Cloudy Water

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Originally Posted by bmlocal175

I went out and stopped the pump and just pushed down on the filter handle. The handle on top where you move it to backwash, rinse etc. Without moving it off of filter all the water in the pump went down somewhere. Is this normal?

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Yep, in a typical multiport valve when you press on the handle, the diverter (not sure what's it really called) inside the valve lifts off the ports that connect to inlet, outlet, backwash, top of sand and bottom of sand so that when it's turned, the spider gasket won't be destroyed. When it's opened, the ports are all connected and air can enter the valve allowing the water to drain.

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Was on hold with the pool store forever and hung up eventually. While I was waiting I took a pinch of dirt and debris from the wife's garden and through it in the skimmer. Didn't notice any dirt flying out but twice saw some little pieces of debris come out.

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Sounds like you've demonstrated that the filter is not working correctly.

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Was reading about the filter top, maybe a bad gasket or something. Don't know anything about it and will have to probably have someone come look at it.

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Sounds reasonable. Another pair of eyes may help and the next step would be to inspect the spider gasket.

Let us know how it goes.

Took the top off of the multi port valve to get a look at what is actually in there and how it works. Not much to it. With me just changing the sand and inspecting every part of the lateral assembly and middle upright pipe, not to many options for the problem.

The only thing I saw was the spider gasket on one of the sides for filter there was a little off look to the gasket compared to the rest. Not damaged or torn but a little dent and slight mangled look. That could be the whole problem.

The pool store by me has 25# bags of DE so the wife is headed that way Monday so she will pick up a bag and I told her to get a spider gasket. Hopefully they have them. It's easier to just replace it and not worry if that is the problem. I really don't see what else it could be, there isn't anything left to the filter, pretty basic stuff.

Now when the pump is running, and I'm not sure if this was something I heard when we first got the pool, but the top of the multi port valve sounds like popcorn popping when everything is running. Like little ball bearings popping around in there. Could this be water squeezing through the gasket and making a popping noise as it goes right back to the return line hose on top. Would explain why it never gets clean, it never reaches the sand. Comes up from the pump, enters the multi port and instead of raining down on the sand to filter, a lot of it passes through the gasket and right back to the pool.

Anyway, Monday I will follow the instructions for the DE, have to read again but like a cup right in the skimmer. If it comes out the return, I'm changing the gasket. If not I will see if the PSI went up 1 and see what happens overnight.

Just to be sure I understand: you DID do the DE-test, and your filter failed?

No, Monday I will have the DE.

@Ben, he posted above that when he was vacuuming algae, it shot back out the return jet. That is why I asked him to do a DE test.

@bmlocal175 -- Darn, I wish you could have found a smaller bag of DE than 25 lbs.

If you haven't already got the D.E., your local WalMart may have this. The description is correct. The picture is not.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-D.E-Fi...10-lb/20434370

@PoolDoc: OP did put garden soil in skimmer and observed debris from the returns.

@bmlocal175: Shopper will need make and model of multiport valve to get correct gasket. May also need glue to install. Search google for Youtubes and posts about spider gasket replacement.

Well, wife came back earlier today with a 25# bag of DE and a new spider gasket. Mixed 1/3 of a cup with some pool water and dumped it in the skimmer. Watched the first return in the system and saw nothing where I was like OMG!! Didn't really notice a change at all in the water where I would of said yep that's DE. Checked the PSI after 20 minutes and it only went up .5 psi. So I dumped another 1/3 cup in and this time had the wife out there with me. She said the same as me, didn't see anything. That makes me feel better.

Now it's been almost 3 1/2 hours since I dumped it in and when I started the PSI was 20.5. It is now 27. It seems like the pool is getting clearer as I type this. It must be catching all the little stuff in the pool and explaining the rise in PSI. Even the noise in the multi port valve has stopped and the whole thing is just purring away. Now it's 6 pm here in NY, It will probably be 30 psi before I go to bed(which is max on my gauge). Should I backwash before bed and dump in 2/3 cup of DE again so it can continue through the night? Probably keep the gasket on hand just to have in the future was only $13 and the DE was $17.

Yes, go ahead and backwash. But you might want to wait til you can watch your pressure gauge tomorrow before putting in more DE instead of doing it before bedtime. At least, that's what I would do if it were my pool.

Glad it's looking better.