- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,120
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
New Home - First Pool - Where do I start?
- Thread starter PSUlion01
- Start date
Wow ok I feel like a dope now. I thought the sock was one of the mesh skimmer socks. Good to know. Would have been better to know before dropping $7 on a 5 pack of them at the pool store!Nope, actually 25% - not 25 psi. I know why you ask. My gauge is the same way with large increments. My clean and dirty pressure are only about 4-5 points apart. But it IS 25% increase.
That will be next to impossible to know. Only time and re-testing will tell you for sure I'm afraid. Give it a couple days and test the CYA again. If it's definitely below 30, only add enough stabilizer to increase the CYA by 10 ppm. That way you don't go too high right now. For the sock method, it's just an old white sock you have laying around the house - without a hole in it.Once you drop that sock in the water, squeeze often and it should be gone in 30-60 minutes.
For vacuuming, just the good old manual vacuuming will work. That's what I have. Long hose that goes into the skimmer hole and connect to a vacuum head & pole? Easy stuff and relatively cheap if you don't already have one.
Planning to backwash tonight after work. Pressure in the filter seems to jump pretty quickly from 13 after a backwash and addition of DE to 25 - I’m assuming that’s because it’s got so much mess to clean, but again still learning how the DE works and how much I actually need, how long it takes to work into place in the filter after adding to the skimmer etc. Time permitting tonight maybe I try cleaning the filter and grids entirely (backwash, then open up and hose it all down). This way I’ll know I’ve got the right amount of DE and a clean starting point, and thus a more definitive sense of what my clean pressure should be.
Vacuuming has been a pain. Thinking one of those skimmer plates with a 90 degree pipe attachment might make it easier. The current plate mounts from the top and it’s a process to get it primed and seated properly in the skimmer. Lots of debris coming up from the bottom still so I’d like to get a better vacuum process down to clear that up.
Regarding debris on the bottom (leaves and long pine needles) should the main drain remain open or closed? Would closing it allow the debris to float more freely, and if so is that better or worse? Still can’t see the bottom at all in deep end so vacuuming is a challenge - literally doing it blind.
Lastly, levels are holding fairly well. CYA test last night reading almost at 20 (vs <10 a day or two ago) and FC, while dropping, has been maintained up to the 12 level. Dropped from 12 to 4 overnight (10:30pm to 7:30am) but didn’t bottom out which made me happy. Going to test CC later and see how high that is. Pool doesn’t look much different this morning from yesterday morning but the chemistry all seems to be reading as you all have told me it should. Off to work - more later. Thanks!
In my haste this morning i didn’t get a pic. If the wife did I’ll post it, otherwise will have her snap one this afternoon when she’s home. I’m convinced there’s still a good amount of debris in the pool which is slowing the FC and filter progress. Need to continue getting that out and hopefully the pace picks up. Sadly I might be needing more bleachMaybe post a pic of your pool as well so we can see how that water is looking?
For green pools like mine, how many days could this take? Is there a point where I should begin wondering if something else is wrong?
Not a dope, you will need those too!
:edit: If you have a sand filter, It's not recommended to add DE before the pool is blue cloudy. The pressure will climb too fast. Also you can start with 1/4 c or less, you only want it to bump 1pt when added
Last edited:
The length of time depends on how frequently/often you can bump/hold the FC at 12 (for your CYA).In my haste this morning i didn’t get a pic. If the wife did I’ll post it, otherwise will have her snap one this afternoon when she’s home. I’m convinced there’s still a good amount of debris in the pool which is slowing the FC and filter progress. Need to continue getting that out and hopefully the pace picks up. Sadly I might be needing more bleach
For green pools like mine, how many days could this take? Is there a point where I should begin wondering if something else is wrong?
If you have menards near you, they have their Liquid Chlorine on sale BOGO!
Oh interesting. I thought I read that it was bad to run the DE filter without DE material in the grids. So it’s ok to run it clear? Also would have been great to know before chewing through almost $20 worth of DE! That should be stickied somewhere if it’s not already.
So following backwash just let the filter do its thing without the DE until things clear up more? Hopefully that speeds things up a bit. Thanks!
