Trying to clean up pool-swamp; Pentair DE filter stops up almost instantly

[Rrb22286]

I bought a house that the pool hasn't been used in 2 years. It was like a swamp I got to cone around well it is now a very light green. Here's the list of things I have done. Changed the grids replaced the top manifold because it was crack.. Recently while in filter mode when I clean out the filter and out new de in the psi starts off at about 15 then raises to about 25 within about 10 mins then to around 30 or more this didn't happen before. Usually stuck around 10 psi for a good hour even when the pool was like a swamp what ciuld have caused this change in pressure.. Right now if I let the pump run for 45 mins there is barely any water coming out of the inlet please help

[PoolDoc]

Sounds like you may be trying to filter live algae with a DE filter. That will not work -- live algae stops up DE almost instantly.

1. Get a OTO/phenol red test kit, locally (Walmart, Kmart, Lowes, etc.)

2. If you haven't already done so, remove all the physical debris (leaves, branches, etc.) from the pool. There's no point in trying clean it up till that's done.

3. Describe your pool: concrete/vinyl/FG; pump make/model; filter make/model, pool dimensions.

[Rrb22286]

I have a test kit. I also have got 90% of the debris out. . The pool turn from a swamp to a light green but like in said even after cleaning out the filter adding new de it sint run very long without pressure rising. I'm soaking the grids right now to see if that helps. As to my pool it's a liner emerson 1hp pump. Pentair fns plus 48sq ft filter. And 20x40

Sounds like you may be trying to filter live algae with a DE filter. That will not work -- live algae stops up DE almost instantly.

1. Get a OTO/phenol red test kit, locally (Walmart, Kmart, Lowes, etc.)

2. If you haven't already done so, remove all the physical debris (leaves, branches, etc.) from the pool. There's no point in trying clean it up till that's done.

3. Describe your pool: concrete/vinyl/FG; pump make/model; filter make/model, pool dimensions.

[PoolDoc]

I have a test kit.

Yes, but what kit? Is it an OTO / phenol red kit? DPD color-match is NOT helpful in this situation; and we call "test-strips" 'guess-strips' for a reason.

I also have got 90% of the debris out. .

Nice! But you'll have to get 100%. You can't clean up algae when there are still piles of leaves, unless you want to use MASSIVE quantities of chlorine.

The pool turn from a swamp to a light green but like in said even after cleaning out the filter adding new de it sint run very long without pressure rising.

Light green is better, but you won't be able to run a DE filter till the water is no longer green at all. Gray is OK. Green -- even light green -- is not.

I'm soaking the grids right now to see if that helps.

It won't.

As to my pool it's a liner emerson 1hp pump. Pentair fns plus 48sq ft filter. And 20x40

OK. A 20x40 liner pool with a 1HP pump and a Pentair FNS+ 48sft. You'll need to look on the wet end of the pump, to see what pump it is. "Emerson" is the brand of the electric motor used, not the pump.

Meanwhile, GET the OTO kit. And buy 20 gallons of PLAIN 8% household bleach. Add 10 gallons this EVENING. Test the pool in the AM with the OTO kit. Report changes.

[Rrb22286]

I have a oto kit too. I did what you said it is reading around 2.5 chlorine and 7.4 pH the pump is a Pentair challenger.

[PoolDoc]

2.5 is too low, when you are cleaning swamps. You need to add chlorine till you see a DARK yellow result, darker than is shown on the test block. Dose in the late PM; test in the early AM. Most likely, you have no stabilizer (it's been biodegraded), so you'll lose chlorine during the day, depending on the cloudiness.

I should have mentioned it earlier, but if you have valving that allows you to BYPASS the filter, do so. It will help to circulate the water, even if you can't filter yet.

One point I hadn't mentioned yet: once the pool is fully gray -- no green tint remaining -- you need to sweep the pool. There's a good chance that there are algae piles on the bottom. Do NOT disturb these till the algae in the WATER is dead. Once you're ready to sweep, add another LARGE dose of chlorine, and then sweep after doing so. If you fail to add the chlorine dose first, you can start up your pool algae all over again. Ideally sweep in mid to late afternoon, and then check the pool again before it gets dark. If there IS a bunch of algae on the bottom, the pool may go immediately green, BUT if you've dosed adequately, it should return to gray within an hour or two. If it does not, add an additional dose of chlorine before it gets dark. Check again in the AM; if it's at all green, test with OTO, and if you do not get a DARK yellow result, add yet another dose.

[Rrb22286]

I have added stabilizer it's a lil low still be not to bad. I do have the pump on recirculate not through the pump. It has gone to a really light green I did scoop out some more debris from the bottom before I added the bleach last night hard to tell if I got it all. But I'm pretty sure most is out. It has had 2 years of stuff on the bottom due to the last owner not having it running starting to think I should have just drained it. Ha. But I will give it another dose of chlorine

[PoolDoc]

I can't emphasize this enough: like Yoda said, "Do, or do not. There is no 'try'".

With algae, if you're not winning, you're losing. Do NOT sweep till the water is gray. Do NOT be conservative in how much chlorine you add. (But, do not dump chlorine powder on the liner, unless you want a bleached liner!). Do NOT let it be green!

"really light green" = You are LOSING! You will be very unhappy, if you personally discover how fast established algae can re-grow, rendering all your work to date pure wasted effort. Add chlorine till it's gray, THEN clean and sweep . . . and add more chlorine!

The amount of chlorine needed to clean a swamp is HUGE. If you have the valves to do it, vacuum piles of algae sludge to waste.

[Rrb22286]

Added another ten gallons last night checked the cl lvls this morning and they are still passed the scale of the oto but it's still very light green add more bleach tonight or should I vacuum some algae to waste?

[PoolDoc]

If you have the capability to vac-to-waste, yes, that would be good. Just make sure the chlorine is high when you do ANYTHING to stir it up.