Test results post fiasco

I took a few hours off to watch Nanny McFee, ate comfort food, and went back to the pool. I vacuumed up the loose DE, cleaned the Polaris filter which was gunked up with the stuff. I added 12 quarts more of liquid bleach.

My SWG shows 2200, with 1400 going through at the moment (hitting the button 5 times).

Did an HTH test

CYA: 80!!!
Hardness: None (not sure I did this test right...the first agent showed red threads swirling around, but that's all it would ever do...I stopped adding drops after 15, so I don't know what this means.
pH: 7.5
BP: Back to normal <g>

The Polaris is running and stirring up the residual DE. There is no increase of PSI to the filter. How long do I have to wait before I put in salt?

K

The hardness test has only faint colors. Do it in a well lit room and look at the test water against a white background.

I don't think salt affects any of the other numbers so you should be able to add more anytime but I could be wrong.

welll...for what it's worth, wait until your water chemistry is good. If you need to adjust any of the parameters by draining, you'll just waste the salt you add.

Do you think I could have a bad filter?

I backwashed (one minute), rinsed (one minute) (this is what I was told to do) and then put it back on filter and added de. I turned the pump off between each change.

DE is now spewing out of my returns.

Most likely there is a DE Grid with a tear in it, or not seated properly. You'll have to take it apart and inspect each grid. Make sure they're seated properly into the base manifold.

Hey, at least your pump is running...

Step by Step...one item at a time. You'll get it working and you'll have yourself to pat on the back.

I give you credit for perservering. It'll come easier and just think, when you're done, you'll know more than the average pool company.

Thank you so much for responding. It seems like it's two steps forward, three steps back.

My pump is operating, but the water coming out of the returns is bubbling like a caldron. Should I run it all night or turn it off. Will it burn up without the filter filtering? Or with de in the water?

I don't really understand the process, that's probably at the root of everything. If the water goes out the pump, out the returns, doesn't it then go back into the filter? Why isn't the DE sticking there? Because of the hole?

K

Yeah. From the pool, it gets sucked into the pump via the two skimmers and the "other" line. Remember my reply that described that the two red handled valves in front of the pump were usually from a skimmer and a suction side cleaner (or second skimmer), in your case you said it was a second skimmer. The black three position valve should be as follows; the center port should be going to the pump; one side from the two skimmers; the third side from a bottom main drain (you do have a bottom drain don't you?).
If these lines are leak free, you'll draw water into the pump basket area. If you see bubbles in the pump basket area, you're drawing in air and can be a problem down the road.
Out of the pump, the water is going to a Tee, the top of which has a smaller flexible hose going to your Polaris cleaner. The other side of the Tee should be going to the filter multiport valve. From there , the filter (in filter mode) sends the dirt into the grids, where the DE powder filters out the dirt. Clean water should then return back to the pool. OOPS..rather, clear water should return back to the pool, where the salt system will treat the water to clean it up and make it safe.

Why isn't the DE sticking on the grids? It probably is but it's also flowing back to your pool because of a crack or tear, or an improperly seated grid inside the filter.

You'll need to take the filter apart and check the grids. If they are in good condition, it may be as Pat said, it may be the multiport valve gasket. It's cheaper to inspect the grids first, rather than replace the multiport valve gasket, or worse, the valve itself.

And is it safe to run the pump with the filter in poor condition? No bubbles are in the filter basket area...yet. I do have a main drain.

If I put the black valve in position where the handle is straight down and the off label is at 12:00, it just circulates the water through the pump only (and makes it hot, producing the steam I saw the other night I suppose), and the water isn't circulating in the pool? Is that right?

K

The valve handle is shaped like a wedge with a handle. The opposite side of the handle is marked OFF. Do not position the valve where this is on the port that goes to the suction of the pump. I believe this is what you describe above to produce steam in the pump basket.

It's safe to run the pump in this condition. It will not do any harm other than recirculate some of the dirt and debris back to the pool.

...and you're welcome for the help.