I Need Help!

[hmoroz]

Thank you so much for the help! I'll try the gasket first and then go from there. I'm sure I will be back to try to make the transformation from green to useable! This is a great forum with a ton of good advice!

[waste]

Welcome to the Forum!

Glad you were able to find good advice to help you. As long as you're trying the gasket first, try it without gluing or siliconing it down Al (Poconos) and I had a discussion about this a few years ago and I still say I never had a problem not securing the gasket in place, as long as the channels it sits in are in good shape. If you glue it in and the channels are shot, you'll ~ wreck the gasket trying to peel it back out. If no glue doesn't solve the problem, then by all means put some glue or silicon on it and try again. If that still doesn't work, it's time for a new multiport valve. [I don't seem to be able to get the advanced search function to work for me...???]

If you don't remember a double section being blocked off, you may have the older 6- spoke gasket (as opposed to the newer 5 spoke gaskets) - double check before getting the new one, as the part # you're looking for is the same for both the 5 and 6 spoke gasket. The part # is SPX710D for multiports with 1 1/2" piping and SPX715D for multiports with 2" piping.

One last thing, when you put the multi back together you'll notice that there is a flat (vertically) side to one of the 1/2 moon protrusions where the screws go on both the body of the valve and the top plate - be sure they match up! so that the valve is oriented properly.

Please let us know how things work out for you and feel free to ask any more questions you have.

[hmoroz]

Okay... I got the new gasket in, with no glue Waste : ), and now all is working well. I have the filter running right now, for several hours already. So, what is my next step? I read the BBB method and I thought I saw that it says for salt pools, which mine is not. Should I go for the BBB method?

[aylad]

Your next step is to run a set of tests on your water so we can tell what needs to be added. In the meantime, pick up several gallons of plain, unscented bleach.

The BBB method can be used for any non-Bacquacil pool-- it basically means understanding what's happening in your pool and what chem is needed to correct it, and knowing most of the things you need can be bout at the grocery store, not at the pool store's inflated prices.

To know when to backwash, watch your pressure gauge-- whrn it rises 8-10 psi, it's time to backwash. This will happen more frequently if you're vacuuming to filter. Keep in mind that you can get hoses that will attach to your waste line so you can redirect your waste water away from your neighbor's yard-- I have to do the same thing.

Janet

[hmoroz]

okay, I've never tested before, so here as far as I can tell are my results.
Chlorine- unreadable
pH over 8.5
and I did the other tests but I don't really know how to interpret them. The bromine did not register and the alkalinity test took 6 drops to change the color....
sorry, I know, not really helpful!

[aylad]

I'm guessing that you're using a 5- or 6-way drop kit from WalMart. If so, you're not going to have a bromine reading, since yours is a chlorine pool, so ignore that. When you ran the alk test, did 6 drops just barely change the color, or did you add the 7th drop to make sure that it wouldn't change further? When you say chlorine was unreadable, do you mean clear, or very dark yellow/orange/brown? Were you able to run a CYA test? If so, what did it give you?

In order to get the pool cleared up, you're going to have to be able to test your chlorine and understand what your levels are.

You might want to take a sample to the pool store and get them to test it for you, just to get a baseline on all the chemicals levels right now, and then maybe we can help you get the chlorine issue straightened out.

Janet

[Watermom]

While you are at the pool store, be aware that they are most likely going to try and sell you a bunch of stuff. RESIST! Post your numbers and let someone here help you.

[hmoroz]

Also, as my pool seems to have been sitting for at least a year or more with no attention paid to it, the algea is really really bad. As it is filtering all the nasty stuff out, should I be backwashing daily? Also, my waste line just shoots out toward my neighbors fence. I don't really want to vaccum to waste due to this fact, it okay to consistently vaccum to the filter? Thanks in advance!!!