this years. LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY AND STILL NO RESOLUTION!!! FINALLY HAD TO CHANGE OUT THE SAND IN THE FILTER (this is just the second season with the NEW SAND AND FILTER!!!) It is looking better but there was some yuckiness in the sand....white algae....milky water...awful!!! I AM DONE WITH BACQUACIL...MAYBE EASIER ON THE LINER AND SWIM SUIT...BUT NOT ON THE POCKET BOOK. NO time to enjoy the pool...ALWAYS WORKING ON IT!!

[tcplucy]

I had my inground 20,000gll pool 15 years, always used Baquacil...never any problems. 2gll shock would last 4 weeks, in badweather conditions like much rain, or evaporation, warmer poolwater,etc it would still last at least 3 weeks. This year however,only 1week and 2 days and I have green algae growing and none registern at the tester. We put new sand in filter last year and everything was fine. We went as long as 5 and 8 years to change the sand and no problems. I had a new liner put in this year too..my first replacement liner.It,s as if the 27% in the oxidizer has been cut back...I even called the 800 number on the bottle and spoke to a person at the factory, they told me there was no problem with the contensts. I'm at my wits end...we just changed the sand and I added 2and 1/2 gll and extra more than double the algicide each week and still clowdy, I'm ayt my wits end...would love to get the oxidicer tested....maybe at a school lab to see what's really init....at my wits end and spending lots of extra money......help!!!!

[Guest]

baquacil is interating with cloreine you may be using baquacil but you may have some amount of clhorine
out of your hose when you fill the pool up baquacil is really the same except they have taking the chlorine
and bormine and benzines out so you have safer water any milky is because baquacil oxidizer conflicting
with some sort of chloring any small traces of chloring will have a milky water effect. when anf if you DO
switch over to baquacil from chloring please remove your sand and draing or make shure all of your water
IN your pool is chloring free! if not milky water all baquacil is a sythetic oxidizer and the CDX just makes it
a 1 2 3 system adjusting you PH levels in water and dirt adhust with sodium cloride, soduim bicarbonate,
and sodium bisulfate, if you have a burning situating of your eyes to high of alkakinity just adjust with Ph
minus or Ph Plus if you have alge promblems use sanitizer and if using TONS of the stuff go Higher concentration. we use it and MAKE shure YOUR PUMP IS RUNNING all the time! proper filtration! you WILL
i mean YOU will get alge with stangnet WATER! PUMP really needs TOO filter ALL the time. and proper
circulation I mean proper Circulation! and your alge might go away. if you are only running the pump only at
swimming time can cause promblems ours runs 24/7 day and night with NO alge problems and make shure
you pump is a PUMPING.

[sdkmichigan]

I have used Baquacil chemicals in my 22,000 gallon pool for 14 years, the pool has never had cholirine in it, and I have never experienced any of the problems I see posted on this site. I have my water tested weekly and add the chemicals on a set schedule. I shock my pool with baquacil on the first day of each month during the swimming season. This system is extremely easy to use and maintain. I have not had an algae problem or pink water as some have said. The only thing that I can figure is that the people having problems with their water, are not maintaining the pool as necessary. I would recommend Baquacil to anybody starting a pool or wishing to switch to a better system

[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!