pool sand filter questions

I am a bacquacil users (hubby loves it so don't ask me to change) and I need help. My pool opened up nicely and the water was clear after just a few days of filtration. Suddenly, it's full of particles and crap floating. The pressure is up to 20. Backwashing isn't helping. I've recirculated & rinsed which added gunk to the water. Maybe I need to change the sand in the filter? Maybe I need to use the DE but I don't know what that is or whether it works for bacquacil pools. If it does, do I just ask for it at the pool store & they'll know? Also, for sand, I see that the manufacturer recommends #20 or 1/2mm sand. I've been to Lowes, Walmart, and many other places and cannot find any measurment for sand on the bags. No sales person has been able to answer. Hubby tells me any large sand will do but I don't want to mess this us.

The gunk that's going back into your pool sounds like the gunk that's gumming up your filter, which is a major problem with bacquacil. If backwashing isn't bringing down your pump pressure, than I'd definitely change the sand...The DE helps the sand filter finer particles, but if your sand is gummed up, the DE can't do the job alone so I think you'd be wasting your time and money to go the DE route. How long have you been using this sand? In a chlorine pool, the sand doesn't go bad, but bacquacil has a nasty way of gumming things up. Any pool store should have filter sand--you just want to make sure it's not playground sand, which is what they sell here at WalMart and Lowe's.

Janet

Jan's right on the money.

Every pool store sells pool sand and it's not that expensive--on sale it can be as low as $5-$6 for a 50# bag and as much as $12 if they are gouging.

But I don't think you have any alternative unless something's clogged in your multivalve.

DE raises your pressure and that's part of your problem. You also probably need to shock, whatever the Bac proper shock is.

I have no personal experience with Bac. I simply don't see the point versus a properly maintained chlorine pool or, if you can manage it, an SWG system.

Good luck though!