New Cartridge Filter Cloudy Water

[smichael68]

I just installed a new cartridge filter after several years of struggling with our very old sand filter. The water filtration is really great EXCEPT...
there was an algae bloom. I got the water clear through shocking and balancing, but algae was still growing or settled on the sides and bottom of the pool. I went to vacuum the bottom and sides and shortly the jets began spitting out cloudy water. Within about half of an hour, the pool was green. I thought that I would vacuum to waste, which I used to have to do when cleaning up after a bloom. It turns out that that is not an option for this filter.

Does anyone have any ideas:
1) Is it normal to have algae sludge so fine that it gets through the filter?
2) How can I clean up without some sort of vacuum to waste option? OR
3) How to install something that will allow me to get the green out and back to a clear pool? (Could close all jets but one and stick a hose to it to drain into the yard, but that seems like a lot of work).
Thanks!

 

[zea3]

Its not that the algae is getting through the filter, when you have fine debris in the pool such as algae it will take a while for all of the water to circulate through the filter. You could insert a "T" fitting with a cut off valve between the pump and filter if you have enough space. You could attach a backwash hose to the valve on the "T" and use that to vacuum to waste. That being said filtration is not the root of your problem. As long as there is visible algae in the pool, it will get stirred up and cloud the water when you try to vacuum. First the algae needs to be killed, then it can be vacuumed and filtered out.

Even though your water was clear, the visible algae indicates the the slam process was not complete. You need to bring the pool to slam levels and hold it there until these 3 criteria are met. 1. Your water is clear 2. You have passed the overnight chlorine loss test, and your CC is .5 or less.