Pump issue while slamming!

[lebel_m]

Hello everyone, first time post here.

I left for vacation for 12 days and came back to a swamp and had problems clearing it up so I ran across this site and have been implementing the practices here.

I had high CYA, 100+, so i did a partial drain and fill and got it down to 30. I've been slamming since Friday with much success, pool was starting to turn blue this morning. This morning I went to vacuum and suck up all the nasty dead stuff ( I couldn't see the bottom of the deep end). After vacuuming I went to backwash and I noticed it wasnt draining water as much as it usually does. (I'm on septic so it just dumps into the yard) I cleaned the filter basket at the pump and tried to turn the filter back on. It circulates water but the pressure is way off. I tried to put the top back on multiple times thinking maybe I didn't seat the o-ring just right but each time the same thing. The water in the skimmer (at the pump) only reaches about half up the basket. Usually goes all the way up. At the jet side, (4 total) the 3 jets furthest away from the pump have very little output and the one closet to the pump shoots out 3-4 medium size bubbles every 4-5 seconds. This happens while the pump is in filter and rinse mode......i thought maybe the sand filter was clogged with algae but the rinse cycle bypasses the filter correct?

I'm thinking I may have sucked up something big that I couldn't see but hows the air getting in? I saw on the pump troubleshooting where you can stick a wrapped hose on the inbound pipe from the pump basket to try and dislodge.......I'll try that and report. Any other ideas?

I'm going to keep slamming and just brush more often to keep the water turning.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

 

[zea3]

When the filter is set to rinse it is not by-passing the filter. Recirculate by-passes the filter. If the return flow is strong on recirculate then the filter needs more backwashing. If recirculate does not flow well then look for obstructions in the line.

If recirculate is good, use a hose to fill the pump strainer pot, put the lid on and set the filter to backwash. If you see a vortex in skimmer the water level in the pool is too low. Run the hose through the skimmer while backwashing. Backwash until the water in the sight glass looks clear, then turn off the pump and set the filter to rinse. Rinse until water in the sight glass is clear. Turn off the pump and set the filter to filter.

If there are no obstructions and backwashing does not help, try deep cleaning the filter. Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

 

[lebel_m]

I don't have a recirculate option on the filter. I have filter, backwash, rinse, winterize, whirlpool, and test. Would whirlpool bypass? I'm guessing drain does as well?

When the filter is set to rinse it is not by-passing the filter. Recirculate by-passes the filter. If the return flow is strong on recirculate then the filter needs more backwashing. If recirculate does not flow well then look for obstructions in the line.

If recirculate is good, use a hose to fill the pump strainer pot, put the lid on and set the filter to backwash. If you see a vortex in skimmer the water level in the pool is too low. Run the hose through the skimmer while backwashing. Backwash until the water in the sight glass looks clear, then turn off the pump and set the filter to rinse. Rinse until water in the sight glass is clear. Turn off the pump and set the filter to filter.

If there are no obstructions and backwashing does not help, try deep cleaning the filter. Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

 

[lebel_m]

I did the hose and rag trick and water makes it back to pool skimmer intake but after I ran the pump after that there's hardly any water coming thru the intake side of the pump skimmer. It doesn't even get 1/3 full. I probably sucked in a rock or something that my son threw in there. What are the typical options now? Rent a long plumbing snake or hire someone? I've got a small 25' 1/4" pistol auger that you can hook a drill up to but if its something lodged tight, like a rock i'm not sure thats going to cut it.