First attempt to open pool.

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epxroot

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Jun 7, 2012
167
Indianapolis, IN
Hello! Been a member for about a year now and just want to thank everyone for all the great information this site has.

This may possibly be my first attempt at opening my pool this year. I don't mind paying someone like I did last year but I would at least like to give it a shot. I have been going over the manual for my Sta-Rite High Rate Sand Filter and I am trying to find information about whether the filter needs to be full of water before initial start up, or if pump will just fill up filter once primed and going. I do not want to break anything inside the filter because there was not enough water in it to run. I wouldn't imagine having to fill it up with water each year you start it back up after winter, but I wold like to make sure.

Edit* One other thing I wanted to mention. I was meaning to change my sand last year and didn't get to it, but I want to this year for sure. I am thinking I want to put the new sand in once I have my pool cleaned (it looks like a swamp right now) vs using the new sand to filter the swamp. What are your thoughts?
 
Don't worry about filling up the filter. The pump will fill it with water as soon as soon as you get it primed. Just make sure all the plugs are out of the returns and the valves aren't closed.

Why do you think you need to change the sand?
There are only a couple of reasons for changing the sand, and it very rare for that to occur.
 
Bama Rambler thanks for your reply. I was thinking about changing the sand just because I am not sure when the last time it was changed. I don't really know the signs to look for as far as when to change the sand. Last summer my pool was crystal clear all summer with only needing to add 20 to 30 ounces of chlorine each morning without having a pool cover.

One more question. I was reading that when priming and starting your pump you should have the pressure gauge removed in order to let out the air. I was speaking with the pool supply guy today and he told me if I backwash first there is no need to worry about the air inside the filter and that I can just leave the pressure gauge on?
 
Since that filter has a top mount valve, you don't have to remove the gauge and it doesn't matter whether you backwash or not. Any air in the vessel will be expelled either to the pool or out the waste line whichever way you have it set.
 
Thanks, Bama. That is the only part that worries me. Wouldn't want the tank to blow up. I have also been reading that when starting your pump it's good to have the valve in recirculate until you have a good prime then switch to backwash, and others just say set it to backwash, prime, and start the pump?
 
I changed out my sand this year before I opened the pool. It wasn't very hard just till I got to the wet stuff on the bottom, used the shop vac for the dry and scooped out most of the wet. Putting in new sand was easy, but I can back my truck right up to the filter. Cost me about $120 (450# sand 150# pea gravel). Even though the sand was only about 7 years old I bought the house last year and didn't know what had been in there or how it had been maintained so I changed it. The triton filter has a pressure value at the top and I bleed it when I start up and backwash, there is always a little air in there since I turn my pump off when I change the value position. If your setup is like mine, in ground, the top of the filter is the highest point on the system and will always get a little air. I would bleed it on start up.
 
Pool is a swamp

Hello! I am going over turning-your-green-swamp-back-into-a-sparkling-oasis-t4147.html (which is a great write up thanks JasonLion!) right now and will be tonight. I am attempting to open my pool myself since the pool guy wants me to spend 250 bucks to open it. I figure I will give it a shot first. Anyway, back to my question. In order for me to have the correct shock levels I need to know my CYA levels. Problem is, my water is green/brown with tadpoles and frogs in it so I don't believe I will get a very accurate reading if one at all. Before I closed my CYA was at 20 or a little higher I believe. It was under 30 for sure. Would it be safe to go off this number until I get get the water clear enough to get a more accurate reading of my CYA? Any other input would be greatly appreciated. Never had to try and clean a mess like this before.
 
Re: Pool is a swamp

I would not trust that reading from last year as it may infact be lower now.

Fill the CYA viewtube up with pool water ... can you still see the dot no problems? If so, just test the CYA as normal ... it takes pretty bad water to affect the test. You could also put some pool water through a coffee strainer first and then use it to test.
 
I open my pool with the multiport valve in the FILTER position - and run it that way until the pressure guage says it's time to backwash. Just make sure the pump is primed before you start it (fill the strainer with water is good enough). Some pool / pump combinations will self prime, but it's still easier on the pump to prime it anyway.

Air - well - whenever you open something - you will have air in there somewhere. As mentioned above - the pump will get just about all of the air out as bubbles out the returns.

In my experiance (15+ years) - the most important thing you can do for opening your pool is to get as much of the water and leaves / garbage out of the top of the cover before you attempt to remove it.
 

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Thanks everyone for the responses! Would it be OK to start of in the waste position since my water level is way too high, and then filter?

scooperhsd, been working on leaves for 2 hours. Letting them settle over night and go back at it again in the morning. I can't imagine trying to pull that cover off with all those leaves still on it!
 
Re: Pool is a swamp

Thanks jblizzle, I will go ahead and at least attempt to get some readings before I add any chemicals. I was reading that the pump should run continuously until the water clears up. I imagine doing this with such a dirty pool I would have to backwash frequently and i can't imagine that the water would clear doing this as is the sign to stop backwashing normally. So would I just backwash until the pressure drops instead of the water clearing and would it be safe to let it go all night without backwashing?
 
Well, most the leaves are out, cover is pulled, plugs an gizmo is pulled. First readings are PH 7.2, FC 0, and CYA is below 30ppm since I filled up that little tube and the little black dot didn't disappear until it was filled to the brim. Going to head over to the pool calc and figure out my FC level with a 20ppm cya level since that's what it was when I closed. What would any of you recommend, putting more stabilizer in?
 
After you get your gauge (very important), I would raise the CYA to 30 ppm and start your shock process based on that number.

Reporting below 30 is hard to interpret....was the solution cloudy at all?
 

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