Bought my new cartriage filter today

I am going through a transition of sand filter to cartriage filter. I have a couple of questions. If I can clearly see the bottom of my pool and there is alot of algea sitting on the bottom should I just go in and try to vacuum that out or should I try throwing some chemicals in there to kill the algea first? This is of course my first time vaccuming with a cartriage filter and I am not to sure how to do it. Any tips?? I was so use to the vaccuming to waste and backwashing and with this cartriage filter I don't. At this point I am filling the pool up and the only thing I have put in there is 3" tablets and some Dichlor (sorry can't spell) I sure don't have alot of money for chemicals since this filter cost 323.00 today plus all the plumbing to hard pipe everthing over again .

I would vacuum anything you can to waste if you can do that. If you can get rid of junk easily why use chemicals and the $$$ to oxidize it first. I'm also very curious why you switched from sand to cartridge? One extreme to the other as I see it.
Al

You usually cannot vacumn to waste with a cartridge. Best advice I can give is that if the cartridge looks green from the algae when you clean it (and I would recommend cleaning it frequently by hosing it off while you are getting rid of the algae) then soak it or spray it in a bleach soloution of about 1 part bleach to 3 parts water to kill any algae that is on the cartridge then hose it off well. You will find the cartridge being very effective when you vacumn since they filter to about 20 microns as compared to about 60 microns for sand. To make your maintennce easier, don't wait for the pressure to rise 8-10 psi before cleaning the cartridge but get into the habit of hosing it off maybe once a month.

I'm curious about the algae. I have never had algae "sit on the bottom". My only experience with algae has been when it is suspended in water giving the whole pool a green tint. Occasionally, you can see it in tiny crevices around the edges of the pool that get poor circulation but I have never seen it on the bottom. Do you have other debris sitting on the bottom that has turned green from algae?

Nevetheless, the answer is, as stated above, vacuum out everything you can first. You will still need to chlorinate heavily......you will still have suspended algae in your water.

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Originally Posted by duraleigh

I'm curious about the algae. I have never had algae "sit on the bottom".

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Mustard algae usually sits on the bottom or walls of the pool.

I have some sticks at the bottom of the pool with leaves too. It is gross I have like either mold or algea up the sides of the wall just at the level the water sat all winter and yes I have I assume a layer of algea at the bottom. My pool is almost filled enough to turn on the new filter to see how it works and I have my fingers crossed on this one. I know my PH is above 8.2 and ALK is 90 neither one is good I have about 1ppm of chrlorine. I am very worried that I went from sand to cartridge and hope it is not more work when fighting algea. The pool guy talked me into it . any post will help and thanks

Just a thought on keeping the algae out of the cartridge.
I don't know your pump & filter set up, but is it possible to disconnect the piping from the pump to the filter and temporarily hook up a waste line to the effluent side of the pump? This could be a big headache, so I offer this- is there enough room to install a 3 way valve between pump and filter the 3rd port could be used to bypass the filter just like the 'waste' (no relation:) ) position on your old multiport. *
Should either of those not be feasible, you could remove the cartridge, put the filter back together, isolate 1 return (by valves if applicable or with the winterizing plugs put into any other returns) and screw in a 'Backwash fitting' (SP-1091-Z-7) attach backwash hose (vac hoses work best, but you'll be using yours to vacuum) run the end of the hose wherever you want the slime to go and start vacuuming

* If you do this DO NOT USE a Hayward SP 733 valve, they are notorious for leaking and I believe that they are being discontinued so the replacement parts you'll need almost yearly will be unavailable (use something like the ones Jandy makes). Also, put a 1 1/2" female adaptor right out of the valve, you can screw the backwash adaptor into it (or a treaded plug, if the valve ever fails)

Dave, I see that algae all the time, water is crystal clear but the bottom is covered with a nice layer of green it cleans up quickly with a leathal dose of bleach, though a good brushing just after adding the cl eases the process.

I would strongly recommend that you physically remove everything possible before turning on the pump or adding chemicals. Fish everything possible out with a net. If you start pouring in chlorine now you'll waste a huge percentage of it just bleaching out leaves and sticks. Go slow and steady so as not to stir up the algae so you can see your progress.

When you do start to filter, take the advice above and watch your pressure like a hawk. The life of the cartridge will depend on how you manage the pressure. If the pressure builds up high the debris will get impacted deaper into the media of the filter and get harder and harder to wash out. When it gets really plugged, it's new filter expense time. For normal use a skimmer sock will help keep debris from getting to the filter in the first place, but that's no help when vacuuming.

You might also take a look at the "leaf eater" attachment from Rainbow. You can get it from the host of this site at
http://www.poolsolutions.com/cart/clean.php It's only $30. and will pick up lots of junk without even running you pump. You might find it elsewhere but Rainbow products are sometimes hard to find.

Good luck.