First test readings of season

[michael3]

Thanks Ben, I really dont want to do the drain/refill. I just got my shut off valve installed between pump and filter, got psi reduced down from 17 to 10 and the flow into the pool has slowed. Will keep the chlorine up and run it like this and see what happens. At what pressure do you think it would be ok to try and add alittle DE to the skimmer? Cheapest I have found that stuff is lowes and they want $24 for a 24 lb box, I dont need that much lol

[PoolDoc]

You can add DE at any time. But test it first: if it blows through the filter and out the returns, you need to work on filter (slowing flow, adding sand) before adding more.

Buying small amounts of DE is hard, and if you want to clean up a cloudy pool, it may end up taking quite a bit anyhow, since filter runs may be very short. If you store the leftovers in a covered plastic bucket, it will last indefinitely.

[stma]

Michael: Just dumped in the DE Powder..... Took about a cupful+ to get the pressure up 2 PSI points... I'll let ya know the results...

[stma]

How did you do with new sand ?? Hopefully, that was your problem the entire time.... I too changed out my sand a few weeks back,,,, but i guess you dont wanna hear that it made no difference in the cloud !! : > I t did pick up a ton of crud out of the water though..
Let me know how you make out... Hopefully I'll post some good news pertaining to the DE powder now in my filter.... the PSI went up 50% so I know it didnt blow through the laterals and back into the pool.....
Thinking the DE will be the final straw in this scenario... i already started looking at winter covers to close this chapter in my summer : >

[michael3]

Got the new sand in, no loss on backwash put 1/3 cup of DE slurry in and psi went up 1. Then the storm hit lol waiting on it to pass so I can go check on it

[michael3]

Thanks for all the help Ben, I went out after the storm and pressure had risen about 6 psi and it being late I back washed. Pressure back down to 10. Going to wait till morning to add more DE. I'm actually optimistic about this, I know it will take time. A question I have, when I backwash and the DE comes out and hopefully dead algae, can I see it? From what I saw on my backwash it wasn't real cloudy, and I back washed for about 2 minutes

[PoolDoc]

When you are coating with DE, you probably won't need a long backwash, since you are really just washing off the surface.

[stma]

Michael, Just to toss in my 2 cents:
Woke up this morning like a kid on christmas morning... RAN OUTSIDE to hopefully see the bottom design on my pool... Unfortunately, it was not there : < >>My pressure had risen 8 pounds with very little flow out the return, so i backwashed for a few minutes... water came out pretty clean where I was really hoping to see every color in the rainbow flowing out of that tube.. Headed out again to coat the filter with DE and hope for the best... But check out the last four or five posts' that Ben left on my thread: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?20437 ..... where he speaks of "coating" the filter...

[michael3]

Just finished adding my 2nd application of DE, with the new sand and one application of DE I can see a difference in my water, the lime green is turning more of a cloudy color and my depth vision has improved some. Very optimistic

[stma]

SAME HERE !! overdosed the DE, waited for a psi rise, backwashed and continued those steps (did that about 5 times today) ... After all the experimenting, I'm hoping that 5oz of DE coats the filter and will do an overnighter without losing too much pressure from the return... Ben: I owe ya big time if this all works out...: Opry tickets or that beverage that made Tennessee GREAT !!!
Your choice.... : >