- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,061
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Cloudy pool won't clear
- Thread starter milesvdustin
- Start date
Are you seeing dirt accumulate on the steps, or getting clouds when you brush areas the robot doesn't get to well? If so, you are killing algae and therefore making progress. Are you still adding DE?
Added two gallons of chlorine for all this rain. Maybe if we get a weather break I can brush it. Filter PSI not any higher than last night.
Got a break in the storms so I brushed the pool. FC was at 22 with the addition from this morning. 
No better this morning. Storms filled up the pool above the skimmer plate and my deck lid for the skimmer is gone, I think its in the pool.
How quick does the filter need cleaning when using DE ? Are you getting hours or minutes ?
24 to 48 hours with DE if not more. I backwashed last night because we had tons of rain, and then added DE but still not catching much.
I would try adding a little more DE. When it works it's usually much quicker.
When was the filter deep cleaned last ? It's possible it's fouled up or has lost sand due to backwashing. Either/both may be working against you.
It was noted at the start that he checked the sand and it was "in good shape", and he added 100 lbs. How long prior to this current thread is a bit open.
My old sand filter issues were different. But a refusing-to-clear situation like this frequently meant I should try a deep cleaning of the sand. What was there looked good (no clumping), but the amount of dirt out of it when running a hose into it was tremendous. Generally, some dirt (or DE!) should improve the filtering, but there is a point where there is more than backwashing can remove, and things get less efficient - to the stage where the filter is just passing it back to the pool.
I hesitated to ask before, and it isn't immediately helpful....but what size/model # is your Hayward filter? Having a 3/4 HP pump might be a bit undersized, which makes me wonder if the filter is undersized also?
That too would exacerbate the slow-to-clear issue. But I'm no equipment guru, so can't give much of a valid opinion.
My old sand filter issues were different. But a refusing-to-clear situation like this frequently meant I should try a deep cleaning of the sand. What was there looked good (no clumping), but the amount of dirt out of it when running a hose into it was tremendous. Generally, some dirt (or DE!) should improve the filtering, but there is a point where there is more than backwashing can remove, and things get less efficient - to the stage where the filter is just passing it back to the pool.
I hesitated to ask before, and it isn't immediately helpful....but what size/model # is your Hayward filter? Having a 3/4 HP pump might be a bit undersized, which makes me wonder if the filter is undersized also?
That too would exacerbate the slow-to-clear issue. But I'm no equipment guru, so can't give much of a valid opinion.
It's a huge sand filter, took over 300 lbs to fill it. The sand was all new last year and I added to it the day before starting this thread.
Then I would go with trying a little more DE at a time until the cycles shorten considerably. 24 to 48 hours doesn't seem to be trapping enough crud for how efficient it usually is when adding DE.
X2! Even the shorter cycle time noted in an early post was a bit long. So the DE is doing something, just not enough.
I looked at the Hayward filters, and while their 300lb one might be a bit on the small side for your pool, it's not by much. Especially with the lower flow from the 3/4 hp pump. Just means the total turnover time is longer. Which means clearing will take longer. Going up in DE should help the situation a lot.
Think about getting a pole, hose and manual vac head. If you add Cl in the evening, let it mix well, and then turn off the pump and robot, you should see a heavier accumulation of dead algae on the steps or in the corners/bottom in the morning. Then you can vac that to waste, rather than suspending it with the brush/robot and depending on the filter to (slowly) grab it all out of suspension.
Manual vacuuming is slow, and rather tedious - and can use a lot of water. But sometimes it is needed...
It has nothing to do with "turnover time" and the filter is plenty good. Get more DE in there where it'll up the gauge "1" psi and you won't go close to 24 hours before the pressure is up. Actually make yourself available sooner then later for the backwash.