pool filter throwing back dirt from cartridge filter

[Barbara Anderson]

I was hoping someone could help me, my cartridge filter keeps allowing dirt to be throw back into pool. I bought a new filter and it work for 2 weeks last year then I closed the pool. Since I have opened the pool AS I am vacuuming it is throwing the dirt right back in. I would appreciate any help. At first I thought it might be algae building up but my husband said he could see it being throw back in as he was vacuuming the pool

 

[mikemass]

Most likely a hole in your filter media. Remove cartridges and inspect them. Look in between every pleat for a tear.

 

[kimkats]

Once you do what Mike says also put a sock over the return to catch some of it. Set it out and let it dry. Take a pic and share.

Make sure your cart. is seated just right. I had to give mine a wiggle to seat it when I had a cart. filter.

Kim:cat:

 

[Texas Splash]

At first I thought it might be algae building up but my husband said he could see it being throw back in as he was vacuuming the pool.

Before TFP, that very thing was happening to me as well and it was indeed algae. My single stack cartridge filter was overwhelmed, so it blew debris right-on by and out to my return jets. Just made a cloudy mess.

Definitely look at Mike and Kim's suggestions first. If those don't resolve your issue, update your signature with the type of equipment you have installed and also post a full set of test results from your TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 test kit. That info may also prove valuable. Good luck!

 

[Pauls234]

The above is great advice to get you started and those are definitely the right first steps, but I want to mention something that happened to me and, surprisingly, I cannot recall seeing any other instances of this on the forum.

Beginngin of last season, I had a small algae problem, SLAMed, defeated it, all good.
Then, after a few days of no pool use and the cover on, dead algae would appear back on the floor. So, I thought I must still have a low level algae problem that I just didn't finish off. Removed ladders, checked the usual nooks and crannies, etc, passed OCLT, vacuumed it up. Then a few days would pass, same thing, dead algae on the floor (all the while chlorine consumption suggested nothing was living in my pool) After chasing algae ghosts for a few weeks, I finally recalled that I purchased a new cartridge media at the end of the prior season, saved $30 on Amazon vs. the Pool Store, great deal right? Checked for holes, proper seating, all of that stuff.

So, at my wits end, I ran to the pool store, purchased a new cartridge, dropped it in and boom, everything cleared right up. As another test, I opened this season with my discount filter (no algae needing to be cleared) and I just didn't have the sparkly water that I am used to as a dedicated TFPer. Switched back to my more expensive filter and sparkly TFP water restored.

Keep that in mind. Unfortunately, I do not see any obvious difference between the two cartridges and neither is there a description on Amazon about filtering ability (down to certain microns or whatever) that would allow me to distinguish, other than the media on one is white and on the other is more blue. No idea if that is at all meaningful or telling though.

 

[Cap'n Hook]

One thing to make sure, if your not installing the cartridge filter into the housing CORRECTLY, the water may bypass the filter entirely, if the filter cartridge isn't seated on the pump inlet and outlets. If you're using cheap type A or C filters, the center large holes sometimes don't "slip" into the correct positions because sometimes these holes in the cartridge filters are formed too small at the factory. When you reinstall the filter cartridge into the housing, it should slide EASILY onto the lower housing mount. Make sure the rubber gasket is correctly fitted on your pump housing lid, and it should also EASYLY slide into the top of the filter cartridge. If you're forcing the pump cover onto the filter cartridge it most likely isn't seating properly into the top of the filter cartridge and is bypassing your filter cartridge.

I had this problem with a few Walmart filters. I purchased a quality filter off Amazon, it fit perfect, can be washed and reused, and seems to filter the water better as well.

 

[gtty]

I have a hayward 4000gph cartridge filter that spits ultra fine dirt/silt back into pool every time I vacuum. I now have a polishing bag (Duda Diesel Filter Bag) I put on when I'm vacuuming and it catches all the ultra fine dirt, as well as algae if I lose control of my levels while on a business trip.