cloudy water with a new sand filter

Hi. I am new to this forum and really appreciate some help.

I have this pool for some years. last year, i have changed old DE filter to a new Hayward S244S pro series sand filter with 1hp hayward motor. I thought with this new filter I should have an easy season with this pool. Sadly, I got cloudy water from the very beginning. It just won't go away.

Tried several time with different clarify still have no difference. I have the water tested in different stores. They all points at those common parameters such as the Alkalinity, PH or Chlorine, even I don't see they have much difference with the test results I got in previous years. I had to buy tons of those to balance them, but the result is still the same, cloudy. The only thing that is low is calcium hardness which is at 50. I have a vinyl pool. Could it be a problem causing this cloudiness? Some store rep said it may be the cause of too much clarify. I am completely lost and running out options.

Could my filter is not set right or of no good? I never got such a problem with old DE filter. I usually add one bottle of clarify and immediately got crystal clear. Why would be so bad with this sand filter? I have no experience with this sand filter. Can the water be really cleaned with this filter? Really appreciate to get some help here. Hope can really swim once at least.

Hi, and welcome to the forum!!

The filter that you have is a good one--it's the one I have on my pool, and I also have a 1 HP pump. How big is your pool? How many gallons?

There are many, many different reasons why your water could be cloudy. One of them is the use and/or overuse of clarifiers. If you could post a set of test results for Chlorine, pH, TA, CH, and CYA that were taken with a drop-based kit (no strips) along with a list of what you've used in the pool (ingredients, not just the product name, please!) we'll be happy to try to help you identify and fix the problem.

By the way, your calcium hardness at 50 ppm is fine. Don't add any calcium, no matter what the pool store says!!

In the meantime you can use skimmer socks in your skimmer and a little bit of DE powder into the filter via the skimmer (take out the skimmer sock first). You want to add JUST enough to raise your pressure 1psi on the gauge. It may be between 1/4 cup and a full cup of DE powder to do that. Get a 10# box--that and the skimmer socks should set you back a whopping $15. The DE should last two or 3 seasons and, if you rinse them out and reuse them, the skimmer socks can last a month each (sometimes called Filter Savers, but just a different brand). Both of these things can really help your filter's performance. Also, as your filter and sand get older and the sand gets "dirtier" it will filter better. You should never change your sand unless your have a really big problem like goop in the filter (from a bacquacil conversion) or a very VERY rare algae infestation in the filter itself--I've only seen one of those.

If,however, you maintain your pool and don't neglect it, your sand should last the life of your filter--and who knows how long that will be!

Carl