D.E. keeps returning into pool!!! then turns green and i chase my tail again...!!!!

[mikey]

please help i have torn my filter apart looking everywhere for hole or tears...manifiold looks intact too with no visible cracks...i have small breather holes at the top of the manifold but it appears to be manufactured like that....i have replaced O rings on everything.....now heres the kicker....i do have 3 filter grids where there are areas where the plactic fins have broken off....one pool store tells me its ok as long as there are no tears...another pool store says to replace them...i have been burning through money like theirs no tmrw and im at my wits end!!! Then to add insult i keep greening out!!! im getting beat down chasing my tail...i kill the algae shock the pool raise chlorine levels tear apart the filter, add fresh D.E and watch in horror as it all returns into my pool!!! any help would be much appreciated cuz im about to call it quits and turn it into a skate park for the kids

[PoolDoc]

1. Fix your filter.

There are only 2 ways DE added to a skimmer can return to the pool: something's wrong with your filter OR you have some sort of filter bypass in the piping. Without knowing your filter model (or piping) layout, I can't offer suggestions regarding WHAT is wrong. But I can tell you it's one or the other. If there's no possible bypass to the filter . . . then something's wrong with the filter or the valves on the filter.

2. Fix your chemistry.

DE in your pool does not make algae grow. Inadequate chlorination makes algae grow. So
=> Order a Taylor K2006 test kit from Amazon (links in blue block below), AND
=> Read the Best Guess page, and adjust your chlorine levels based on the info there + testkit results, AND
=> Start adding enough bleach EVERY evening to maintain a DARK yellow to ORANGE chlorine level on a cheap locally-purchased OTO test kit. Do this till you receive the K2006.
=> Report test results from the K2006 here.
=> Don't bother with reporting pool dealer test result. They *typically* mis-report CYA levels, with errors ranging from 50% to 400% (had a 400% one earlier today!).