Sediment in bottom of pool

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T

thejohnsonfive

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LifeTime Supporter
May 17, 2013
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Test results with the TF-100

FC=5
CC=0
TC=5
TA=60
CH=180
CYA=30
Less than .5 chlorine loss on the overnight test
Use filter socks 100% of the time, change them twice a day
pool is in the middle of the woods, lots of clay dust

I have been using the TFP method for three years with great results. Each year I have noticed more and more sediment gathering on the bottom of the pool in the little crevices and divots. This year there seems to be quite a bit more. It vacs up easily but after the filter is off it settles back to the bottom, I have cleaned the cartridge filter and continue to use the socks. Is my only option to vac to waste several times? I think it is a combo of pollen and clay dust not algae, could be wrong. Any help would be great.
 
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I have a cartridge filter, and that is my question... do I have to resort to vacuuming to waste? I think it will take several times with lots of adding additional water, rebalancing etc. So that's why I wanted to know if that is my only or perhaps best option?
 
Some sediments cannot be filtered, especially by sand filters. They go right back. Have you tried vacuuming to waste?
Click to expand...
Not correct. Sand filters, properly working, will keep a pool crystal clearclear water.JPG

This pic is through 8 feet of water with 9 year old sand and no additives just sand and a properly chlorinated pool.

And, yes, that is a bug floating on the water and that is his shadow right next to the robot on the pool floor.
 
Is my only option to vac to waste several times?
Click to expand...
No. Your cartridge filter is perfectly capable of catching any VISIBLE debris. More often than not, what you are experiencing is dead algae settling to your pool floor. You can try 2-3 approaches....

1. vacuum more often and keep your pump running more often. I assume you have a manual vac and may want to consider a robot.

2. (and this is my choice) Elevate your chlorine to twice it's normal level (about 8 ppm in your case) and KEEP IT ELEVATED for 3 days or so. I believe that will kill of any invisible algae you have and the pool will become crystal clear.....run the pump 24/7 during this period and vacuum every day.

3. SLAM the pool. Follow the SLAM article in Pool School to the letter.....no exceptions or variations.
 
Yep, if you can see it it is probably algae. Anything you can see your cartridge filter can filter out. You probably have a low level algae bloom that is kept just at bay.

Please add your location to your profile as shown here, Pool School - Getting Started. You might need to raise your CYA level depending on your climate.

What is your FC like late afternoon and early evening? It could be dipping a little then. More chlorine, and sometimes more CYA, fixes a lot of issues. It is safe to swim with FC up to shock level for your CYA, Chlorine CYA Chart
 
Thank you for clarifying about the cartridge filter. So an update...I completed my first slam yesterday, met all 3 requirements. Lots of daily vacuuming and brushing, did the stairs, cleaned the cartridge. I would have the family create a whirlpool and use the brush to make sure everything was getting mixed in, turn off the filter and let things settle in the center, vacuumed by using siphoning to the ground, repeat, repeat, repeat! This wasted less water as I would only vacuum the big pile in the center. I had to add water 2 times (we have a well) I finally got the eye adjusted just perfect so there is a constant current going around and more stuff would settle in the center. Bought cheap turkey basters and made a game for the kids to go around to the lines of algae that had settled in the crevices and see who could stay under and suck it up and shoot it back into the yard. The pool looked amazing and I could only see a few very small areas that needed to be sucked up still (pea sized). Then today it rained and there is a huge pile in the center, at least a foot across! Here are my numbers tonight 8pm no sunlight on the pool


PH 7.4
FC 6.0 (started this morning at 8)
CC less than .5
TA 70
CYA 20-25

The stuff in the center I vacuumed out on the ground, seemed like the same fine stuff as before. This cant possibly be algea? I have to believe after the rain it must be pollen?! So my question would be....do an overnight test again? Slam again? I know I will need to increase cya because of the water replacement. What more should I do? See if my numbers hold maybe?
Thank you
 
With all our trees the pool only receives sunlight from 11am-4:30 or so but they do not hang over the pool. Nearest tree is about 30 ft away. Water temp is never above 78 but we love it like that!
 
Huge storm last night so pool is over full, I plan on vac out the extra water raising fc to 10 and will perform overnight test tonight. Not too much debris in there this morning, maybe all the pollen was dumped in from the first rain? Will post my numbers in the morning.
 

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Huge storm last night so pool is over full, I plan on vac out the extra water raising fc to 10 and will perform overnight test tonight. Not too much debris in there this morning, maybe all the pollen was dumped in from the first rain? Will post my numbers in the morning.
 
duraleigh said:
Not correct. Sand filters, properly working, will keep a pool crystal clear
Click to expand...

Dave

Did I say anywhere sand filters do not keep pools clear? Nope, I did not. My sand in above ground pool keeps ut exactly that, crystal clear. But sand filters are the coarsest of them all for the pool filtration.
If I ever had cloudiness that was due to algae bloom I removed, the filter was not able to remove it, I had to floc.
And if I tried to vacuum the floc sediment not to waste, it would go right through the filter, which could be easily seen. New sand or old.
To get the water sparkling with a sand filter if it is not sparkling (even clear enough) a floc is needed.
 
That too. Though I tried that Zeo fiber....that was like 5 years ago, I added a little and it effectively clogged the filter, I had to backwash. Tried it more than once (S180T filter), same result, gave up, backwashed and floced.
 
So I did an OCLT last night FC did not drop, less than .5, started with 10, woke up with FC of 10. Vac out all the debris I can find, here are my current numbers

FC 8.5-9 1pm dst
PH 7.6
CC .5 or less
TA 70
CYA 20-25

so my plan is to
1. raise the CYA to 40 or so
2. raise the TA to 90ish
3. keep FC at 5
4. add borates when all my numbers are set

My question now is can I work on the stabilizer ( I have it in a sock hanging in front of the return eye) and my TA at the same time or do I need to wait a week for the stabilizer numbers to be accurate?
Thank you
 
You can work TA and CYA at the same time. But, I would not work on TA right now. The only reason to adjust TA is if your PH is not stable. If your PH remains stable over the next several weeks then leave TA where it is.
 
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