Bacquacil

[Anka]

I just heard about this water treatment product from a friend who has started using it instead of chlorine.

I'd like to learn more about it from people who use it, not from their Website or from a dealer. Pros? Cons?

Cost?

Anka

[waterbear]

I just heard about this water treatment product from a friend who has started using it instead of chlorine.

I'd like to learn more about it from people who use it, not from their Website or from a dealer. Pros? Cons?

Cost?

Anka

Biguinide (the generic name, there are several brands...Baqua, Softswim, Revacil, and some private label ones) is one of the three EPA aprroved sanitizers for pools and spas along with bromine and chlorine. It is the most expensive to use, gunks up filters with 'baquagoo', requires the use of a very concentrated (35%) hydrogen peroxide shock (a very dangerous chemical at this concentration...well over 100 volume peroxide!), reacts badly with your fill water if it has any residual chlorine in it from the water treatment, and many users report problems with water mold and 'pink algae' (actually a bacterial slime) after a few years of continued use. It is hard to get really clear water when using biguinde. You can only use certain chemicals with the system and they tend to be pricey (algecides, filter cleaners, etc.). IF you are using a cartridge filter you will probably need to replace the cartridge yearly and clean it by soaking monthly as opposed to chlorine and bromine which really only require yearly soaking if you hose your cartridge off monthly and can last for up to 5 years before it needs to be replaced.

Other than that it does work!

I use chlorine via a salt water generator but I have helped several people convert from biguinide to chlorine once they got tired of using it. (the conversion process turn your pool into a green-brown mess for a while until it clears and then you need to replace your filter media)

For what you would spend on a biguinide system you could pay for a salt water genterator in only a few seasons.

Just my 2 cents ( and I work in a pool store), Many pool stores and dealers like to sell it because it generates a lot of revenue for them.

[Anka]

YEOW !!!

I think we'll stay away from that. Our fill water is chlorine treated well water. The Cl is mostly removed by a carbon filter but I'm sure there's a small residue. We could, of course, bypass the chlorine injector and use pure well water in which case we'd be introducing hydrogen sulfide since the well tapped into a sulfur vein. The joys of living in the Pennsylvania slate belt

I had wondered how you'd convert back to chlorine from PMBH. The Bacquacil site didn't say. Sounds like a disgusting process.

[waterbear]

I had wondered how you'd convert back to chlorine from PMBH. The Bacquacil site didn't say. Sounds like a disgusting process.

Believe it or not, you just let the biguinde levels drop as much as possible, hit the pool hard and constantly with chlorine several times a day for a few weeks, and then change the filter media which gets ruined in the process. If you had been on biguinide for a few years you then might see what looks like tissue paper in the pool. This is water mold that has been growing in the pipes and is now flushing out of the system.

[iveywk]

Believe it or not, you just let the biguinde levels drop as much as possible, hit the pool hard and constantly with chlorine several times a day for a few weeks, and then change the filter media which gets ruined in the process. If you had been on biguinide for a few years you then might see what looks like tissue paper in the pool. This is water mold that has been growing in the pipes and is now flushing out of the system.

While he is correct about switching from Baquacil over to cl2, its not that hard. The pool might turn a bit brown if there is any Baquacil left in the water its not all that difficult. Water mold can grow in any pool, it doesn’t matter if its on CL2, Bromine, or Baquacil. Actually I had a customer switch from CL2 over to Baquacil Ultra and after he switched the water mold that had been living in his lines was killed. The point is no system is bullet proof, but there are ways to help reduce the chances of having water mold.

As for cost, it used to be about 30% more expensive then chlorine but with the price increases that been issued over the past couple of years with chlorine the price difference isn’t all that much, with Baquacil probably being a little more expensive.

The cons are as he listed, you are more likely to get a water ring, its a byproduct of Baquacil. You'll have to change the sand in the filter more often then you will on chlorine.

