After Vacuuming, filter shoots dirt back into pool.

[parisi2274]

Hello all,

I am new to the boards and I am hoping that you guys can help point me in the right direction. Here is an overview of my issue....

I have an Esther Williams 15x24 oval swimming pool that is half in-ground and half-above ground that uses a Hayward EC40 DE filter and pump. I've had the pool for over twenty years and never really had an issue with it at all, until this summer.

I first noticed the issue about a month ago when I vacuumed my pool to get up some green algae and some dirt. When I was done vacuuming, I regenerated the filter by bumping the handle a few times and when I turned my pump back on, all that algae shot back into my pool via the eye return. I decided to change the DE in my pool thinking that that might be the issue, and when I was done with that and I turned on my pump, some earth was forced back into my pool.

After trying a few ideas, I went to my local pool supply store and I explained the situation to them and told them that my filter/pump was close to twenty years old. They told me that perhaps one of the flex-tubes inside the filter was ripped and when the pump was turned back on, it was shooting all that debris back in the pool, so I purchased a new Hayward EC40 filter and 1hp pump a few days ago and connected everything, set it all up and was pleased with how it was running.

Tonight, I decided to vacuum the pool to test out the new filter. I shut the pump, regenerated the filter, turned on my pump, submerged the vacuum, then blew all the air out of the hoses and went to work on cleaning pool. After about 2hrs of carefully picking up all the algae and dirt, I shut the pump again, took the vacuum out of the pool, regenerated the filter by bumping the handle, and then turned on the pump again. What do I see? All the green algae shooting back into the pool. To say I was upset is an understatement.....

I am not sure if I need to change the DE in the filter after I get up all the algae because maybe the flex-tubes can't catch and keep the algae in the filter like it does with normal dirt.

So I come to you with the hope of getting an answer to my problem. Please, any info would be greatly appreciated...

Thank you for your help, and I apologize if this was already covered in another topic.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Depending on how much stuff was vacuumed out and how dirty the DE was before you did the first bumping, I'd say it's likely you needed to backwash after vacuuming.

Scott

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

The bump process stirs everything around inside the filter, so you are going to get SOME dirt flowing through the grids before the DE recoats the grids when you bump with a very dirty filter.

I would think that 2 hours is a long time to vacuum without bumping. I'd consider backwashing/draining the filter after backwashing as well.

 

[parisi2274]

John,

Thanks for the tip...

I should have elaborated and said that I use one of those automatic vacuum cleaners... I have the one that looks like a scuba guy, so I just put that in the water and let it go for a couple of hours.

The issue is that it's not just SOME dirt, it seems as if all the algae that the vacuum sucked up gets spit right back into the pool, and that is what I am most concerned about....

Now, if I were to backwash/drain the filter after I vacuum, I'll need to add new DE to my filter. Would I need to do this after every vacuum?

 

[zea3]

Do you have a multi-port valve?

 

[parisi2274]

I am not sure what you mean by a multi-port valve.

This is the pump/filter I just installed:

I have the hoses going to the correct locations on my pool and the EC40 has the one valve for backwashing.

I wonder if I vacuum the pool and then when it is done, backwash the filter, and when the water is clear and no more dirt or algae comes out, add 6 13oz coffee cans of DE back into the Filter and when it is done, turn on the pump and hope that nothing (dirt, algae or DE) gets shot back into my pool.

Do you think that is a good idea? Do you feel this is something I would need to do after every cleaning? I sure hope not