My DE filter works fine for like 10 min and then the pressure goes up

[fog80]

My water is pretty filthy but I keep backwashing and watch my money (de) flow out of my yard and then i put more money (de) into the skimmer for the filter only to work for a little while and then the pressure rises up to like 30psi and water barely flows into the skimmers anymore.

I opened up the filter and hosed the grids off twice in the last week, it makes it better for like an hour and then bam, high pressure.

Should i do the acid soak for the de tentacles or is there something else I am doing wrong?

Oh and another thing, when i backwash, how do i know all the de is out? is it when the water starts flowing clear? and then do i go ahead and put the full amount of de back in (5-6 lbs)?

I think I am doing something wrong when my pressure goes high. I've been bumping the unit which knocks the psi down for a few minutes and then it goes back up. Then I backwash for like 2 minutes until the water goes from milky to clear and then I bump some more and add a few big scoops of de to my skimmer. This was lowering my psi temporarily but now even that temporary period is very short.

What should I do?

[vinnygnj]

I think your first sentence says it all.

DE will filter out finer particles and clog faster than other filters. I have panels (grids) in my filter so I can't comment on what to do with the fingers.

I opened the pool to cloudy water and had to change out my DE in 24 hours but my water was sparkling clean. I think as you run your filter and it filters out more and more you will see the DE staying longer. Unfortunately I can't answer how long that will take as I've never battled "filthy" water.

What I've read here in the past is vacuuming to waste. My DE filter doesn't have this feature, maybe yours does. If you can get rid of any solids that are possibly causing this problem, it should get better.

My filter takes 7 coffee can scoops of DE and I think it comes to 3 1/2 pounds ... are you sure you're supposed to use 5 or 6 lbs. I usually bump and drain 2 or 3 times (remember I have a different filter) and then add the new DE.

[anotherpyr]

I have one of the Hayward Perflex filters with the fingers. It says 6 lbs. so that is what I give it after every flushing/backwashing. I get it in a 24lb. box that contains 4 bags, much better than dealing with the coffee can and mess.

That said I typically go through a 24lb box a year. Most of it is used when opening the pool as it takes 2 or 3 changes before it settles down. I can't imagine how many it would take if the water were "filthy."

Now I may not be doing it right and I have an in ground pool so an above ground might need a different procedure, but when I clean the filter, I turn the pump off, bump the handle a few times and open the drain valve on the filter. Once the water empties from the filter I turn on the pump with the drain valve still open and then turn it off once the water coming out the drain is clear (or at least matches that in the pool). This takes about 5 - 10 seconds. I stop the pump, and let the filter drain. Then I close the drain valve on the filter and turn on the pump while watching the pump handle. Once the pump handle rises (another 5-10 seconds) I stop the pump, bump the filter down and open the drain valve repeating the previous steps. After this second draining I close the valve, turn on the pump and then go feed it new DE through the skimmer.

The amount of DE needed by the filter should be listed on it. Mine has full instructions that I modified based on experience. And they were different from the instructions I received from the pool company that opened the pool for me the first summer after inheriting it. Once the water is clean and the system has settled down, it typically runs at 10 psi unless I have the Polaris 360 hooked up.

In any event, you'll keep seeing the pressure go up and need to bump the filter down, and change the DE until the water clears up. This is probably the biggest pain and hassle of running a DE filter. If you see the pressure rise twice in a 24 hour period after bumping it back down, it is a good sign that the DE has filtered all it can and the filter needs to be flushed and reloaded.

You should only have to acid soak the tentacles once a year. That said I don't give mine a yearly acid bath. I do take it apart and hose the tentacles off and inspect them before putting it up for the winter.

[djhop]

I was just having the same problem with my filter and after the help I received from this great forum , I filled my pool to above the skimmer and vacuumed to waste. You have alot of dirt/debris in the pool and that is causing your problem. Also after you finally have clear water, take powdered dish washing detergent and make a soapy solution to soak your filter in. Then recharge and you should be good to go , just keep an eye on all your levels.

[fog80]

Thanks for all your help guys. I do this every year. I keep forgetting that it takes a my pool a while go get in good shape (thats another issue) and for the de usage to calm down.

[Rbrenton]

I learned the slow way that there is no alternative to vacuuming to waste with a DE filter. It simply becomes overwhelmed much more quickly than one might expect, and my pool is always a pea soup mess in the spring.

I don't like doing that because I feel enormous pressure to get done before wasting more and more water.