The pros are that you only have to check the water once a week, and you add product once a week. Its all PH neutral so once your water is balanced your not going to have to mess with that very often. It makes the water feel softer, and it is much easier on swimsuits and on liners.

[poollady]

While he is correct about switching from Baquacil over to cl2, its not that hard. The pool might turn a bit brown if there is any Baquacil left in the water its not all that difficult. Water mold can grow in any pool, it doesn’t matter if its on CL2, Bromine, or Baquacil. Actually I had a customer switch from CL2 over to Baquacil Ultra and after he switched the water mold that had been living in his lines was killed. The point is no system is bullet proof, but there are ways to help reduce the chances of having water mold.

As for cost, it used to be about 30% more expensive then chlorine but with the price increases that been issued over the past couple of years with chlorine the price difference isn’t all that much, with Baquacil probably being a little more expensive.

The cons are as he listed, you are more likely to get a water ring, its a byproduct of Baquacil. You'll have to change the sand in the filter more often then you will on chlorine.

The pros are that you only have to check the water once a week, and you add product once a week. Its all PH neutral so once your water is balanced your not going to have to mess with that very often. It makes the water feel softer, and it is much easier on swimsuits and on liners.

If ypu would like to get away from using chlorine or bromine, consider switching to Pristine Blue. It is totally compatible with chlorine, (unlike Baquacil) so if you don't want to use it any more, you simply shock the pool with chlorine and go back to chlorine tablets. It is no more expensive than chlorine and it keeps your pool sparkling clean, sanitized and algae-free. For more info and to find a dealer - go to prisitineblue.com

[waterbear]

If ypu would like to get away from using chlorine or bromine, consider switching to Pristine Blue. It is totally compatible with chlorine, (unlike Baquacil) so if you don't want to use it any more, you simply shock the pool with chlorine and go back to chlorine tablets. It is no more expensive than chlorine and it keeps your pool sparkling clean, sanitized and algae-free. For more info and to find a dealer - go to prisitineblue.com

Some facts on Pristine Blue. It is copper and run at .9 to 1 ppm. At this level copper will stain both pools and people. It also is not a fast bacteria killer so a residual of chlorine is necessary for sanitation. Also copper is not effective against viruses! Australia has recently outlawed all copper and copper/silver products unless they are used with NORMAL chlorine levels since they do NOT properly sanitize the water! I would not want to take a chance on my family's health! There are only 3 EPA recognized swimming pool SANITZERS....chlorine, bromine, and biguinide! Pristine Blue does have an EPA registration number, as do many copper and copper/silver products but they are considered algaestata and are slow acting bacteriastats. In real life conditions in a swimming pool you need fast kill times!

Also, while it is true that white water mold and pink algae (actually a bacteria) can grow in any pool both are faily commen in biguinide pools and only really happen with chlorine and bromine when the pool is neglected...The best treatment for them happens to be chlorine (which cannot be used in a biguinide pool!)

[Charlotte]

If ypu would like to get away from using chlorine or bromine, consider switching to Pristine Blue. It is totally compatible with chlorine, (unlike Baquacil) so if you don't want to use it any more, you simply shock the pool with chlorine and go back to chlorine tablets. It is no more expensive than chlorine and it keeps your pool sparkling clean, sanitized and algae-free. For more info and to find a dealer - go to prisitineblue.com

Some facts on Pristine Blue. It is copper and run at .9 to 1 ppm. At this level copper will stain both pools and people. It also is not a fast bacteria killer so a residual of chlorine is necessary for sanitation. Also copper is not effective against viruses! Australia has recently outlawed all copper and copper/silver products unless they are used with NORMAL chlorine levels since they do NOT properly sanitize the water! I would not want to take a chance on my family's health! There are only 3 EPA recognized swimming pool SANITZERS....chlorine, bromine, and biguinide! Pristine Blue does have an EPA registration number, as do many copper and copper/silver products but they are considered algaestata and are slow acting bacteriastats. In real life conditions in a swimming pool you need fast kill times!

