Little help please

[jubie]

I just bought a home with a bulit in pool , It has a Sta Rite filter system 3 , and it doesn't seem to pump well, the pool is still a little cloudy, I have put a lot of chlorine in it , I have put clarifier in it , I think its the filter that I'm having a problem with , The pump works well, when I shut the pump off , I backwash the filter , close it , restart the pump , and it flows great , the water comes out of the jets in the pool , after about 5 minutes , water stops coming out of the jets , any idea's ??
Thanks

[waste]

Welcome to the forum!

Which System 3 do you have? Modular media is a cartridge system and needs to be manually hosed off, the other has DE which must be added after backwashing (see this for some more info on DE filters).

As you use the term "backwash" I assume that it's the DE type, however - you don't mention 'recharging' the DE - the canisters (which look a lot like cart filters on this model) are probably congested from being uncoated with DE:( Please check out the link I gave and see if that doesn't help you.

We'll be here to answer any follow-up questions you may have :)

[CarlD]

Welcome! We have LOTS of information on lots of topics, and people like Ted who have specific knowledge of pump and filter equipment.

While this is your immediate problem, you should learn about pool maintenance. Adding chlorine was good. Adding clarifier was probably a waste of money. But the guys in the pool store won't tell you that!

Watch out for them talking to you about "Total Dissolved Solids", "Phosphates", and "indexes". You've heard the expression "If you can't convince them with facts, then baffle them with BS".

Really, you should be concerned with chlorine levels, pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and CYA (Stabilizer) levels.

We always recommend a good test kit. And we suggest that you get what's called an FAS-DPD test kit. The gold standard is the Taylor K-2006 and K-2006C (the latter just has bigger bottles of the chemicals you use). This can be had directly from TaylorTechnology.com or amatoind.com.

A perfectly good substitute is from Leslie's Online web site: lesliespool.com and is called the Chlorine FAS-DPD Service Test Kit--a clone of the K-2006 in a Leslie's box--even uses the same Taylor chemicals!

Be aware: a DPD service test kit is not the same an FAS-DPD service test kit. DPD is one kind of chlorine test, FAS-DPD is another, and much better one.

The price ranges from about $50 to $70 and will be the best pool investment you ever make. It will become your touchstone, your security blanket and your safety belt and will tell you AND us almost everything one needs to know about your pool!

All the best!