Is there any way to pressure test laterals

[Poconos]

Matt is right about testing. As for cracks in the laterals, any crack big enough to let sand thru, you will see and it will be obvious. You mentioned that 'tape on the standpipe' trick so you must have been reading the archives. I think I mentioned that a couple years ago. For those that haven't seen the post, it is my suspicion that Hayward (my filter) designed the fit between the center pipe from the laterals and the top mount valve pipe to be a very loose fit. This lets air trapped in the top of the filter to bleed back to thr returns quickly. I added a few layers of black vinyl electrical tape to the top of the pipe to reduce the clearance but not seal it. It now takes a little longer for the returns to stop bubbling when I get air in the filter....from the vacuum hose when I connect it...but so what? I never had a sand blowby issue so I don't know if it did any good. But it didn't hurt things either.
Al

[nicole12]

Again today I took apart my filter, very, very carefully inspected each lateral, the standpipe. Everything is in PERFECT condition. The filter for some reason is still letting in a very fine dust. When I vacuum it up I use the scum bags and it resembles pollen it's so fine. I'm hoping that maybe once my media gets dirty it will start to filter out the fine stuff.

My numbers are perfect so I know it's not algae, just took them today:

FC 14
CC 0
CYA 80
ALK 80
PH 7.6

Also when I put a panty hose on the return it catches it all.

I'm just at my wits end.

[chuck9997]

Nicole.. I have the same problem.. I read some of your posts from last year (I think).. Maybe I backwash too much too.. not sure.

I have had the pool up for about 4 years.. only vac once a week or less.. Then this year.. I could vac everyday. The extra fine stuff gathers in the wrinkles and crevasses on the floor. If I vac... then turn the pump off.. the pool floor will be clean the next morning.. but when I turn the pump on.. the stuff appears again in a couple of hours.

It's driving me nuts!

[nicole12]

Yeah I still have the same problem. It's very aggravating. I didn't backwash for almost the past month and it didn't change a thing, well I shouldn't say that after I backwashed the stuff at the bottom of the pool was just lighter in color

If you don't mind putting a panty hose on your return it does catch the dust. Just looks ugly and also it doesn't allow my pool to whirlpool when the filter is running then the real stuff that should collect in the middle for easier vacuuming doesn't collect.

[aylad]

Nicole, have you looked at this thread? I was having the same problem as you, but I would have never found the cause..

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=7857


janet

[chuck9997]

If you don't mind putting a panty hose on your return it does catch the dust. Just looks ugly and also it doesn't allow my pool to whirlpool when the filter is running then the real stuff that should collect in the middle for easier vacuuming doesn't collect.

I'll try the panty hose.. but if we keep catching sand everyday.. that can't be good. The more sand it blows through.. the less sand in the filter.