Also, while it is true that white water mold and pink algae (actually a bacteria) can grow in any pool both are faily commen in biguinide pools and only really happen with chlorine and bromine when the pool is neglected...The best treatment for them happens to be chlorine (which cannot be used in a biguinide pool!)

I have been using Baquacil for 3 years and didn't have a problem until this summer. I've had a problem all summer with cloudy water and have used everything my dealer told me to do.... to no avail. As of last week my pool turned green. I was told to add 1/2 gallon of sanitizer which I did.. nothing. Then she told me to add another gallon of Oxidizer (shock) which I have been doing evry week - still nothing. After reading all of the remarks in this forum, I believe this is a common problem with Baquacil. I feel I should change over to chorine. Is the process to wait a while until my strips say I'm out of sanitizer and then start adding chlorine - a lot of it? My pool is a 15x30 above ground. When do I know it's ready to take the chlorine? Any other suggestions?

[Charlotte]

If ypu would like to get away from using chlorine or bromine, consider switching to Pristine Blue. It is totally compatible with chlorine, (unlike Baquacil) so if you don't want to use it any more, you simply shock the pool with chlorine and go back to chlorine tablets. It is no more expensive than chlorine and it keeps your pool sparkling clean, sanitized and algae-free. For more info and to find a dealer - go to prisitineblue.com

Some facts on Pristine Blue. It is copper and run at .9 to 1 ppm. At this level copper will stain both pools and people. It also is not a fast bacteria killer so a residual of chlorine is necessary for sanitation. Also copper is not effective against viruses! Australia has recently outlawed all copper and copper/silver products unless they are used with NORMAL chlorine levels since they do NOT properly sanitize the water! I would not want to take a chance on my family's health! There are only 3 EPA recognized swimming pool SANITZERS....chlorine, bromine, and biguinide! Pristine Blue does have an EPA registration number, as do many copper and copper/silver products but they are considered algaestata and are slow acting bacteriastats. In real life conditions in a swimming pool you need fast kill times!

Also, while it is true that white water mold and pink algae (actually a bacteria) can grow in any pool both are faily commen in biguinide pools and only really happen with chlorine and bromine when the pool is neglected...The best treatment for them happens to be chlorine (which cannot be used in a biguinide pool!)

I have been using Baquacil for 3 years and didn't have a problem until this summer. I've had a problem all summer with cloudy water and have used everything my dealer told me to do.... to no avail. As of last week my pool turned green. I was told to add 1/2 gallon of sanitizer which I did.. nothing. Then she told me to add another gallon of Oxidizer (shock) which I have been doing evry week - still nothing. After reading all of the remarks in this forum, I believe this is a common problem with Baquacil. I feel I should change over to chorine. Is the process to wait a while until my strips say I'm out of sanitizer and then start adding chlorine - a lot of it? My pool is a 15x30 above ground. When do I know it's ready to take the chlorine? Any other suggestions?

[Dan.The.Spa.Man]

Believe it or not, you just let the biguinde levels drop as much as possible, hit the pool hard and constantly with chlorine several times a day for a few weeks, and then change the filter media which gets ruined in the process. If you had been on biguinide for a few years you then might see what looks like tissue paper in the pool. This is water mold that has been growing in the pipes and is now flushing out of the system.

While he is correct about switching from Baquacil over to cl2, its not that hard. The pool might turn a bit brown if there is any Baquacil left in the water its not all that difficult. Water mold can grow in any pool, it doesn’t matter if its on CL2, Bromine, or Baquacil. Actually I had a customer switch from CL2 over to Baquacil Ultra and after he switched the water mold that had been living in his lines was killed. The point is no system is bullet proof, but there are ways to help reduce the chances of having water mold.

As for cost, it used to be about 30% more expensive then chlorine but with the price increases that been issued over the past couple of years with chlorine the price difference isn’t all that much, with Baquacil probably being a little more expensive.

