Re: Needing to regenerate/bump DE filter daily - cloudy wate
lightingguy said:
Not trying to confuse the issue but it seems almost impossible that the CYA level is 0. It's more likely to be high than low considering the tablets in the garage.
If it is high then 3ppm FC is no where close to shock level.
rjproulx said:
Bumped and ran the filter all night
Can you clarify the term "bumped" the DE filter? The reason I ask is that a DE filter isn;t really meant to be repeatedly bumped and not regenerated. You need to really backwash them out and reload the DE. If you've been doing a lot of little bumps and reloads it is possible your filter has much more DE than it needs - or if you are bumping and not reloading you may have no DE.
Not trying to complicate your issue - if the pool is getting better feel free to disregard. But if it doesn't seem to be clearing at all or the filter issue remains bad - a filter filled with DE (or empty funny enough) and high CYA are where I would look first.
Sure, let me clarify. This is directly copied and pasted from my filter's manual:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FILTERING
Filtration starts as soon as the filter has been precoated. As
the filter removes dirt from the pool water, the accumulated dirt
causes a resistance to flow. As a result, the gauge pressure
will rise and flow will decrease. When the pressure rises 7-10
psi (.49-.70 Bar) above the precoat pressure, regenerate the
filter.
REGENERATION (Extending the Cycle)
Stop the pump. Move the bump handle down slowly, then up
briskly. Repeat 3 times. Restart the pump and filtration will
resume at near the original flow and pressure.
After each regeneration, and until the filter is cleaned, there
may be a slight increase in the starting pressure. This is the
result of dirt accumulating within the filter and is completely
normal.
CLEANING
Cleaning is recommended when the gauge pressure rises
more than 10 psi (.70 Bar) in less than a 24 hour period or
when cloudy water returns to the pool for more than 30
seconds after regeneration. To clean, first stop the pump, then
move the bump handle down slowly, then up briskly. Repeat 8
times. Open the filter drain and open the vent valve (Note: if
the filter is installed below the pool water line, close the suction
and return valves) and allow water and dirt to empty
completely. After the filter has drained, and with the drain still open, run the
pump for a few seconds to flush out any dirt remaining in the
bottom of the filter. (Note: If the filter is installed below the pool
water line, opening the suction valve for a few seconds with the
pump off will adequately flush the unit.)
Close the filter drain and the vent valve. Open the suction and
return valves (when used). Start the pump and let the filter fill
with water and repeat the CLEANING procedure. This
completes the cleaning phase. The filter is now ready for
recharging. Proceed as in STARTING THE FILTER and
PRECOATING.
---------------------------------------------------
Using ALL CAPS below to reference the sections above.
To go back about a week, last Friday I did a full CLEANING (per above). I shut off the suction and return lines, did the bump handle thing 8 times, then drained the filter, repeating this process twice per the instructions. I added back my DE (PRECOATED, per the manual), and observed a starting pressure of 15psi.
Since then, I've done the REGENERATION process a handful of times. Over the weekend I probably did it a couple times per day because the filter was clogging so quickly (I've since learned...thought initially I had a pump issue). When I regenerate I'm simply shutting off the pump, and working the bump handle a half dozen times. This extends the cycle and lowers the pressure back to around 15psi.
Since I found this site two days ago, I've still only done the REGENERATION (which I called 'bumping' in other posts). I didn't think that REGENERATING got rid of DE, so please correct me if wrong. Per the manual, it says to REGENERATE when the filter gets 7-10psi above the precoat pressure, which for me was 15. It says to CLEAN when it gets more than 10psi higher than the precoat. Since I performed the CLEANING last Friday, it's never risen above 22psi, so I've just been REGENERATING.
As for the CYA being too high...your guess is as good as mine until I get a proper test kit. I did not faithfully use the trichlor tablets (and had a water level issue that prohibited proper filtration for about a week two weeks ago), so it's not like I've had two sitting in the skimmer for the whole summer. But there's one in there now with the filter running.
And no...I'm not really observing a visual difference. The water feels less slipper than it did when I made my first post in this thread, but I still struggle to see the bottom standing next to the pool.
