I have a "Bacquicil filter system in my pool, is it difficult to change over to chlorine?

Question:Bacquicil is just too darn expensive, and for something that is supposed to be " self cleaning" it's just as time consuming as using chlorine.

Answers:
Well if you haven't drained the water in a few years then this is what you will need to do. Baquacil is notorious for gumming up filters and leaving compounds behind in the water. Trying to get rid of this stuff with just adding chlorine to the water will take enough chlorine to make the EPA choke.

Before switching make sure you clean your filter or replace the medium. If you are using a cartridge filter then replace it when the clean water goes in. If you are using a sand filter then replace the sand. If you are using a DE filter then replace this too. In all cases though you will want to stop adding the Baquacil until the level drops to zero, then add the filter cleaning agent, then drain and refill the pool.

If you don't want to or can't drain the pool then you can switch, but it's more difficult and expensive in the long run. Do the above about cleaning out your filter. Then shock the pool with a non-chlorine shock. Wait 24 hours and do it again. Wait another 24 hours and start adding chlorine slowly. Over the course of 3 days build the chlorine level back up to 3-5ppm. If you encounter problems maintaining free chlorine then you are going to have to remove the chlorine, reshock with non-chlorine and repeat these steps ad nauseum.

So, unfortunately, the only real way to switch to chlorine is to drain and refill the pool then start back up with chlorine instead.