Bad Cartridge replacement filters?

[greddy09sc]

Hi,

I purchased a used house with a pool about 6 months ago. After 3 months as pool owner, I saw the psi from my filter go up to @16lbs and decided to replaced all 4 of my cartridge filters with these from amazon:

Amazon.com : PACK of 4 Hayward CX570XRE, Star Clear/Swim Clear C3000 C3020 ALL AMERICAN Cartridges, Unicel C-7477, Pleatco PA75SV, Aladdin 17509, Filbur FC1260, StaRite PRC75, OEM 252000175S Swimming Pool Filter Cartridges : Patio, Lawn Garden

It's was running at 7-8psi new and water flow was strong. After a month it raised back up to 15psi. I took it out and cleaned it. Went back down to 10lbs.

I cleaned it again 2 days ago and it drastically went from 9lbs to 17 lbs, hence my water is not being filtered correctly because water flow was weak. Why is the pressure increasing so fast and rapidly. Visual inspection of the filter doesn't really look that bad. (I used Hayward brand lube around the rubber ring) Is it possible that I purchase bad/cheap cartridge filter? Could it be because I didn't buy the 'Name Brand' filters? Filters supposed to last for years right? Or am I not cleaning it properly? I'm just spraying it down with a water hose. But if this is the case, readings wouldn't be low after cleaning.

Took water test at Leslies' and TA is a bit low at 60 ant Calcium Hardness at 200, but I doubt this would affect the filter psi readings.

Please advise. Thanks in advance.

 

[pooldv]

I am very happy with my Pleatco filters, they work great. I suspect that it is algae clogging your filter. Algae clogs up filters very quickly. Having algae is a water chemistry problem, not a filter problem. A filter will never get rid of an algae problem.

Give us a set of test results.
Tell us about your test kit if you have one.
Add your pool info to your signature as shown here, Pool School - Read This Before You Post
Tell us what your water looks like.
Read this ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
And this SLAM Process

 

[greddy09sc]

I am very happy with my Pleatco filters, they work great. I suspect that it is algae clogging your filter. Algae clogs up filters very quickly. Having algae is a water chemistry problem, not a filter problem. A filter will never get rid of an algae problem.

Give us a set of test results.
Tell us about your test kit if you have one.
Add your pool info to your signature as shown here, Pool School - Read This Before You Post
Tell us what your water looks like.
Read this ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
And this SLAM Process

Thanks pooldv, I did have some algae growth more than usual before cleaning the filter. So you're probably right. The algae is contain now. I'll clean the filters again and observe. I"ll post my test results later tonight. Thanks again.

 

[greddy09sc]

I open the filter yesterday and you were right, it smell like a fish tank. Algae smell I guess. I cleaned it and let's see how long it last this time.

I dont have a test kit. Just some test strip.
Result from local pool analysis:

FAC 2
TAC 2
CH 200
CYA 60
TA 60
pH 7.4
Copper 0
Iron 0
TDS 200
Pho 0

Regarding TA, I can just use baking soda rather than 'Alkalinity Up'? But wouldn't that raise my pH?

Thank you.

 

[Rossterman]

You are well below min FC with cya at 60 hence your alge problems. Suggest you utilize the cya/fc link above under pool school to determine what levels to maintain and what is required to kill off alge. Also should get a decent test kit (tfp version is good as is the taylor k-2006) and do the testing yourself as pool store test results can be unreliable based on experience of the tester.

currently you have too low of fc to maintain the pool (need 7) and you will need to raise it to 24 (and maintain it per slam method) to kill off the alge bloom. Without this, your alge problem will comtimue.

Here is the link to the chart: Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

 

[pooldv]

TA at 60 is OK. I would not adjust that based on pool store test results.

 

[greddy09sc]

You are well below min FC with cya at 60 hence your alge problems. Suggest you utilize the cya/fc link above under pool school to determine what levels to maintain and what is required to kill off alge. Also should get a decent test kit (tfp version is good as is the taylor k-2006) and do the testing yourself as pool store test results can be unreliable based on experience of the tester.

currently you have too low of fc to maintain the pool (need 7) and you will need to raise it to 24 (and maintain it per slam method) to kill off the alge bloom. Without this, your alge problem will comtimue.

Here is the link to the chart: Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

After reading the Pool School and CYA Chart, I decided I need to slam my pool immediately. (without having a test kit at hand) I have a 12K Gallon pool, on Friday afternoon, I put in 2 gallons Liquid Chlorine (12% Chlorine), Clean filter cartridge and brush. Friday night, another gallon. Saturday afternoon, one gallon bleach (8.25% Chlorine) and brush. Sunday, Monday nothing just brush. Water is clear with no evidence of green algae on pool wall and Filter psi remains the same. Today, my Taylor K-2006 test kit came in and here are the results:

FC - 0 (I put in two dippers and sample did not turn any color. Remain clear, hence there's 0 Chlorine? I cant' believe all that chlorine few days ago and it's now at 0)
pH - 7.4
CYA - 70 (Black dot is barely visible at bottom of tube. Total disappear is more at 55. Does it count if you can barely see the dot?)
TA - 80
CH - 260
Saturation Window -.02.

Since FC was 0, i poured in one gallon of bleach just now.
After going over briefly the test kit guide, I noticed i have some black algae. (About a dozen small 5mm in diameter in size) I saw them yesterday for the first time in the pool and didn't know what it was, I just got a flathead screwdriver and shaved them off.

I have two pucks in the chlorinator tube.

Pool is clean and clear as of now. But do I need to slam all over again to get rid of the black algae?