Hi,
I'm suspecting that, since the old plaster was in a pretty deplorable state, every time I brushed or vacuumed I was probably sucking in plaster debris. I am thinking that the plaster was constantly breaking down (also it was a constant battle with algae attacking all the pock-marked and worn areas on the bottom - it sort of looked like a coral reef down there). I experienced filter pressure increases nearly every 2 weeks or so, but so far this season with the new plaster the cycles are much longer. I cleaned the filter a month ago (I never just backwash....rather I take everything apart and hose off the grids, clean out the tank, pump strainer, etc.) and I'm still at the same pressure that I started with after adding new DE.
What is the 'average' filter cycle length - if there even is such a thing? I do think that what I was experiencing with the old plaster - that of having to clean the filter every few weeks - was probably a bit excessive. Is it possible that now I might only need to backwash following a pressure increase and then take the filter apart every few cycles instead of at every DE change as I have been used to doing? Anyway, I'm loving the reduced level of maintenance! Plus the water seems so much cleaner and fresher (well, for one thing it was a fresh fill only about a year ago).
Also, I have a question about leaving the grids in while away on vacation. Before the renovation, I always took them out for fear that the pressure would go up too high while I'm away from the pool for a few weeks. It's probably not an ideal way to run a pool since without the girds I'm basically just circulating water (and yet the water never looked too bad after I got home from a trip) But now since the filter cycles seem like they are going to go much longer, I was wondering if I'd probably be ok cleaning it good before leaving, adding new DE, and then just keeping the filter running with the girds in?
Thanks,
Keith
I'm suspecting that, since the old plaster was in a pretty deplorable state, every time I brushed or vacuumed I was probably sucking in plaster debris. I am thinking that the plaster was constantly breaking down (also it was a constant battle with algae attacking all the pock-marked and worn areas on the bottom - it sort of looked like a coral reef down there). I experienced filter pressure increases nearly every 2 weeks or so, but so far this season with the new plaster the cycles are much longer. I cleaned the filter a month ago (I never just backwash....rather I take everything apart and hose off the grids, clean out the tank, pump strainer, etc.) and I'm still at the same pressure that I started with after adding new DE.
What is the 'average' filter cycle length - if there even is such a thing? I do think that what I was experiencing with the old plaster - that of having to clean the filter every few weeks - was probably a bit excessive. Is it possible that now I might only need to backwash following a pressure increase and then take the filter apart every few cycles instead of at every DE change as I have been used to doing? Anyway, I'm loving the reduced level of maintenance! Plus the water seems so much cleaner and fresher (well, for one thing it was a fresh fill only about a year ago).
Also, I have a question about leaving the grids in while away on vacation. Before the renovation, I always took them out for fear that the pressure would go up too high while I'm away from the pool for a few weeks. It's probably not an ideal way to run a pool since without the girds I'm basically just circulating water (and yet the water never looked too bad after I got home from a trip) But now since the filter cycles seem like they are going to go much longer, I was wondering if I'd probably be ok cleaning it good before leaving, adding new DE, and then just keeping the filter running with the girds in?
Thanks,
Keith
