Filling up pool for the 1st time

[ellislo]

Found these 2 products. Are these the correct CYA and DE for pool? The CYA is selling for about US$5.5/lb while the DE is selling for about US$30/lb.

 

[kimkats]

The CYA aka sunscreen one IS a good one!

The DE one looks like it is also. It does NOT say it is food grade so it should be the good one for the pool as well.

 

[ellislo]

Happy New Year!

Finally got my DE.

Referring to the photo, do I add 1/4 cup DE and water to the bucket on the left or the bottle to the right is good enough?

This is my operating filter pressure, about 10psi. So I need to add DE until it shows 11psi right?

 

[ellislo]

Added 1cup of DE. Pressure rised 1psi.

 

[kimkats]

You started with a whole 1 cup??? Keep a close eye on that pressure to make sure it does not jump up in the next hour.

I just put the DE in the skimmer without adding it to water or such. Measure DE and pour it right in to the skimmer worked for me.

 

[ellislo]

You started with a whole 1 cup??? Keep a close eye on that pressure to make sure it does not jump up in the next hour.

I just put the DE in the skimmer without adding it to water or such. Measure DE and pour it right in to the skimmer worked for me.

1/4 cup at a time, and observe for about 10mins before adding another 1/4 cup.....

 

[kimkats]

Okay..............you have me worried there for a min! Well done!

 

[ellislo]

Okay..............you have me worried there for a min! Well done!

I am a very obedient student

 

[kimkats]

hehe just making sure!

 

[ellislo]

My filter pressure dropped back to 10psi after a few days. I added another round of DE, the pressure did increased right after i added the DE, but dropped down again after a few days. And there is no improvement on the water. I still need to vacuum to waste weekly. So will it be possible that all the DE got pass the filter and into my pool.

 

[ellislo]

@kimkats any idea on the above ☝

It is now rainy season over here and the rain water does help to fill up my pool after each session of vacuum to waste. But if the rainy season is over, I will have to fill up the pool using municipal water supply, which will be a waste of money and water.

And I found this prefilter system, wondering will it works for me

 

[Dirk]

Type "multi cyclone" in the TFP search box, a few threads pop up. Here are two:

Waterco MultiCyclone Centrifugal Filter

Anyone have any experience with these devices? http://www.waterco.com.au/CMS/default.asp?Totalproducts=1&Area=Swimming%20Pool%20Filters&productname=1&productvalue=203&id=203&status=stage8&cmsnumber=1&page_id=43 I was having a discussion with a local pool supplier and I mentioned I was looking...

www.troublefreepool.com

Multicyclone head loss

I am in the process of upgrading and changing some of my pool equipment. Changing from DE filter to Pentair Clean N Clear Plus 520 Efficient Filter. Install new Pentair VSF variable drive pump. Install Pentair Easy Touch 8 Automatic Control with Screenlogic and IC40 Intellichlor Salt System...

www.troublefreepool.com

And/or send a private message to some users and see how they like their cyclones...

 

[kimkats]

My filter pressure dropped back to 10psi after a few days. I added another round of DE, the pressure did increased right after i added the DE, but dropped down again after a few days. And there is no improvement on the water. I still need to vacuum to waste weekly. So will it be possible that all the DE got pass the filter and into my pool.

Well that ^^^^ sure is different. Lets start at the beginning:
-run a full set of tests and post results here
-take a pic of the water and share it here

We will go from there!

Kim

 

[ellislo]

Just vacuumed to waste yesterday and tested the pool chemicals. Currently using trichlor tablet for chlorine & cya.
FC 8.0
CC 0.0
pH 7.2 (added 620g Sada Ash to bring up to 7.8)
TA 50
CYA 50

Photos taken after vacuumed:

 

[kimkats]

Those are some good numbers there............now for another thing to do...............OCLT (0vernight Chlorine Loss Test). Take a reading of the FC just before bed. Take out the tablet to make sure it does not add any FC during the night. Turn the pump on right when you get up and let it run for about 30 mins then take another FC level test. let me know the results.

 

[Dirk]

Kim, can I add a nuance? May or may not matter... Take out the tablet first, then run the pump for a bit (20-30 minutes), then test your FC. That will flush out any residual chlorine lurking in your tablet dispenser that might skew your OCLT, and get your pool good and mixed for an accurate FC test. I always run my pump for a while before I sample for any water test... This compensates for what the sun might have done to the top several inches compared to the bottom inches.

 

[kimkats]

Great catch and thinking Dirk!

 

[ellislo]

The RED arrow is water from skimmer to filter while the BLUE arrows are water from filter to pool return. My return has a bypass, so what I need to do is just close valves 1 & 2 and open valve 3, then the water will not pass through the SWG and tablet dispenser.

By the way, I added 3/4 cup DE to my filter this morning to raise pressure from 10psi to 11psi. After 4hrs, I notice that not much water coming out from the return, and the filter pressure raised to 16psi. I turned off the pump and turned it on again and the pressure now at 11psi. Will keep an eye on the pressure.....

 

[Dirk]

Well that's handy! You've got a bypass. Perfect for this process. Be sure your SWG cannot get energized while it is bypassed. It can build up chlorine gas and even explode under certain circumstances. Unplug it if that is possible.

Your valve setup is such that you can deadhead your pump if too many of the valves are closed. Be sure there is always a path to the pool before you turn on your pump (or a timer turns it on)!

 

[ellislo]

Just completed my OCLT:
- 24 Jan, 7pm: FC 7.0
- 25 Jan, 6:30am, on pump for circulation; 7:00am FC 7.0