DE in the pool

[kathgilliam]

Ever head the expression "I know enough just to be dangerous"...well, I don't even know that much.

Got my pump running, although I don't know what's going where, I just know water is coming out of the returns and circulating and the skimmers have suction. I added DE through the skimmer, but I could hear it draining where the skimmer drain is, and sure enough, I go over there and DE is all over the ground around the drain. So I turn off the pump, turn the handle all the way around the dial back to Filter. Turn the pump back on. The filter goes to 12 pressure and is no longer draining. I figure I'm back in business.

I look at my light green pool and a giant flume of light brown is coming from one return and dirty water is pouring into my spa. Now the pool and spa have DE and whatever else in little piles on the bottom.

<SOB>

Questions:

1) What the hell???

2) How do I get the DE out? If I brush it around will it eventually adhere to the grids in the filter or does it only go on one way? Should I shop vac it out of the spa?

3) Should I backwash and try again? Was my filter valve just not engaged fully?

4) How do you get a pool service to come dig you out of the mess you've made and yet not adjust your water with all their little potions?

I'm just at my wits end, been bawling for an hour, trying to maintain my weird sense of humor, but from the number of posts, you can see I should never have been allowed to have a pool.

If anyone has any help for me, or encouragement, I could sure use it.

Kath

[Phillbo]

If anyone has any help for me, or encouragement, I could sure use it.

Kath

First ... slow down, don't let it get to you too much. It's just a pool. It can be fixed.

The pros will be along to square you away real soon.

[PatL34]

Kath,

Sorry I can't give you my shoulder to cry on. I guarantee it's an excellent shoulder.

1. The answer is take a few days off, and enjoy yourself without any thoughts of the pool.

2. When you come back, make sure the multiway valve is set to filter. Start the pump and check the pressure on the filter. Connect the vacuum and remove the DE to put it back on the filter grids. If you are still getting DE back in the pool, the gasket on the multiway valve may be damaged. Remember never to change the valve position when the pump is running. It says so on the valve top.

3. If all goes well, backwash when you see the pressure is about 8 psi above where you started.

4. Forget about the pool service. Odds on they may create more problems than when you started.

When you have done all this, have a stiff drink on me.

Now to get rid of the green color.

Start adding bleach until you get about 15 ppm chlorine and maintain that until it starts to clear. You may get some cloudiness. That's OK. Just keep backwashing when the pressure goes up.

I am certain you will get extra support. We will NOT let you down.

Have fun and keep us posted.

Pat

[kathgilliam]

Many, many thanks to all of you. I am so grateful, I can't express how much. I am going to take my little girl to a movie tonight and follow your advice tomorrow. I feel so awful because the pool was just gorgeous when we got it (albeit full of CYA) and now it's a mess, thanks to my bumbling and ignorance. But I keep trying and I have learned a lot...I just have a lot left to learn.

You're right, it *is* just a pool and it can be fixed and I will just give it a rest.

K