Thank you pool doc!! Your the best.....

[Lawrosa]

Same as yesterday morning.

FC 15
CC 0
psi hair shy of 6 psi so not rising after 24 hours.

( I dont think its a filter issue. Its either slow to kill or too small to filter)

Can see bottom of pool but cloudy still.

I don't think its the CYA thing with the ammonia. I will re read the cloudy pool section. There needs to be a different cause for my cloudy pool every year. perhaps I am lacking something. Possible because I have 0 hardness to the water and I need some calcium?

Ugggghhhhhh!!!!!!

[Watermom]

There needs to be a different cause for my cloudy pool every year. perhaps I am lacking something.

Possible because I have 0 hardness to the water and I need some calcium?

No, you do not need calcium.

[Lawrosa]

OK same.

FC 15
CC 0
6 psi filter pressure

Still cloudy hazy. I can see the bottom somewhat. Since nothing is changing I think I may raise the Cl level to 20. Vacuum and brush pool daily after shock in PM.

Ho Hum..... I will post pics in my next installment of getting nowhere...LOL

Mike NJ

[PoolDoc]

These pics survived and I can tell you that it is one season old. The original filter lasted 6 yrs. Inside there is a spoked wheel in the center to prevent collapsing.

A 1 year old cartridge isn't new. The fact that you kept the old one for 6 years is NOT evidence that it lasted 6 years. You can continue to use cartridges after they are no longer effective: they still fit in the filter chamber; they just don't filter well.

#5 the DE for test purposes will not clog the cart?

Not if you use DE powder. If you use one of the DE alternatives, it WILL clog the filter.

FC 15
CC 0
psi hair shy of 6 psi so not rising after 24 hours.

Are you still losing 3 ppm overnight?

I don't think its a filter issue. Its either slow to kill or too small to filter

Gray blue is dead; the last pictures show no evidence of live algae. "Too small to filter" *is* a filter issue. The only way I know of for you to get unfilterable particles is to add some specific chemicals in excess. But, you haven't mentioned using those.

I don't think its the CYA thing with the ammonia.

It almost certainly WAS the ammonia thing; it doesn't sound like it still IS the ammonia thing. There is not another common cause of the chlorine demand + high CC levels you experienced.

There needs to be a different cause for my cloudy pool every year.

No, you can have the same problem year after year.

Possible because I have 0 hardness to the water and I need some calcium?

Adding calcium NEVER clears up water.

FC 15
CC 0
6 psi filter pressure

Since nothing is changing I think I may raise the Cl level to 20.

Don't know any reason for you to do that, unless you are still losing chlorine overnight.

From the information you supplied, it appears you had

1. A slimy, algae infested pool, with
2. Zero stabilizer plus ammonia and/or urea as metabolic byproducts of the bacterial degradation of stabilizer;
3. and a poorly functioning filter that is unable to filter the dead algae.

The algae is gone; if you no longer have overnight chlorine loss, the ammonia is gone; but you STILL have a poorly functioning filter with lots of fine dead algae particles.

If you're enjoying messing around with a cloudy pool, that's up to you. But if not, either
+ get a new Unicel or Filbur cartridge and try those on LOW SPEED
OR
+ test your existing filter with DE powder.

I'm not sure you're grasping the fact that a single cartridge run with substantial over-pressure can damage the cartridge. You may have damaged your year-old cartridge the first week you had it. I may be wrong about the filter, but it is by far the most likely remaining culprit . . . and you need to test and see if it IS the problem.

[Lawrosa]

Ben,

I know this filter is good. I am diligent on inspection and cleaning. I am unemplyed so I cant afford to buy a new one just for the sake of it.

I also have a sand filter. There is no way two filters can be damaged or faulty.

I understand what you are saying so I went out and physically cleaned, inspected, DE test, etc........

Inside and various pics of filter.









Here you see some pleats are thin in areas. This is how the original hayward was. This is how they are designed. My hayward never broke, ripped, collapsed, etc...

This filter looks identical to the hatward, but says UNICEL.

Here are inside pleats.






Here is in and around the filter.










Cant see in the pic but when I sprayed the filter white residue came off. Kind of like the white haze that is in the water.




Here is the DE I have from the sand filter. Its powder. I through a cup in real fast and no white came out the return.






Here is what the pool looks like. You cant tell by the pics, but you need to look hard to see the bottom. Pool is overall hazy/cloudy.





Here is what the pool looked like last year when I was done clearing. After I had the staining issue if you remember, and I used the pink stuff per your instruction.








Here is hi pressure 15 psi clean filter and 5 psi low clean filter.

OK sorry I lost those two in the transfer




So what do you think now? Am I crazy????

FC after sunny day tonight was down to 11 today.

I put in 80 oz to raise to 16-17.

Vacuumed and brushed.


Also do I leave the DE in there or take the filter out and clean it?

Ben I think you were going to call me last year when i had this going on.

Oh and thank you.......

Mike NJ

[PoolDoc]

Hi Mike;

Sorry about the budget issue -- I understand all too well. 2011 was the first Christmas in five years, where I haven't had worry too much about having to declare bankruptcy in February or March.

I agree, it appears that your filters are OK. However it's an unforunate fact that I'd have to either examine them personally OR have macro-photographs of the filter media to be sure.

That said, if you can dump DE in, do so. Let it run till the filter pressure rises 5 lbs and then clean the filter.

I'm checking with Chem_Geek and others about another possible explanation of what's going on with your pool. If I'm right, it primarily affects AG pool owners with sand filters. Again, if I'm correct, the solution might be a bit different than what you've been doing. But FIRST, you have to hold chlorine levels overnight, without significant loss.

SECOND, I'd need to know if you have a vac pole, vac head, and vac hose?

[Lawrosa]

Ben, I am not using the sand filter per your instructions several posts ago just so you know. It seems your last post suggested I was using the sand filter? I am using the cart only.

If your post is right then want me to use DE in the cart? I threw a cup in just for that test as I stated. Like I said no DE came out the return. And that was on hi speed pump.

I could take macro pics of the filter but tell me of what part of the filter?

I could run the sand filter by itself if you think that's better? I hook up the sand after the cart and just remove the cart from the housing. Or I had them both running in series at one time.

Yeah Ben I have been unemployed since 2009. Unemployment ran out and wife works now. I am a stay home dad with the 3 kids and 1 grand kid. My youngest is 4 and my oldest is 19. Heck I am only 46. We are just making ends meet with no extras.

So I don't have two nickles to rub together.

Anyway bleach and my time is cheap though, plus I have a small pool.

Yes I have a good vac, pole, and hose. I vac almost every night... Wait are you going to have me floc?????????? I heard bad stuff about that. Plus I am on a well, so to vac to waste with the sand filter I am sure I will need to fill my pool a lot. If I bypass my softner I am sure I will get iron issues. I will have to vac and fill a little at a time if that's what you want me to do.

OK I will stop talking....LOL

Mike NJ