Opening Pool....Filter Builds Pressure Right Away...Is Normal?

[NullQwerty]

Hi folks,

New pool owner here. Opening pool which is a nice dark green color.

As soon as I start the pump and the filter fills with water, I start to add DE. It's supposed to take 6 lbs of DE, but by the time it has 1-2 lbs in it, the pressure is above 10 PSI (about 12 PSI) which it then says it needs a backwash (which I perform along with a drain).

Now, I knew I was going to need to do several backwashes, but I did at least 10-15 in a 2 hour period. Pretty much it would need it within 1 minute of operation. I've gone through an entire 25 lb bag and the pressure and timing isn't letting up.

I didn't even shock it because I knew I was going to run out of DE before I'd be able to let it run overnight. The skimmer basket and pump basket are free of debris.

So tomorrow, I'm gonna buy a 50 lb bag. Should I just stick with my same course of action (start pump, add 1-2 lbs of DE, notice it's at 12 PSI within the first minute, perform backwash, begin again), or is this not normal?

FYI: It's an inground pool with a Hayward EC-65 filter and Hayward Super Pump. Thanks!

[Waterworks]

My first recommendation is to skip the pressure gauge, for now. Backwash or clean only when the water entering the pool through your return fiiting is reduced fairly significantly. Let me know how this goes.

Brad

[MarkP45]

I had a similar problem last year. It was my first year with a mesh safety cover.
I had to backwash every 10 minutes. What worked for me was taking the filter apart and cleaning the grids. Once I put it back together the filtering was more reasonable.

To avoid the problem this year, I bought a black opaque cover - I don't know what this is called - it floats on the water like a solar cover but keeps out all the sunlight. THen mesh safety cover goes on top.
I also add 2 gallons of bleach into the pool (just dump it in) during Feb, March, April, and May. But I wouldn't recommend that if you've got a liner.

Good luck.

[NullQwerty]

The grids were cleaned as part of the winterizing process. Kinda hoping that it didn't get dirty so quick again because I've got one of the filters with like 20 bolts you have to remove to open it.

I think maybe tonight's plan of attack might be open the drain valve on the filter and vacuum right to waste. Do that for a while, then try the filtering process again.

Sound like a good plan? You guys think that'll help it?

[MarkP45]

NullQwerty - How's the progress?

[bbb]

DE filters clog up right away with live algae. It's totally normal. I have a Hayward with the 20 bolts so I know what I am talking about. Just keep on backwashing but not as often. Your comment that

I didn't even shock it because I knew I was going to run out of DE before I'd be able to let it run overnight.

is kind of backwards because (1) 12 psi is WAY too low to backwash while you are killing algae with *this* filter, as Waterworks said (you've got the one with the 'magic fingers', right?) - go with measuring the flow to figure it out, (2) bumping the filter to get some extra time is OK, and, most importantly (3) you need to kill off that algae with lots of chlorine.

Are you getting help from us in another part of the forum? What are your pool readings? Do you have one of the long white plastic Hayward Perflex "jet action cleaning wand" attachments for cleaning out the filter fingers furing backwashing? (they really help!)

Also, if you follow the pool closing and opening tips from this board next year you may well open up to a algae-free pool next year. Pouring some Polyquat into each corner of the pool under my safety cover in the early spring really does the trick for me.