[fog80]

ok yesterday I backwashed completely and added fresh de. I thought I was good because the psi dropped to 10-15 from 30.

I go inside and come back 30 min later and the psi is up to 25. So i bump and start again and the pressure only goes down to 20 and then goes back up to 25 within minutes.

The pressure is not the problem, its when the psi hits 25 the water flow almost stops, i see nothing going into skimmer and nothing coming out of the returns.

I backwashed and filled de three times yesterday and my pressure starts out at between 10-15is getting up to 30psi within an hour.

What do I do now? vacuum to waste? My water is more blue than green, but wont hold chlorine overnight, and i cant see the bottom.

[anotherpyr]

When you test your water do you have a lot of combined chlorine? I'm guessing you're killing algae and that is why you can't see the bottom and the filter is clogging.

[fog80]

ok bad situation is even worse now.

i was vacuuming to waste today and making good progress because I was emptying the filter basket like every 5 minutes.

However towards the end i started losing suction and now i have a pretty serious clog in my skimmer line. I tried to force it through with a garden hose and that didnt work. Then i tried using a stick and it sort of pushed the clog down even further.

when i turn the other skimmer on and run the filter the clogged filter doesnt do anything. but when i close the other skimmer the clogged skimmer will work (but very slowly)


what should i do?

[ivyleager]

You could use a pipe snake, like plumbers use. I'll bet you can rent one for the day. Home depot would have one, but unless you think you'll be using it more than once, then not worth the $$.

I've always vacuumed to waste without taking out the skimmer basket. That way nothing gets into the pipes. Is yours set up that way?

Good luck.

CaryB
(The Cup stays state-side!)

[fog80]

You could use a pipe snake, like plumbers use. I'll bet you can rent one for the day. Home depot would have one, but unless you think you'll be using it more than once, then not worth the $$.

I've always vacuumed to waste without taking out the skimmer basket. That way nothing gets into the pipes. Is yours set up that way?

Good luck.

CaryB
(The Cup stays state-side!)

I wish I could have done it that way, but I have to take the skimmer basket out and put the hose directly into the hole. All leaves get trapped in the pump basket. I was filling up that basket every 7-10 minutes!

Last night I went to home depot to try the bladder thing I saw mentioned on this forum. However the thing like busted inside the skimmer and didnt remove the clog. I then took a super long drill bit and slowly tried to break away the clog in the skimmer and it seems to have done something because its not "squishy" anymore when I poke it with the bit. However I cant tell where the 90 degree turn is so I think i got the trash that was in the "straightaway" part of the pipe, but theres got to me more in the 90 degree elbow.

Today I think I am going to have to cut the skimmer line from the pump side (where it sticks out of the ground) and try either a snake or another one of the bladder things to force the clog out of the line.

Any other suggestions?

[fog80]

does anyone know if a product like this works:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100050619&N=10000003+90401+500727&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125

If I cut the pvc skimmer pipe at the pump and shot this co2 cartridge would it remove the clog in the skimmer line?

or am i better off trying the drain king from the pump side into the skimmer line? I tried the bladder thing in the skimmer itself last night and it busted (the bladder)

i was also thinking about getting a snake from the rental place on my way home.

what should i do?

[anotherpyr]

I go with a snake. They make a hand snake but I can't find it listed on the Home Depot or Lowes websites.

To prevent the problem in the future, I'd recommend using a leaf canister with the pool vacuum. The fact that it saved me from having to empty the basket in the pump all the time made it worth it. It'll need a 3'-4' section of hose in order to hook it up.

[fog80]

update: last night i did a lot of sucking and blowing (get your mind out the gutter) with my shop vac directly in the skimmer line.

I have a feeling the clog was not leaves but actually undissolved de that caked up in the pipe.

I was able to suck up a vacuum full of de water and the pressure going down the skimmer has improved greatly.

I am soaking my de fingers in muriatic acid right now and hope that the pressure will finally go down.

I used a leaf eater vacuum (garden hose hookup) to pull a lot of leaves out last night. That was a lot better than using the filter vac.

[fog80]

ok after the acid wash my fingers turned white and my starting pressure is down to.....7psi!

I have never seen it that low before. I have been running it all weekend and have had to backwash and add de at least 4 times but at least its actually working.

the water went from a cloudy sea green to a blue that is clear enough to see all the leafy crud at the bottom.

when i get home from work today I will use my leaf eater vacuum to clear the bottom and I should be good to go within the next few days.

I want to thank everyone for all their help in helping me get running this year.