filter/pump problems - pool newbie

[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!

[ryanm]

Last night I backwashed once and then put 4lbs of DE in (it says my filter requires 5lb so I figured 4 was good after a backwash?). Of course something else went wrong. The replacement hose I used started collapsing on itself from the pressure! How annoying. I used braided PVC (I think that what it's called) which I saw on some pumps at the pool store. So I have to replace that now. arhg

The water doesn't seem THAT dirty to me but it is pretty cloudy. It's blueish though not green. The chlorine level is another problem, so far I've put several pounds of extra strenght shock in and the Chlorine still shows as nonexistant when you test the water.

Yep I'm actually in North Coventry (which is chester co) but yeah I know Downingtown pretty well (grew up in Chester Springs).

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

You want to backwash until the water is very clear. I actually backwashed last night too, took about 8 mins before the water ran clear. I grew up in Paoli and recently moved out to Downingtown. I work with a half a dozen people who live in Pottstown, Douglasville, etc.

** That cloud is probably all the dead algea cells floating around. Keep up the good work!**

[duraleigh]

The chlorine level is another problem, so far I've put several pounds of extra strenght shock in and the Chlorine still shows as nonexistant when you test the water.

Ryan,

I watched this thread get side tracked into filter questions when your issue is almost surely chlorine. You must continually put shock levels of chlorine in your pool to get it clear.

If your chlorine diappears, it's because you are killing algae in your pool. The answer is simple....you need more chlorine.

[ryanm]

Dave,
I need to get the other levels correct in the water for the chlorine to work though right? I've got the pH and alkalinity right now but the cyanuric acid is very low. I need to get that up first right or should I just start putting a ton of chlorine in?

Back to the filter, I hooked up the vacuum this weekend and it seemed to be working and all but then I noticed little bits of leaves were coming back into the pool. Also when I put DE into the skimmer it seems a good amount of it comes into the water. Could my filter elements be messed up?

thanks
Ryan