I have the same problem with the brown spots jde2. I am convinced that its just a simple fact that my sand filter can not catch this pollen and nothing that i have tried has worked. I wonder if a better sand filter would work or if I should go with a different filter.
Sand filter putting sand in pool
- Thread starter jde2
- Start date
budysr said:
Some folks opt to change the sand to 'Zeolite" or similar for finer filtering - I've never used it, but still don't trust it's claims
. There is also a suggestion to add a little DE to the filter to make it pick up finer particles - which I do believe in 
pool4me
0
Here's something you may find interesting.
It's been about 15 years since I've had my last pool so I was a bit rusty during my install and initial maintainence this year. I had what I thought (and kind of still think) is "sand" at the bottom of my pool.
However, I did have a few good reasons:
1. I bought my pool (2 seasons old) from a friend who's kids refused to swim anwhere but their swim club so it was not used at all other than a few times. I changed sand inthe filter anyway and noticed that whoever set up the pool originally used a few inches of pea gravel (which I used to use in larger filters myself) , in this current (100lb) filter. I thought possibly the better flow around the laterals in such a small filter may have cracked / shifted something and may be contributing to my issue.
Perhaps in my particular situation I may have had some channeling while this pea gravel and sand settled. I did a good rinse and re-used it but probably should have done without it in such a small filter. I'll take care of it before I open next year.
2. When I filled the new Pool Sand, I mistakenly filled it to the "seam/ groove" in the Hayward filter thinking it was the 1/2 way mark. It's actually over the 1/2 way mark in the tank (which kind of hit me one night just starring at the filter) and since the instructions state to fill the tank 1/2 way, I thought that between the pea gravel and the "less sand" coupled with the fact that I have a bit less space for water in tank, All may have been contributing to my problem.
Over the course of the last few weeks, I've vac'd (and keep in mind, the "sand" does distribute all the way to the other side of the pool but I'm not sure if thats due to me tracking it around while it's suspended and I'm in the pool).
Still . . . I kept thinking: "could this be some small amount of "silt" (I'm in a wooded area) or some type of pollen, or is it actually sand). It is gritty just as you state and I'm sure some of it is indeed sand.
However, when I run the filter at night, it does seem (much less now) to be distributed all over the pool. SInce I have a Armor Shield Pad under the pool, I have a very slight ridge that you can feel with your foot if you try hard and the "sand" will seem to collect the entire length of the 33' along this seam. (Which I would think plain old sand would not do).
The short story is I did do an overnight test, I did shock and did really backwash and rince my filter quite a number of times. Sometimes every 2 days and sometimes I backwashed a few times in a given day.
I think Waste has a really valid point. Even though it may be gritty, it may be some sort of algae. I never thought about it until I read his post but if I slowly push the brush, it does move but I DO beleive that it does also cloud and disappear.
That's a great tip and a really "common sense" answer that honestly never really crossed my mind. Thanks Waste.
In my particular case, I think I have a slight pollen issue BECAUSE... since I put a nylon over my skimmer basket, the amount of "sand" or whatever I thought it was had been almost eliminated and let's face it, Algae just doesn't "go away" (especially since I have not really done anything so to speak to get rid of it if it was algae).
It could also be that i've cleaned and flushed all of my sand , pea gravel etc, god rid of my high level of sand etc through all of these backwashes, allowed everything to "settle in" or whatever but I thought I would just post my particular circumstance for others to see.
I think Waste has a good point. It may look like sand but could very well be something else. Especially if it clouds and disappears. In my case (although not algae - I think), it clouding up and getting trapped in the nylon sock is what helped cut down my issue.
It's been about 15 years since I've had my last pool so I was a bit rusty during my install and initial maintainence this year. I had what I thought (and kind of still think) is "sand" at the bottom of my pool.
However, I did have a few good reasons:
1. I bought my pool (2 seasons old) from a friend who's kids refused to swim anwhere but their swim club so it was not used at all other than a few times. I changed sand inthe filter anyway and noticed that whoever set up the pool originally used a few inches of pea gravel (which I used to use in larger filters myself) , in this current (100lb) filter. I thought possibly the better flow around the laterals in such a small filter may have cracked / shifted something and may be contributing to my issue.
Perhaps in my particular situation I may have had some channeling while this pea gravel and sand settled. I did a good rinse and re-used it but probably should have done without it in such a small filter. I'll take care of it before I open next year.