Now I'm dope, SO SORRY, I thought you had a sand filter! Definitely don't run without DE! lol
No worries - so DON’T run my DE filter without DE inside, correct?Now I'm dope, SO SORRY, I thought you had a sand filter! Definitely don't run without DE! lol
Correct
Backwash once pressure goes up 25% from "clean" and DO add DE per instructions/filter amountThat is the unfortunate thing about DE filter during a SLAM.
Do you have to use a specific DE brand, or can you use any pool filter DE?
I'm wondering if you can find it cheaper online?
I got a 25lb box at walmart for $4 =) (last year)
Great thread
When my pool is that bad off, I definitely vacuum to waste as alot of the stuff is sitting on the bottom. Do you have that option? Out of pool, not through filter?
Just a note, during that slam process, you will want to brush the pool quite a bit to keep everything stirred up. But if possible get anything solid for sure (including leafs at the bottom) out of the pool
Good Luck !
When my pool is that bad off, I definitely vacuum to waste as alot of the stuff is sitting on the bottom. Do you have that option? Out of pool, not through filter?
Just a note, during that slam process, you will want to brush the pool quite a bit to keep everything stirred up. But if possible get anything solid for sure (including leafs at the bottom) out of the pool
Good Luck !
Don’t think I need a particular brand. 25lb at local pool store was $20. I’ll have to check Walmart when I go back.Correct
That is the unfortunate thing about DE filter during a SLAM.
Do you have to use a specific DE brand, or can you use any pool filter DE?
I'm wondering if you can find it cheaper online?
I got a 25lb box at walmart for $4 =) (last year)
I can vacuum to waste. If I do that should I put the hose in the pool and add water as I vac out? I’m about an inch below the top edge of the skimmers now. Just don’t want to take the water down too much or disrupt the water chemistry that I just spent all weekend getting my arms around, unless that shouldn’t be a real concern. Thanks.Great thread
When my pool is that bad off, I definitely vacuum to waste as alot of the stuff is sitting on the bottom. Do you have that option? Out of pool, not through filter?
Just a note, during that slam process, you will want to brush the pool quite a bit to keep everything stirred up. But if possible get anything solid for sure (including leafs at the bottom) out of the pool
Good Luck !
You will lose water VERY quickly. I would definitely put the hose in the pool to add water.
There is another option (how many returns do you have?)
There is a pool "hack"... I'm trying to find the thread with instructions, but there are a few members (myself included) that use diesel filter bags (down to 1micron) and vacuum on recirculate. No filter dirtying, no water to refill & rebalance. It would depend on how many returns you have and if more than one, can you isolate to one or create a filter bag for each return?
So basically get a 1 micron bag and attach to one return, closing off the other return. Then vacuum, letting skimmer basket catch the big debris and this smaller bag on the return catching the rest? Pump set to recirculate so no water flows into the DE filter, just to to bag?
Just so I’m clear, what’s the benefit here? Less backwashing and waste of DE, as I’ll only need to clean the skimmer basket and diesel bag?
Thanks!
Yes basically
It's a little more elbow grease This is the lowest price I could find in a quick eBay search Sewn Industrial Filter Sock Bags Water Liquid Biodiesel WVO Oil Dust Fuel Diesel | eBay
Last edited:
Question - given the amount of debris in the pool and the quick clogging up the DE filter, is an option to vacuum with the pump on recirc first, allowing me to maximize suction in order to vac the larger debris and catch in the skimmer baskets? Once I feel like I've removed a good deal of the large debris, then vac to the filter? Just trying to find an efficient method for getting the debris on the bottom (which I still can't see from the pool deck) up and out.
Regarding the vac setup, I'm struggling with the skimmer vac plate we have, as the fitting on top isn't at a 90-deg angle. Makes for a hassle when connecting and disconnecting every time basket needs to be checked. Are the Hayward vac plates with the detachable 90-degree elbow a better option? Going for ease of use here...
Also going to look into the diesel filter bag hack, but at this point my larger concern is getting the big chunks of mess out of the pool. Thanks!
Regarding the vac setup, I'm struggling with the skimmer vac plate we have, as the fitting on top isn't at a 90-deg angle. Makes for a hassle when connecting and disconnecting every time basket needs to be checked. Are the Hayward vac plates with the detachable 90-degree elbow a better option? Going for ease of use here...
Also going to look into the diesel filter bag hack, but at this point my larger concern is getting the big chunks of mess out of the pool. Thanks!
Can you purchase the 90 elbow?
I couldn't imagine the struggle to vac w/o elbow!