Opening and filter questions

[Cjo]

First Year Pool Re-Opener HERE!~ Question about my Hayward Sand Filter.... My only options are Filter, Closed, Rinse, and Backwash..... SO... Do I not have an option to VACUUM to WASTE? This is really a drag.... taking forever and I only have about 30 to a minute and a half of vacuuming before I lose suction.... Also, I'm not sure about the vocabulary you all are using, sorry, but what is the DE? Thanks for your assistance, and until a response, I'll keep plugging away!

Cjo

Been doing a lot of reading through the forum. Very useful stuff.

It got me thinking, though. Would it make sense to vacuum as much of that algae to waste as possible before I recharge my de filter? Then add water back, get things circulating, and then test cya? I'm worried about clogging things up with algae.

Btw got my tf-100 kit today.

 

[Richard320]

Easy one first: DE is Diatomaceous Earth. It's a powder used in a different style of filter, but itcan be added to a sand filter to improve filtration. It's not a substitute for proper chemistry. A sand filter can still filter out stuff too small to see with the naked eye. The DE just speeds up the process. See Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter

Are you absolutely certain your multiport has no waste setting? Is the label missing, maybe? It could be labelled something like "bypass"

This is what the labels usually look like. If yours is different, can you post a picture?

 

[Cjo]

Oh THANK YOU for answering, Richard! No, I promise, I only have the 4 settings... attaching 2 pics... that's why I wonder if there is an option to by-pass the sand filter? Can I open the drain on the skimmer basket filter (not sure that's the right vocabulary)?

 

[Richard320]

No, you can't open the pump drain. You won't prime with an air leak.

Looks like you're stuck vacuuming and backwashing repeatedly.

 

[Cjo]

Got it.... out we go for day 3.... thanks again for the immediate feedback!

 

[Cjo]

Richard! I had the most amazing luck today! My little 11 y/o pool assistant and I have been working on this daily but today was the day it began to pay off! I've been draining the vacuum hose over the side of the pool at the end of each 30-90 second cleaning prior to back washing. On occasion I noticed I had a little more suction left in my hose after disconnecting from the side wall inlet port. But today I was able to persuade my 'help' to manipulate the hose correctly and his 7 y/o brother to feed me more hose while I kept the vacuum on the floor of the pool and covered the entire area of the bottom of the pool. We worked with this suction sans the filter for a good 25-30 minutes... all the while my hose just gushing with brown and green nastiness! It was heavenly, and probably save us 3-4 days of work. Now to let the dust settle and hit it again tomorrow. Thanks again for the support!

 

[Richard320]

That's the way to do it. Get it out so the bleach doesn't have to work on it. And definitely let the kids help.