2. When I filled the new Pool Sand, I mistakenly filled it to the "seam/ groove" in the Hayward filter thinking it was the 1/2 way mark. It's actually over the 1/2 way mark in the tank (which kind of hit me one night just starring at the filter) and since the instructions state to fill the tank 1/2 way, I thought that between the pea gravel and the "less sand" coupled with the fact that I have a bit less space for water in tank, All may have been contributing to my problem.
Over the course of the last few weeks, I've vac'd (and keep in mind, the "sand" does distribute all the way to the other side of the pool but I'm not sure if thats due to me tracking it around while it's suspended and I'm in the pool).
Still . . . I kept thinking: "could this be some small amount of "silt" (I'm in a wooded area) or some type of pollen, or is it actually sand). It is gritty just as you state and I'm sure some of it is indeed sand.
However, when I run the filter at night, it does seem (much less now) to be distributed all over the pool. SInce I have a Armor Shield Pad under the pool, I have a very slight ridge that you can feel with your foot if you try hard and the "sand" will seem to collect the entire length of the 33' along this seam. (Which I would think plain old sand would not do).
The short story is I did do an overnight test, I did shock and did really backwash and rince my filter quite a number of times. Sometimes every 2 days and sometimes I backwashed a few times in a given day.
I think Waste has a really valid point. Even though it may be gritty, it may be some sort of algae. I never thought about it until I read his post but if I slowly push the brush, it does move but I DO beleive that it does also cloud and disappear.
That's a great tip and a really "common sense" answer that honestly never really crossed my mind. Thanks Waste.
In my particular case, I think I have a slight pollen issue BECAUSE... since I put a nylon over my skimmer basket, the amount of "sand" or whatever I thought it was had been almost eliminated and let's face it, Algae just doesn't "go away" (especially since I have not really done anything so to speak to get rid of it if it was algae).
It could also be that i've cleaned and flushed all of my sand , pea gravel etc, god rid of my high level of sand etc through all of these backwashes, allowed everything to "settle in" or whatever but I thought I would just post my particular circumstance for others to see.
I think Waste has a good point. It may look like sand but could very well be something else. Especially if it clouds and disappears. In my case (although not algae - I think), it clouding up and getting trapped in the nylon sock is what helped cut down my issue.
I saw the same grittiness brown stuff in a pool, I thought it was dead algae but it did keep coming back. After taking out different factors it did turn out to be some strain of yellow algae after treating it it turned from brown to powdery gray.
I was in the pool today with goggles on and noticed that I can make a sweeping motion near the spots and they blow away without touching them. Wouldn't algae have a better hold on the surface of the pool?
Not this stuff.
I'm hoping that this is what p4m was referring to. (If not, it's up to you to link the right thread p4m/ secret agent Homer :lol: )
I still believe it's Matt's Mud or similar and is a persistent form of algae that requires higher levels of chlorine to eliminate! This stuff is happy to settle where circulation is low and then, if ignored, start sticking to the bottom.
Brushing will keep it from settling but, you've got to kill it!
I'm hoping that this is what p4m was referring to. (If not, it's up to you to link the right thread p4m/ secret agent Homer :lol: )
I still believe it's Matt's Mud or similar and is a persistent form of algae that requires higher levels of chlorine to eliminate! This stuff is happy to settle where circulation is low and then, if ignored, start sticking to the bottom.
Brushing will keep it from settling but, you've got to kill it!
pool4me
0
That's an interesting post that Waste referred to. (I actually wasn't referring to a particular post at all).
I wish I could get some good clear pics of what I had but, I do agree that it could be some sort of algae.
I'm really glad I ran across your post and the replies to it. I had a chance to look at my pool a few hours after the filter was off this evening and even though it's almost non existent now, the stuff I had does fit Waste's description. Mine however is about the color of sand and the tiny amount I had left does cloud and disappear.
I "kicked up" the run-time on the SWG and set the pump timer to run all night. I'm going to do a "full test" of everything tomorrow. I may be right "on the edge" but I think I may play it safe / shock should this stuff be alive
I wish I could get some good clear pics of what I had but, I do agree that it could be some sort of algae.
I'm really glad I ran across your post and the replies to it. I had a chance to look at my pool a few hours after the filter was off this evening and even though it's almost non existent now, the stuff I had does fit Waste's description. Mine however is about the color of sand and the tiny amount I had left does cloud and disappear.
I "kicked up" the run-time on the SWG and set the pump timer to run all night. I'm going to do a "full test" of everything tomorrow. I may be right "on the edge" but I think I may play it safe / shock should this stuff be alive