The cons are as he listed, you are more likely to get a water ring, its a byproduct of Baquacil. You'll have to change the sand in the filter more often then you will on chlorine.

The pros are that you only have to check the water once a week, and you add product once a week. Its all PH neutral so once your water is balanced your not going to have to mess with that very often. It makes the water feel softer, and it is much easier on swimsuits and on liners.

My store sells Baquacil as well but I wouldn't encourage my worst enemy to use it. It is flat out horrible. Even worse when used in hot tubs. Baquacil is a ton more expensive, there is no way around that. A salt to chlorine generator is the way to go.

[stevenz1g]

Believe it or not, you just let the biguinde levels drop as much as possible, hit the pool hard and constantly with chlorine several times a day for a few weeks, and then change the filter media which gets ruined in the process. If you had been on biguinide for a few years you then might see what looks like tissue paper in the pool. This is water mold that has been growing in the pipes and is now flushing out of the system.

While he is correct about switching from Baquacil over to cl2, its not that hard. The pool might turn a bit brown if there is any Baquacil left in the water its not all that difficult. Water mold can grow in any pool, it doesn’t matter if its on CL2, Bromine, or Baquacil. Actually I had a customer switch from CL2 over to Baquacil Ultra and after he switched the water mold that had been living in his lines was killed. The point is no system is bullet proof, but there are ways to help reduce the chances of having water mold.

As for cost, it used to be about 30% more expensive then chlorine but with the price increases that been issued over the past couple of years with chlorine the price difference isn’t all that much, with Baquacil probably being a little more expensive.

The cons are as he listed, you are more likely to get a water ring, its a byproduct of Baquacil. You'll have to change the sand in the filter more often then you will on chlorine.

The pros are that you only have to check the water once a week, and you add product once a week. Its all PH neutral so once your water is balanced your not going to have to mess with that very often. It makes the water feel softer, and it is much easier on swimsuits and on liners.

My store sells Baquacil as well but I wouldn't encourage my worst enemy to use it. It is flat out horrible. Even worse when used in hot tubs. Baquacil is a ton more expensive, there is no way around that. A salt to chlorine generator is the way to go.

Couldn't of said it better myself. Our Baquacil representative is probably the funniest person you'll ever meet. You can tell, because it's EPA recognized and it's something different, he's a tool to his own company. What he doesn't know is that we only have one regular commercial pool that stick with it, and that representative has the owner's tied up in a bunch of nonsense. The stuff is expensive, the equipment is an eyesore to say the least, and, I GUARANTEE you that the service person who has to do a sand change on your Baquacil treated pool will hate you. I am one of those service people.

If you want the soft water that Baquacil has to offer, I'd highly suggest a chlorine generator through salt water, but to each is his own.

[chem geek]

For those few people who have a true sensitivity to chlorine and bromine, Baquacil/biguanide/PHMB is the only EPA-approved sanitizer system left. It's more reasonable for use in hot tubs since the water gets changed frequently and the system can be cleaned thoroughly. You are right that in a pool it can be much more of a pain, mostly due to white water mold that can develop after a few years. This long thread gives you some idea of the problems pool users have had with Baquacil. There are a small number who haven't had problems and swear by it, but most people want to switch.

For hot tubs, one has the option of using N2 with silver ions and MPS, but that can be irritating to some as well (less so due to the silver ion that catalyzes the reaction of the primary irritant to get rid of it) and chlorine is recommended periodically anyway in that case. For pools, there's not that option (the water is too cold for MPS with silver to kill pathogens quickly enough). As for saltwater chlorine generator (SWG) systems, they still generate chlorine so those with true chlorine sensitivities may not be able to use that. One can minimize the active chlorine level by using a supplemental algaecide (e.g. PolyQuat 60) or phosphate remover, at extra cost. If one has 1 ppm FC with 100 ppm CYA, then that's still enough to prevent uncontrolled bacteria growth and yet be equivalent to 0.0077 ppm with no FC.

Richard