Green coming out return

[albke01]

I've been fighting algae this year for the first time and finally got it all to settle to the bottom. When I go to vacuum on filter setting it is coming back out the return and within minutes it is to dirty to see. My pool place is telling me that the algae may be too fine for the sand filter but they have not been able to tell me how to get it out. They did think that the sand may be old so I have replaced it with the same results.

I'm new to the site so I'm learning where everything is at. Below is my pool information.

5000 gallon above ground pool
hayward Sand filter
tuff pool
2.5 years old

 

[kimkats]

Have you back washed and rinsed your filter in a while? Have you every deep cleaned your filter? I have an idea on how to help your sand filter but need these base questions answered first.

Kim:cat:

 

[Casey]

Welcome to TFP.

Now that you changed your sand, you'll never ever!! have to do it again. The only time it is ever necessary is during a Baq conversion. Other than that, deep cleaning is all you'll ever need in the future.

Answer Kim's questions and we'll go from there. You're main concerns,are not only going to be a minor filtering issue but a chemical issue.

 

[phonedave]

You can vaccum to waste, instead of through the filter, or you can try a slime bag on the return to catch the fines.

If you do not have a multiport valve where you can vaccum to waste, you can set up a siphon with your pool hose on your vac head and vaccum that way. It's not as much suction as actually vaccuming to waste using your pump, but it works if you go slowly enough not to stir up all the fines. I can't vaccum to waste on my DE filter, so I used the suction method this opening. I was not vaccuming up fines, but loads of degraded polynoses that would clog my filter in no time. Siphoning just dumped them on the lawn.




-dave

 

[phonedave]

Oh, and green is not good - thats not dead algae.

Greenish grey is OK, by bright green means you still have something living somewhere. Have you passed an OCLT?

 

[albke01]

Yes, I have done a backwash and rinse after putting the new sand in the filter. No, I have never deep cleaned the filter.

 

[kimkats]

Lets start with a deep clean first. It does not cost any money, just time.........

Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

THEN see about getting some DE (NOT food DE but filter aid for pools DE) you can get it at Lowes or such. IF you know any other pool owners they might have some you can get as it does not take much.

Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter

Make sure you can be around to babysit the filter when you find how much DE YOUR filter likes. One pool liked 2 tablespoons, mine likes 2.5 cups so...........they are all different.

DE will help your sand catch the tiny stuff. You can also use skimmer socks to help filter more.

Kim:cat:

 

[Casey]

I think that a SLAM and reading material is in order. I have responded to your pm and reiterate that you should go to Pool School and read the ABC'S of pool water chemistry.

ETA that you should be able to test your water. Do you have a test kit? If you do not, you need to order one. You can find the links to the 2 most used test kits in Pool School and they are the K2006 or the TF100 (TF100 is the better deal, order it!). If you do not eradicate the algae with high levels of FC (you need the test kit to know you're SLAM'ing the pool, the algae will come back and you'll have wasted your time, your chlorine, your money and our time trying to get you to where you're swimming in a trouble free pool. Look at the test kit as an investment in the pool.