Over the last 30 years as a pool owner I have had my ups and downs. Sometimes getting an algae flareup without being able to see the bottom of the sallow end much less the deep end. I at one time was breeding African cichlids and using a Diatom Filter to quickly clear murky tank water. The Box of Diatom powder was left over and over the years I have from time to time just dumped some in the skimmer using a Sta-Rite System3 dual cartridge filter system a few days before I would have a complete cleaning of the filters. This made the water sparkle and I never had any problems with the Diatom powder getting into the pool. Some of it did during the loading of the filter but over 24 hours there was no sign of it.
A few years ago by underground 2 inch pipes froze that go to my Heat Pump and I re plumed the unit using overhead pipes, the Heat pump is 75 feet from the pump and air conditions a 36' section of the greenhouse as it heats the pool. I made a huge mistake by directly pluming the output of the pump to the Heat pump instead of pluming it after the filter. This year I ran out of Diatom powder and went to the Feed Store Tractor Supply and bought a bag that was labeled for animal feed but pure Diatom without any additions. It was not white like the Pool designated box. My water was very murky and I poured a couple of pounds in the skimmer, I did not realize until a few days ago the Heat pump valve was open at the time and i may have well just been dumping the powder directly in the pool.
After saying to myself at 3AM in the morning I'm going to get the bobcat and just fill the dam thing in, I noticed the plumbing error.
Solution with a better solution hit me after I remembered my fish raising days. We used a container inside the aquarium and put both the input and output lines in that container, turned the pump on, added the diatom powder and waited for the water to clear.
I now do the same thing on the pool. I plumbed a 2 inch line from the output of the filter to the skimmer, i used a Union joint and a 3 foot section I can remove when not using so it's not lying on the concrete going to the skimmer. I turned it on last night and added two pounds of diatom powder and waited for the circulation to clear. Once clear I opened the Drain input and the other skimmer input and the three output lines going into the pool and then closed the valve for the skimmer loop.
This morning just 14 hours later the water is sparkling clear. There is still powder on the floor EDIT(from the previous mistake using the non pool designated diatom powder and leaving the open line bypassing the filter open when I did it.) of the pool but the wife will be vacuuming that up today.
So If you have a cartridge filter you actually have a DE filter as well and with or without a recirculating line to load the diatom powder adding powder a few days before you plan to clean those filters can make your pool shine!
A few years ago by underground 2 inch pipes froze that go to my Heat Pump and I re plumed the unit using overhead pipes, the Heat pump is 75 feet from the pump and air conditions a 36' section of the greenhouse as it heats the pool. I made a huge mistake by directly pluming the output of the pump to the Heat pump instead of pluming it after the filter. This year I ran out of Diatom powder and went to the Feed Store Tractor Supply and bought a bag that was labeled for animal feed but pure Diatom without any additions. It was not white like the Pool designated box. My water was very murky and I poured a couple of pounds in the skimmer, I did not realize until a few days ago the Heat pump valve was open at the time and i may have well just been dumping the powder directly in the pool.
After saying to myself at 3AM in the morning I'm going to get the bobcat and just fill the dam thing in, I noticed the plumbing error.
Solution with a better solution hit me after I remembered my fish raising days. We used a container inside the aquarium and put both the input and output lines in that container, turned the pump on, added the diatom powder and waited for the water to clear.
I now do the same thing on the pool. I plumbed a 2 inch line from the output of the filter to the skimmer, i used a Union joint and a 3 foot section I can remove when not using so it's not lying on the concrete going to the skimmer. I turned it on last night and added two pounds of diatom powder and waited for the circulation to clear. Once clear I opened the Drain input and the other skimmer input and the three output lines going into the pool and then closed the valve for the skimmer loop.
This morning just 14 hours later the water is sparkling clear. There is still powder on the floor EDIT(from the previous mistake using the non pool designated diatom powder and leaving the open line bypassing the filter open when I did it.) of the pool but the wife will be vacuuming that up today.
So If you have a cartridge filter you actually have a DE filter as well and with or without a recirculating line to load the diatom powder adding powder a few days before you plan to clean those filters can make your pool shine!
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