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Thread: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
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    Attleboro, MA.
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    Default Can't find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    18' round AG pool, 150lb sand filter, 1.5hp filter...Astral Pool filter/pump came as a set. Also use about 3/4 c. of DE in sand filter.

    Had the pool for 4 years now.

    I've been having this problem all season. Everyday I vacuum the pool and then every morning I wake up to dirt/sand in every crevice/low spot in the liner.

    I can't seem to find what is causing this. Pool filter or nature.

    First I can rule out filter sand, what is at the bottom of the pool is so fine when you touch it with your finger you can't even feel it. I had a problem with filter sand last year and know this isn't it.

    I put some panty hose of the return to see if anything was coming out. I did notice when I vacuumed there was be a little bit of sand/debris in the panty hose, probably less than 1/8 of a teaspoon. I had the panty hose on for about 4 days and did notice the pool was alot cleaner but there was nothing in the panty hose so I took it off yesterday and later that night all the fine dirt at the bottom of the pool.

    Last time I vacuumed I did use the skimmer sock to stop the fine silt from getting into the filter and also had the panty hose on the return. Today I did not have that when I vacuumed.

    Also yesterday I mowed the lawn and the pool does sit at the lowest point of the yard so not sure if it's just a coincidence or not.

    I guess what I'm leaning towards is that when I vacuum for some reason what I vacuum just tends to go right through the filter back into the pool. Does this make sense and if so is the only way to fix it is to reduce the h.p on my pump?

    I put the panty hose back on the return and I guess I will leave it there until the dirt/sand reappears in the pool so I can rule out the filter/pump.

    It's just tough because there are so many variables that could lead me to one conclusion and not what the real problem could be.

    I'm just really discouraged/frustrated at this point.
    Last edited by nicole12; 07-09-2006 at 10:55 AM.

  2. #2
    Tredge is offline Registered+ Thread Analyst Tredge 0
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    Same here. I also ruled out the filter sand the same as you did.

    The stuff is so fine that when disturbed it disappears for a while till the pool settles out again.

    At first I thought it was metals precipitating out of the water from when I first filled it....a magnet doesnt help....but maybe its copper, or gold!

    I also thought maybe it was from the yard but it doesnt accumulate daily...seems to be the same once settled as when it first appeared.

    Even my dolphin cant filter it out...it just tosses it around and the next day its back.

    So I guess we're both stuck with it unless someone has a better Idea of how to get this stuff out of the pool.
    Some people have hobbies.....I have a pool.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    The only thing I can think of is vac to waste. If you don't have that on your filter I've thrown the hose over the side of the pool and used the vac to siphon the fine sand out.

    I swear I used to get more fine sand problems when using granular chlorine.

    Not having enough sand in the filter is a possibility too - make sure it is approx 2/3 full.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    It sounds to me like you are describing algae. This will blow through the filter and settle back onto the floor of the pool. Vacuum to waist will get it out of the pool but you will also need to treat the water for algae to keep it gone for good.

    Best of luck, Dennis
    AG pool installer
    Arizona

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Warwick, R.I., U.S.A..
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    Not a pro on this but, isn't a 1.5 HP pump a bit powerfull for a 150 LB filter? Maybe too much force to allow the sand to trap the finer particles.

    Post some numbers so we can see how you are looking on the CL side of things. The post above mentions algae so some numbers would help to rule this in or out.

    Wayne

  6. #6
    matt4x4 is offline Lifetime Member Verb Herder matt4x4 2 stars matt4x4 2 stars
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    Sounds like dust stirred up by lawnmowing, happens at our house all the time.
    When you cut your lawn, old, dead cuttings pretty much pulverize into a fine dust, this dust will immediately cling to the surface and eventually sink to the bottom, currents in the pool will naturally fill in crevices with it.
    The problem with the fine dust is that it will push trhough pretty much any sand filter unless you reduce the flow to almost nothing.
    Try 1-1.5 cups DE right before vacuuming, vacuum VERY SLOWLY, too much speed and all you do is stir the stuff up, and mix it back into the surrounding water.
    I don't know about where you are located, but where we are it has been EXTREMELY dry which certainly isn't helping the dust situation any.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    We've noticed the same thing. We bought a used AGP and just got it all up and running yesterday. We put 4lbs. of DE into the skimmer slowly and about 2 hours later, DH vacuumed the pool and said he noticed the dust/silt/whatever and just thought it was DE. Later in the evening, our water looked super clear but if you stood beside the pool and looked down into it, you could see a ton of spots where there was a whitish/gray substance just settling where the wrinkles in the bottom were. I thought we had minimal wrinkles, but now I can clearly see there are alot!! I'll have him vacuum again tonight when he gets home hoping to get this stuff out of there! We have a 1hp pump and a Star DE-50 filter.

  8. #8
    NWMNMom is offline Registered+ Widget Weaver NWMNMom 0
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    Here is what I finally discovered after blaming my teenagers for a couple of weeks for dragging sand/gravel in where I find it near the ladder and along the sides on the pool floor - ITS THE FARM CAT. He is jumping up on the rail and leaning in to drink from the pool (ick!) We have a security cam we use for backing up the 5th wheel/boat - I rigged it to watch the pool and it took less than 36 hrs to see Toby crawl up the ladder and walk the rail. We have water for him and Koi ponds he could drink from, but apparently this is his drink of choice and he does not wipe his feet first!

    Do you have a cat or are there any in the neighborhood?
    Beats driving to the lake!
    18'x33'x52" AG oval, hard plumbed system, 22" Pentair Meteor Filter 1.5hp pump, Goldline SWCG System, 2/4x20 SolarBear Panels, Biltmore Steps - 16x14' composite deck, Pool Rover Jr

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Attleboro, MA.
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    I have DE in the sand filter. I had replaced the sand this season, last year had a sand leak in the filter that I fixed in the off season. I did notice that the first time I backwashed some sand came out, just guessing but probably around 5 lbs. Not sure if that would make a difference.

    It's not algae here are my numbers.

    FC 12
    CC 0
    TA 100
    PH 7.4
    CYA 100

    It really could be linked to the mowing. We've had a ton of rain here in Mass. this past couple of months and we need to cut the grass every 3 days. I'm going to vacuum today with the skimmer sock and panty hose on the return and see what I can get out.

    I'm just worried about vacuuming to waste...won't that empty out alot of my pool? It's only 7500 gallons so it's a matter of minutes before I lose an inch.

    We have 2 big dogs...if there are any cats in the area...we don't see them :-)

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Can find cause of all the dirt/sand in the pool

    I have the same problem, but I know my problems come from the street behind our house. It's a low area where a creek runs just behind our yard and then crosses under street. All the drainage from rain/wind puts dirt/sand in that low spot, then cars fly by @ 30 to 40 mph and that throws it up in the air where it comes down in the pool. I know because I put a white filter sand in the pool and this is dirt brown. Next house will have IG pool w/o road behind it!
    I bet yours is blowing into pool also, since the DE should filter it.

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