Fine particles in pool and can't get rid of

[Freehome]

I am new to TFP as we moved into the house last August. We have several large trees and a creek within a few yard of our pool. The fall and winter were hard on the pool and I tried to keep up with the leaf removal but there were just sooooo many.....

Anyway, I have been trying to get the pool back in balance for a couple of months now. I tried to pool store way and was getting nowhere with a thin wallet fast. I found this website a few weeks ago and started the SLAM method a little over two weeks ago. I have kept the FC above 28 as much as possible with work and life. The lowest it has been is 16 but has been above 20 almost the entire time.

It looks better than it did two weeks ago for sure but there is still a dusting of fine particles in the pool. My numbers (from about 30 minutes ago) are below and I would appreciate any help I can get. I have been scrubbing and vacuuming either every day or every other day over the last two weeks.

FC - 33.5
CC - 3
pH - 7.4
TA - 80
CH - 260
CYA - 90


Thanks

BTW, we are in Dallas, TX

 

[bobodaclown]

What's the pressure on the DE filter? When was the last time is was cleaned?

 

[Freehome]

Pressure about an hour ago was 5. I cleaned and put in new DE about three weeks ago.

 

[jblizzle]

5 what? That is really low. Add more equipment details to your signature. Pump and filter model and size.

 

[Freehome]

5 PSI.

Will add to the signature as well:

Pump - AO Smith Centurion. Too dark to see the size this evening but it is at least 30 years old (original). Have plans to replace in next year.

Filter - also original - American Products 48 SQ. FT. 50 PSI. That's all I can make out. Again equipment is old but still works.

 

[jblizzle]

I question that pressure reading. You would have to have a very small pump and low head loss. Does the gauge go to zero when the pump is off?

 

[Freehome]

yes it does. It takes a couple of minutes but it does.

 

[jblizzle]

It should be instant. Get a new gauge. tftestkits.net has nice liquid filled ones less expensive than the cheap ones locally.

 

[Freehome]

ok. Will let you know when it gets here.

 

[Freehome]

OK, it came yesterday. I installed and it started at about 7 then was at 10 this afternoon so I backwashed the system. When I did this is it orked fine or a couple of minutes then it started blowing dirt back into the pool. I stopped it and it continued for another minute. When I checked the gauge it was at 5.5. Pool was almost clear before this. again, any help will be appreciated.

 

[jblizzle]

Bear with me. When you originally said you cleaned the filter, did you open it up and take everything apart or open it and spray the grids or just backwash?

You should not get dirt back to the pool unless there is something wrong in the filter.

 

[Freehome]

I did open it up, take it apart and add new DE. Could I have put something back correctly?

 

[jblizzle]

That would be my guess ... pull it apart and inspect everything for damage