PhosFree Clogged Filter

[Chris7750]

Can Muriatic acid be used to remove PhosFree from a Pentair cartridge filter?
If so recommend ratio acid/water.

Manual spraying is difficult and not terribly effective. Looking and feeling deep inside filter pleat it still is slimy

We are in the process of lowering our Phosphate ppb from >1000 to the recommended level.
We are on our second round of PhosFree cleaning the filter (we have two and alternate) between treatments.
Currently Phosphates @ 500 ppb.

Thanx you for any/all advice!


Regards
C.

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

There is a big difference between advice you will get here and from the pool $tore. Their goal is to sell you products, like PhosFree. Our goal is to have you take control of your pool and cut the ties with salespeople.

We do not recommend using PhosFree in a normal residential pool, nor do we advocate even tracking phosphate levels.

We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. I recommend a TF100 test kit.

I'll let someone else suggest methods to clear the cartridge of the gunk as I have a sand filter.

To get a little more familiar with our system a little reading in Pool School would help. I say start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

So, welcome to TFP!!

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to TFP,

Being Honest, I'm not sure what ratio of Acid and water may, or may not be hard on your filters. If it's enough to dissolve what's in your filters, it may be harmful to them, but it's pure speculation on my part. I can tell you with certainty that removing Phosphates is often not worth the time, effort or money. Many, many pools operate with levels the industry labels as "high" without problems at all when properly Chlorinated. It seems in your case that doing so has already wasted time and money for you. I presume you've done a removal, and are seeing issues you never had before? There could be other things going on, but that's why I'm asking.

 

[Chris7750]

Thank You tim5055 and Patrick_B for your rapid response.

I have purchased and use a Taylor K-2005 test kit. We had an initial algae bloom in our new (8 months old) Gunnite SWG 10,000 gal pool. After we had been away for a week and the pH was quite high ~9+. Shocked pool and used algaecide and the algae currently appears under control. Further online research suggested test for Phosphate (I purchased a K-1106 test kit) to reduce reoccurrence of an algae bloom. Phosphate tested >1000 (twice) and municipal water tested @ 0. Further online research yielded PhosFree as treatment to control phosphate. First treatment didn't dent the phosphate reading, remained at >1000, second treatment reduced the reading to ~ 500ppb. Down side is cleaning the cartridge filter and hence the HCL (muriatic acid) cleaning question.

I very much like to maintain the pool my self with little or no "pool store" involvement. I also actual like testing and maintaining the pool water...I'm somewhat technical and like the LSI and CSI equations for ideal water. From what I'm reading, I should keep the water correctly chlorinated and balanced I should have no further algae concerns.

Over the years I have learned to listen carefully to SMEs....and I very much appreciate any/all advice.

Still interested in the pro/cons of using HCL to clean the cartridge filter.....If no suggestions, I will use an recommended ratio found online and post the results for other ProsFree-ers.

Thanx
C.

 

[ping]

Here is a thread we have for cleaning carts due to various issues, Re: How to clean a cartridge filter.

You might want to upgrade the K-2005 test kit to the equivalent K-2006 kit. The K-2006 kit contains a FAS/DPD testing reagents which is necessary to properly SLAM, shock, a pool. That's another story besides the carts.

 

[Isaac-1]

I also would suggest upgrading your K-2005 (which has the color matching DPD only test) with the FAS-DPD single test to make it the equivalent of a K-2006, the FAS-DPD stand alone test can be found at TF-testkits TFTestkits.net

Ike

p.s. sorry about the lack of advice on cleaning PhosFree from your filter, but almost no one here uses that stuff