filter/pump problems - pool newbie

[ryanm]

Thanks for the replies. Yes it is a vinyl liner. The pool at this point is not green, it's "blue". The water is pretty cloudy (I can't see the bottom even in the shallow end) but the green that was there is now gone. It's been that way ever since I had the water tested and put chemicals in (that's a whole other story/problem) which was about a week ago. So do you still think it is algea?

I don't have the numbers but just using a test strip this is what I get:
Chlorine is very low to low
pH is low to ok (6.8-7.2)
alkalinity is low to ok (40-80)
Cyanuric Acid is low

When I first went to the pool place and had the water tested all my numbers were way high but they had me put in too much and then all my numbers were way low! The last thing I put in was 10lbs of "soda ash". I've also put shock in multiple times (including this morning after doing the soda ash yesterday) and still no chlorine. I was looking at this as a separate issue than the filter/pump but maybe it's not?

Is it not likely that my filter grids are screwed up from me running the pump for a while with potentially no DE in the filter? If I put too much DE would it cause this problem?

That is interesting that you're saying cartridges are not as easy as sand. I definitely got the impressing cartidges were easier from what I've read on various sites. The concept of it seems easier to me for some reason.

thanks again for the help
Ryan

[JohnT]

That is interesting that you're saying cartridges are not as easy as sand. I definitely got the impressing cartidges were easier from what I've read on various sites. The concept of it seems easier to me for some reason.

Until you have to clean them, cartridges are easier. With sand, to clean you turn a valve, let the pump run for a couple of minutes while sipping a drink, shut the pump off, turn a valve, let the pump run a minute or so while sipping a drink, shut the pump off, turn a valve, turn the pump on and go swimming. IMO, cartridges are the hardest type of filter to use and sand the easiest.

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

Ryan,
Keep the DE Filter bro! The reason the pressure keeps rising is because that 5 micron filtering ability is getting bogged down with that cloud of dead algea in the water. Just clean the filtering elements the best you can and then fire it up. Make sure your adding the DE through the skimmer and not directly into the DE filter before turning it on. Then wait for the pressure rise and repeat. Spend all day Saturday and by the end of it you should have a clean pool.

[ryanm]

So I'm going to need to keep opening up the filter and hosing them off or just backwashing? Let me see if I have backwashing right. My filter has three in/outs. One has the output from the pump going to it, the other outputs to the pool and the third has a valve on it which I can open to drain it. Is just opening up this third valve and draining it "backwashing"? From what I have read it seems there is more to backwashing than just draining.

The time I opened it up and it was all green, prior to opening it I drained it and the water was all cloudy/green but now if I just let it drain a bit (for like 10 seconds) the water stays pretty clear.

thanks

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

Yes that is your backwash valve and when you get a pressure rise of 5-8 lbs then you want to backwash the filter until the water runs clear. Basically you are reversing the flow and sending all the gunk that is caked on your grids out in the yard. Once the water runs clear shut down the equipment again, set the valve back to filter, start up the equipment again and then add like 75%-80% of the required DE in the skimmer with filter/pump running. Check that the pressure returned to normal and you are all set.
** When it is REAL nasty you may have to open it up and actually clean the filter elements but if the pressure drops to normal and does NOT immediately rise back up you should be fine with backwashing.

[ryanm]

How do I know what "normal" pressure is? So far in my experience it's either been REALLY low (like non existent) or it's around 20psi. I know the max psi of the filter is 50. If my filter elements were messed up (damaged) how would I know?

thanks

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

If you had damaged filter fingers stuff would be coming out the returns back into the pool. If that is happening you have a problem with the filter. I think some people here run a pressure around 20psi, my norm is 11psi not that it matters. Without running the pool with a clean filter and clean pool it might be tough to know what the "normal" pressure should be. Is there THAT much junk in the water? Hang in there and keep the Chlorine level up in shock territory.

Pottstown huh? We're practically neighbors!