Hello All....I'm a newbie...purchased this house in Oct and still haven't swam in the pool..lol..anyway, everytime I vacuum to filter then I go to backwash then rinse; the next day the dirt is right back in the pool! I don't like vacuuming to waste because too much water goes out of the pool and we are now on a budget so to constantly have to add more water to the pool will become expensive. Is this normal? Could there be something wrong with the sand filter?
Vacuuming to filter...putting dirt back in pool
- Thread starter Nikki2077
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
Does the dirt look like dust bunnies or cobwebs and go poof when you try to vacuum or brush it?
If so, it is algae.
Does the dirt look like dust bunnies or cobwebs and go poof when you try to vacuum or brush it?
If so, it is algae.
Vacuum to filter and DON'T backwash it every time. Sand filters work better somewhat dirty. Only backwash when filter pressure rises 25% over clean pressure. Welcome to the forum.
Well it is sorta like that...so I guess I have to now go treat it for algae. We shocked it, brought up the CYA and hardness and now I have phosphate in there to bring down the high level. God, it feels like this is never ending! That pool guy we had was defintely no help! Thanks!
Ignore the phosphates. That is mostly just a way for pool stores to sell you expensive chemicals that you don't need.
Too late....I added the last dose yesterday evening! The phosphate level was at 1000. What I think I'm going to do is vacuum it to filter, then shock it overnight and see what it looks like in the AM
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Welcome to the forum 
I know the thread is about the filter not filtering but you might want to post the numbers from your water test. Just curious to see where you are at after the pool guy.
When you say you "shocked" it it's likely the product you used also added CYA to your pool.
There is something you can do to the filter to help it clean better : http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/73192-Deep-Cleaning-a-Sand-Filter
Make sure to watch the videos it's amazing the stuff that comes out of a filter you backwashed and think is clean.
You can also add DE to the filter to help improve it's ability to grab really small stuff. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/133-add-de-to-a-sand-filter
I know the thread is about the filter not filtering but you might want to post the numbers from your water test. Just curious to see where you are at after the pool guy.
When you say you "shocked" it it's likely the product you used also added CYA to your pool.
There is something you can do to the filter to help it clean better : http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/73192-Deep-Cleaning-a-Sand-Filter
Make sure to watch the videos it's amazing the stuff that comes out of a filter you backwashed and think is clean.
You can also add DE to the filter to help improve it's ability to grab really small stuff. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/133-add-de-to-a-sand-filter
Welcome to the forum
I know the thread is about the filter not filtering but you might want to post the numbers from your water test. Just curious to see where you are at after the pool guy.
When you say you "shocked" it it's likely the product you used also added CYA to your pool.
There is something you can do to the filter to help it clean better : http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/73192-Deep-Cleaning-a-Sand-Filter
Make sure to watch the videos it's amazing the stuff that comes out of a filter you backwashed and think is clean.
You can also add DE to the filter to help improve it's ability to grab really small stuff. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/133-add-de-to-a-sand-filter
Test results prior to adding Phosphates:
FAC-4
Salt-3500 (i know it's high)
CH-220
TA 90
PH-7.8
Pho-1000
I haven't had the water tested since we added the Phosphates yesterday. I have to add the other half later tonite then I was going to wait another 24 hours then vacuum to filter then shock it
Test Results:
FC-4
Salt-3500
CH-220
TA-90
pH-7.8
Pho-1000
Test Results:
FC-4
Salt-3500
CH-220
TA-90
pH-7.8
Pho-1000
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Do you have any idea what the CYA level is ?? The higher the level of CYA in the water the higher you need to keep your FC. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock
The first thing you need to do is order a proper test kit so you can get accurate numbers. It looks like you are using pool store testing and that is as accurate as me throwing darts at a grid with numbers on it. If you don't order one of the kits recommended on here (they are recommended because they contain exactly what you need to have a perfect pool), you will continue to chase your tail due to inaccurate results from pool store. Take the time to read pool school (link in top right corner of pages). If you read through the forum you will find story after story of people fighting their pool until they get a kit and from then it is clear cut and gets easier all the time.
If you don't believe me, take your water to 3 different pool stores and you will get completely different results and recommendations from them. No, your water didn't change during the drive from place to place, they just don't have accurate testing procedures.
The other issue is how old is the sand in your filter and how big is your filter compared to your pool? I ask this cause when I first inherited my pool I had the exact same issue you have plus I had pink residue all over from using Baquacil. An honest pool guy recommended a larger sand filter and that fixed the problem 100%.
Glenn
Wow. You've been dealing (improperly it seems) with this pool since last October and have yet to enjoy it? What a shame, not to mention all the money I bet you've wasted on wrong chemicals and a pool guy.
This site can help you! But you have to be willing to invest time to learn (have you read Pool School yet?) and you need to invest in the health of your water by getting *your own* test kit. Don't trust a pool store to test your water. Whose interest is being served by offering you free testing so they can then tell you what chemicals to buy... ? If you're serious about wanting a healthy clean pool get that test kit ordered STAT! (see link to TSTestkits in my signature below). I can vouch for the value the TF-100 gives because it gives you the ability to perform the most tests before needing to order refills on the reagents.
Ignore Phosphates, figure out via your own testing if your SWG is working (why do you think 3500 salt level is too high?), start buying jugs of plain ole' bleach to get started and everyone here will help you at get in there for that first swim!!
This site can help you! But you have to be willing to invest time to learn (have you read Pool School yet?) and you need to invest in the health of your water by getting *your own* test kit. Don't trust a pool store to test your water. Whose interest is being served by offering you free testing so they can then tell you what chemicals to buy... ? If you're serious about wanting a healthy clean pool get that test kit ordered STAT! (see link to TSTestkits in my signature below). I can vouch for the value the TF-100 gives because it gives you the ability to perform the most tests before needing to order refills on the reagents.
Ignore Phosphates, figure out via your own testing if your SWG is working (why do you think 3500 salt level is too high?), start buying jugs of plain ole' bleach to get started and everyone here will help you at get in there for that first swim!!
Wow. You've been dealing (improperly it seems) with this pool since last October and have yet to enjoy it? What a shame, not to mention all the money I bet you've wasted on wrong chemicals and a pool guy.
This site can help you! But you have to be willing to invest time to learn (have you read Pool School yet?) and you need to invest in the health of your water by getting *your own* test kit. Don't trust a pool store to test your water. Whose interest is being served by offering you free testing so they can then tell you what chemicals to buy... ? If you're serious about wanting a healthy clean pool get that test kit ordered STAT! (see link to TSTestkits in my signature below). I can vouch for the value the TF-100 gives because it gives you the ability to perform the most tests before needing to order refills on the reagents.
Ignore Phosphates, figure out via your own testing if your SWG is working (why do you think 3500 salt level is too high?), start buying jugs of plain ole' bleach to get started and everyone here will help you at get in there for that first swim!!
Yes, I'm going to order my TF-100 test kit today. I've done some research on it & that is definitely something I can do. I would rather take this into my & my husband's hands and no longer rely on the pool stores...big disappointment so far!
I did go thru pool school and it has been very helpful so far....I'm still in the process of reviewing all of the info.
I was told that 3500 salt level is considered high. According to what I read on my SWG the level should be between 2700-3400. My pool is 20x40 and holds 32912 gal of water so I have to take that into consideration.
Any more advice would be much appreciated!
3500 ppm is the same in one gallon of water or 30,000 gallons of water. Just takes a lot more of it for the 30k gallons!
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
It isn't high by much as 3400 is still considered the range to be in. If you wanted to get to 3000 you'd need to drain off about 15% or 5K gallons which would be about 10" in your pool.