Test results post fiasco

[kathgilliam]

I took a few hours off to watch Nanny McFee, ate comfort food, and went back to the pool. I vacuumed up the loose DE, cleaned the Polaris filter which was gunked up with the stuff. I added 12 quarts more of liquid bleach.

My SWG shows 2200, with 1400 going through at the moment (hitting the button 5 times).

Did an HTH test

CYA: 80!!!
Hardness: None (not sure I did this test right...the first agent showed red threads swirling around, but that's all it would ever do...I stopped adding drops after 15, so I don't know what this means.
pH: 7.5
BP: Back to normal <g>

The Polaris is running and stirring up the residual DE. There is no increase of PSI to the filter. How long do I have to wait before I put in salt?

K

[hulla]

The hardness test has only faint colors. Do it in a well lit room and look at the test water against a white background.

I don't think salt affects any of the other numbers so you should be able to add more anytime but I could be wrong.

[Poolsean]

welll...for what it's worth, wait until your water chemistry is good. If you need to adjust any of the parameters by draining, you'll just waste the salt you add.

[kathgilliam]

Do you think I could have a bad filter?

I backwashed (one minute), rinsed (one minute) (this is what I was told to do) and then put it back on filter and added de. I turned the pump off between each change.

DE is now spewing out of my returns.

[Poolsean]

Most likely there is a DE Grid with a tear in it, or not seated properly. You'll have to take it apart and inspect each grid. Make sure they're seated properly into the base manifold.

Hey, at least your pump is running...

Step by Step...one item at a time. You'll get it working and you'll have yourself to pat on the back.

I give you credit for perservering. It'll come easier and just think, when you're done, you'll know more than the average pool company.

[kathgilliam]

Thank you so much for responding. It seems like it's two steps forward, three steps back.

My pump is operating, but the water coming out of the returns is bubbling like a caldron. Should I run it all night or turn it off. Will it burn up without the filter filtering? Or with de in the water?

I don't really understand the process, that's probably at the root of everything. If the water goes out the pump, out the returns, doesn't it then go back into the filter? Why isn't the DE sticking there? Because of the hole?

K