First test readings of season

[michael3]

I added my 2nd dose of DE about 3:00 at 9:00 my pressure has risen about 4-5 over the 1 pound increase from adding the DE. Is that pretty normal psi rise? I didn't expect a 8-10 real fast but realistic how long does it usually take

[PoolDoc]

how long does it usually take

There's no answer to that, except to say that it depends on what's in the water, and your filter. I once spent the night babysitting a vacuum DE filter that was below water level on a 240,000 gallon Girl Scout pool: it was stopping up ever 15 minutes due to an algae infestation, and would flood if not cleaned and handled promptly.

[stma]

@Ben:: Would you suggest to Michael (and myself) to stir or brush the floor and walls during this process ??

[PoolDoc]

Slimey or green walls & floors need to be brushed. Otherwise, I'd prefer to wait and vacuum what settles. BUT, that's preference, and not necessarily 'THE BEST WAY'.

[stma]

OK... Conversely, Should we be vacuuming to waste during this process ? Reason i ask:: is that this is the first time of the season I can actually SEE what's in the pool..(and it aint pretty). I'll take that question one step further and ask if I DO vacuum to WASTE, would i be losing the DE as well in the WASTE mode...?

[Watermom]

If there is lots of debris in the bottom, vac to waste. Using the waste setting bypasses the filter so you would not lose the DE.

[stma]

Im actually surprise H2O-Mom, that i got up as much as I did vacuuming blind..... Thanks as always..>!

[michael3]

I just vacuumed blind lol, I lost suction trying to get vac hooked up, I turned off pump to let it reprime and my pressure that had built to 17 went back to 10 with a good suction on vac head. It didn't take long for it to shoot back up to 17. I don't think I have much debri at all on bottom, I got nothing. I backwashed and recoated my DE. Slowly but surely it is clearing, my chlorine is holding overnight and I had a 4.5 drop during a very hot sunny day

[stma]

SOON we will no longer be the laughing-stock(s) of our neighborhood(s) ! Actually, some of the neighbors are coming over and giving me Cold Coronas while I drudge through this process !! I think they feel sorry for me : >

[michael3]

Lol, soon isn't the word for me. This is gonna take some time, I add enough DE to bump my pressure up 1-2 psi then it seems like it takes forever for the pressure to rise enough to backwash, makes you want to throw more DE at it but I understand that wont make it filter any faster. I also remember Ben saying some of the "fog" is to fine for even DE. Sigh....