Pool problems on startup

[stma]

Ben had posted above about coating the filter::: Using 3oz per sq ft of sand surface... with my small 166 filter, Im putting in 4.5 ounces..WAY MORE than the 1/2 cup from the DE "thread." I backwash once the return loses most or all of its pressure... for me, that is a 6 pound rise... Just checked this morning, and this method is definitely working.... May be a slower than normal process, but like yourself, I am optimistic about this !!
I'll spend the day today hanging at the pool, and doing the backwash-- dosing "thing"... Hopefully tomorrow I'll see a little more than just my reflection when looking into the water !! : > LOL

[michael3]

If I want 3 oz of weighted DE and I have 3 sf or 24" filter that = 9 weighted oz of DE to coat? I don't have a scale lol any idea how 9 oz dry measures out in a regular liquid measuring cup

[stma]

OK... 1 LEVELED Cup is 2 1/4 ounces..... so 4 Cups would be 9 oz.... I used half that amount for my smaller filter...I slurried with approx 1 gallon of water and slowly poured in..... Again, i based my decision to backwash, by the outflow at the return..... i am backwashing every few hours...probably dont need to do it that often, but I do like the results im getting....

[michael3]

Wow, I've been putting 2/3- to 1 cup, no wonder it takes 6-8 hrs to get the 8-10psi rise. I wonder if that little is still filtering but just slower? Does more filter faster or just raise psi quicker

[stma]

That could be a question for Ben to answer.... im looking at it this way....:: it's either 1/2 Cup and filter for 6-8 hrs to get the rise---OR--- 2 Cups and filter 2 hours to get the rise... I chose the latter since I was hanging at the pool the whole day anyway..... if you have the time on your hands today, (You should since it's Fathers Day , attempt the 4 cup dose atleast a few times today and see if you see a marked difference ( I know I did)...... just an fyi: it does take a bit longer to backwash.... i was/ and have been adding water throughout the process... But I think the water will be a freebie today based on the forecast...

[michael3]

Found that about 2 cups seems to be a good number for me. The pressure rises about 2 psi and it takes about 3-4 hours to reach high enough to backwash. Stma do you still have a green tint or just cloudy? I still cant shake the green

[stma]

Mike, I kinda lost my green tint a little, but I'll tackle that when this thing de-fogs ( if it ever does).. Back in your first or second post, you mentioned something about adding shock that contained a percentage of copper.... I too, in the past would have this nagging green that would never disappear....Very Very slight hint, but it was green nonetheless.. I found it to be metals in the water (I have well water here)... now I know how to deal with that....
all that said::::
real simple: take 2 or 3 vitamin C tablets from the medicine drawer.... place the pill inside an 8- folded paper towel, the bottom of an old sock, an old rag etc... take a hammer and crush the pills up abit...now take that towel, rag or sock, and rub the side wall of the pool with it and see if you see a stain coming off.... If you do have metals in the water, it will be quite noticeable once you rub the pool wall as the stain will disappear before your eyes ... its actually pretty cool to see... If the metals are present in the water, dont sweat that until you get the cloud "thing" under control... Remember the color wheel : >>>> Blue wall+yellow stain=green appearance

[michael3]

Cool, now to get some vitamin c, would not surprise me at all if that's what I have. My liner is almost 10 yrs old and not in the best of shape. If I can get the clouds gone from my water, I may be able to live with green looking walls and bottom lol

[stma]

it wont take alot of "C" to find out... just ball it into a paper towel, and rub that "ball" on the liner... You'll know in an instant if its metals....

[michael3]

Well I`m happy to report ....... I am still clueless lol. Got some vitamin c, rubbed the pill up against the liner and nothing. I guess you can do that right? So, it doesnt appear to be metal, or will the vitamin c work on copper stain? Still dont think its algae at this point, Chlorine has been high enough, long enough to kill anything in that water lol.