2 quick questions

[Txboynjgirl]

New here...just 2 quick questions.

My sand filter is making a noise...leaning in it comes from the water going back through the return pipe to the pool. the noise sounds like water is having a hard going through...not a good flow sound. What would cause this??????
I ordered a new gasket for my pump. Could it be the sand filter causing this....like replacing the O Ring. I noticed a small leak when I opened my pool yesterday.

Also, this year I noticed alot more algae/pollen floating in my pool. I skimmed it and being using panty hose in my skimmers. Shouldn't my filter pick that up????? I was just wondering if I needed new sand because it wasn't picking up? The sand is about 5-6 years old when we bought this house? Or should I just keep filtering and let it settle and vacuum it?

thanks!

[aylad]

Hi Txboynjgirl,
Welcome back for another season!

Most of the time, a sand filter will have trouble picking up pollen, although it should pick up most all of the algae. However, the more of that stuff you can catch with skimmer socks, the less the filter will have to deal with. Also, if your filter is working properly, you can add a handful of DE (the stuff that goes in a DE filter) through the skimmer to help coat the sand and pick up finer stuff. One way to find out if your filter is working correctly is to put the handfull of DE in the skimmer and then go watch your returns--if the DE blows back into the pool, then there's an issue with your filter. Have you backwashed the filter lately? Have you opened it up to see how much sand is in there? You can check the manual for your filter, but I believe it's supposed to be approximately 2/3 full. Do you have sand blowing back into the pool? Do you have a working pressure gauge on your system? Is the pressure above your "clean" pressure? Is your "clean" pressure higher than it was last season?

I'm not sure I understand your other question.....what gasket for the pump are you replacing, and are you asking if that's where the leak is? Can you tell where the water is actually coming out? IF it's between the pump and the housing, then the O-ring might stop it. If it's coming from underneath the pump, then you might need to replace the shaft seal between the pump and the motor. Neither of those things should cause your filter to make a strange noise.

[Txboynjgirl]

Well, I have no manuals from the previous owner. The sound is coming from the return pipe from the sand filter. I was going to replace the o-ring on the sand filter. It has a small leak when it is running...plus my multivalve is sometimes wet when it should be dry (esp during the day). I am hoping that might solve the noise issue. Do you think I might need a new multivalve?????

I am just curious about the sound...if is being caused by air or I need to replace something.

thanks, I'll try the DE in my filter.

[CarlD]

I would guess a small air leak.

[aylad]

Ah, I get it--I thought you meant you had a leak from the pump. Sorry.....I wouldn't think you need a new multivalve, you probably just need to replace the spider gasket in the multivalve. They're about $20 (at least around here), stocked at the local pool store, and it only takes a few minutes to replace. That's usually why the valve seeps water, and can contribute to air being where it shouldn't. Since you already have a new filter o-ring, it won't hurt to go ahead and replace it, then just make sure everything is good and tight. Most likely if what you're hearing is an air leak, one of those things should stop it.

Janet

[Txboynjgirl]

After listening to it again...it's the multivalve. Hopefully, the O-ring will solve it. I looked online and I can't replace the spider gasket. It's all one piece and I have to buy a new multivalve. I'm already buying a new T-cell-15this year. Maybe I can wait till next year, to replace it. I have a hayward s244t sand filter and the multivalve is sp0714T.

one more thing....I can't get my chlorine up. I had a pool place test my water and they said it was fine. another place tested it...said I needed 5lbs of shock. I added 2 big bottles of bleach. I tested myself and its still very low. Do i keep adding bleach? all of my other numbers are good. Except for calcium but i have a vinyl pool.

For a 22,500 pool that has been closed all winter (we had a very warm winter in arkansas). What is the typical number of bleach containers (1.4 gallon containers) do people typical use??? so far, I have used 5 bottles.

[sunlove]

I guess it's going to be a different amount for everybody. Like my pool is a lot smaller than yours, but it was pretty nasty. I got it from dark green to nearly clear in 7 days and used a LOT of bleach. I lost count... I also used shock too though. I would guess maybe 12 jugs? And half of those were 1.5gals.

[PoolDoc]

My sand filter is making a noise...leaning in it comes from the water going back through the return pipe to the pool. the noise sounds like water is having a hard going through...not a good flow sound. What would cause this??????

The most common cause of noise in a filter or valve is water and air mixed together. That, in turn, usually means there's a small suction leak in your system (before the pump, or at the pump strainer). It can be a problem in the skimmer, a leak where the piping enters the pump, a valve, the pump strainer lid . . . or something else. Usually, you'll can look in the pump's strainer pot, and see a mixture of air and water there.

[aylad]

all of my other numbers are good.


"Good numbers" are very subjective. Are you using drop-based testing or test strips? Can you post a full set of numbers here taken with a drop-based kit so we can give you more direct advice? 5 bottles of bleach so far in a 22,500 pool seems pretty low....but what you need to use is the amount it will take to get to shock level and hold it until you're not losing any chlorine overnight., How much that will be depends on your CYA level to start, and how consistent you are about keeping it at shock level. So...with a good set of numbers to start with, we can help you figure out how high the chlorine needs to go.

How does your water look?

Janet