de filter?

ok guy's . after 16 yrs of a sand filter and now this is my 2nd yr with a de,i'm having the same type of problem. after running the filter i have stuff all over the bottom of my pool. it looks tan to greenish color and we will vacuum it to waste and then add water again and the same thing the next day. i've already replaced the de once by cleaning or flushing the de per the filter instructions and added new de, then i flushed it again because the pressure would go up 10 lbs in a 1/2 hour. this time i took it apart and cleaned the fingers and flushed it out good and added new de. 6lbs per hayward EC65 specs. my pool cleared up but i still get this stuff back into it after running the filter, very frustrating. any ideas on this? My chemicals seem right on and i added a bunch of algaecide already. i would like to be able to run my filter overnight and not have to vacuum every time. thnx Randy

Obvious question:
What size filter and pump do you have? It sounds like the pump is too big for the filter.

Now, while yo are at it, for completeness, tell us how big your pool is and whether it's vinyl/fiberglass or concrete/plaster and what results you have for the following tests (have a pool store test your water for now):
FC
CC
TC
pH
T/A
CYA
CH

I had a similar problem creep up last year. I thought I had a tear in the fabric of the D.E. grids so I replaced them and I still had problems clearing up my pool this year. I realized while trying to open the pool that I could not keep prime in my pump for any appreciable time. When I turned off the pump, I would hear gurgling noises coming from the multi-port valve. I did some digging and found that there is a gasket (spider gasket as it is called) in the valve that was allowing dirty / d.e. laden water to bypass the filter and go directly into the pool. After replacing the gasket, I can keep prime, but best of all my pool cleared up super quick.

If you have a multiport valve, I would, at a minimum, inspect and lube the spider gasket with aqua lube. The gaskets are cheap, I think I paid 20 bucks or so, and easy to install.

Good luck.

Carld, this de fillter was fine last year. i have a 18x36 inground vinyl lined grecian shaped pool. the pump is a 1hp motor and the filter is a hayward
EC65. my water test per my test strips seem fine and under control. this filter doesn't have a multi-port valve on it. it seems like after bumping the filter that a cloudy stream of whatever comes through the return once i turn the filter back on for a short while. my water is clear and after vacuuming looked good, and we swam today but i'll run the filter tonight and see what happens. thanks Randy

Randy, I've been watching and waiting. I know these filters well.

When you opened the filter to clean it, did you check out the 'tube sheets'. the plastic disks that hold the fingers and secure the gasket?

Improper bumping can break them:( My 'use and care for DE filters is stickied here, please give it a read.

The other thing that struck me is that the debris on the floor isn't white (DE is) and may be dead algae that has settled to the bottom when the filter is off.

Sounds like the pool water still contains algae.

Once you rid the pool of algae, see if the problem persists.

We'll be here to help:)

hello and thanks Ted for your replies. no i didn't check out the inside disk etc, of the filter,certainly didn't think anything would be broken, i just hosed off and cleaned the fingers or socks inside it. as far as the bumpimg goes, i see in your sticky,which is very good i might add and i printed it out, you say to open the pressure knob on top before bumping. in my book it said to stop the filter than move the handle down slow and up fast 3 times, thats it. i could feel maybe a time or 2 that the handle went down a little hard but i don't think i broke anything. i do now relieve the pressure like you say, once i shut the pump off, i will check the insides . oh by the way i'm running the filter overnight,added more algaecide and will look and see if anything is settled on the bottom of the pool in the morning. thanks Randy

Ted is far more knowledgeable about DE filters than I am. If anyone can help you, he can.

Carl