Starting off just like I left last season :(

[scootchu]

Your chlorine numbers can't be right. I seriously doubt that you have a CC reading greater than 20. Also, since you have a cya reading of 80, you should be shocking your pool up to 20 (FC that is). I'm not sure if you did shock to 20 and just mistakenly listed the 20 as your CC reading or if you shocked up to 10 or what. Retest and repost. What type of test kit are you using?

I also wonder what you are using for your source of bleach and also what your calcium hardness reading is. You shouldn't need to change your sand. My sand is on its 8th season, I think Al's is on his 13th or so season and Carl has had his sand for a good many years as well. I doubt the sand is your problem. If your pool is green, then you are probably just filtering out a lot of stuff that is clogging the filter. That means it is doing its job. This spring when I was opening my pool, the water wasn't green but had some debris, dirt, pollen in it and my filter pressure was rising frequently. We had to do a quick backwash fairly often and then it would be fine for a bit and then we would do it again. Somebody else may have something else to add about your filter.

Hang in there. We'll help you get it clear.

I respect your opinion and I also think I flipped the CC and FC, in fact on my paper I have
CC-10
FC-20

The kit is a Poolmaster Basic 4 Test Kit and I am also using test strips for the CYA and the off the 3.0 scale of the kit.

The Calcium reading from what I can rememeber is very low. I will re-check when I go home.

I really should bite the bullet and buy a Taylor kit I suppose, but it would have to be online since our pool stores kit choices stink.

In any case I am concerned with the filter. When I say the flow goes down, I am serious, really drops to about 1/3 of what it was. My guage, as with all guages I have had doesn't work anymore, so back pressure cannot be measured.

When I backwash I get a bit of brown water, but not the green smelly stuff I was always used to.

I feel like a complete novice at this point. I used to be the poolmaster and now... just it's humble servant. I need to learn to be patient, BUT the problem with that is I never know if I am waiting for a turnaround or just waiting for things to get worse. If I could get a glimpse of the future and if I am headed in the right direction I would be as patient as could be. LOL

Whoops forgot. I am using Liquid Bleach, Clorox, and a couple of pucks in the skimmer right now.