I'm in a bit of a pinch. We just finished our install and back filled a few days ago. There is sand and dirt all over the bottom of the pool. Our pool guy is tied up and can't get out to give me a quick tutorial on how to use the vacuum (standard hose with a pole and vacuum head). We are leaving to go out of town for the weekend and I don't want to leave it so nasty! I have a basic idea on how to clean but does anyone have a quick step-by-step they could reply with? I'm concerned because of how much sand and dirt is in the bottom, I will have to clean out the sand filter several times, I just don't know when I will know to do it or how to do it!
Pool is DIRTY! Needs first cleaning!
- Thread starter Rev173
- Start date
Not sure if you have a vaccum port or not but with that type of vacuum usually plugs into the skimmer. So remove the skimmer Basket and plug that sucker in. If there's that much debris you might want to clean the filter when you're done.
Lots of videos on Youtube showing how to vacuum. Make sure the hose is entirely filled with water before setting it on the skimmer/skimmer plate or you'll suck a lot of air into the pump- No Bueno!
Don't rush to clean the filter, a slightly dirty sand filter actually works better.
Maddie
Don't rush to clean the filter, a slightly dirty sand filter actually works better.
Maddie
Thanks smallsmx3. There is a ton of debris, so much that the pool guy said I would have to clean the filter before I finished vacuuming. I just didn't want to risk damaging something due to the amount of debris I would be vacuuming up. How do you know when the filter is at the point it needs to be cleaned? As YippeeSkippy suggested, I've watched videos so I get the basic concept, just not sure on the whole filter thing.
The filter should have a guage on it. Over 10 psi you'll notice less suction. That's a good time to clean it. Also make sure the basket in the pump gets cleaned
A robot of some type. 
Of course I am lazy and get dust storms. Rent house I was in had ficus trees. Egads that would drop leaves everywhere after a monsoon storm. New house is MUCH better.
Of course I am lazy and get dust storms. Rent house I was in had ficus trees. Egads that would drop leaves everywhere after a monsoon storm. New house is MUCH better.
I'm going to contradict smallsmx3 here, as we here at TroubleFreePools only recommend backwashing a sand filter when the pressure rises 20-25% over your baseline clean pressure.
Maddie
Maddie
Fair enough. I never have used one. Mine is a cartridge filterI'm going to contradict smallsmx3 here, as we here at TroubleFreePools only recommend backwashing a sand filter when the pressure rises 20-25% over your baseline clean pressure.
Maddie
- May 3, 2014
- 58,391
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Thanks for the tips. I'm really new to the pool game. 40 years old and never had a pool, let alone cleaned one!
- - - Updated - - -
I'm going to contradict smallsmx3 here, as we here at TroubleFreePools only recommend backwashing a sand filter when the pressure rises 20-25% over your baseline clean pressure.
Maddie
Thank you! I've got a lot to learn. Looks like I found the right place.
- Jun 22, 2017
- 859
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XK2FS0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 these will make your life so much better, especially when vacuuming up sand. Great at catching pollen and bugs too. If your wife has any old panty hoses, cut the foot of of one and stretch over your skimmer basket to use while waiting for the hairnets to come in
Thanks for the hair net tip
, I can't wait to try these out when they arrive on Sunday! I've had super fine brown dust/pollen in my pool for the last couple of weeks and it seems to just go right through my sand filter.
Thanks for the hair net tip
Hmm, are you certain that this is not dead algae? Can the pool pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test?
I can't pass an OCLT as I'm actually going through a SLAM right now: https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/149810-Water-Clarifier-to-get-rid-of-fine-dirt. I don't think it's dead algae as it's been happening weeks before I had the algae outbreak.
After reading through your other thread I would tend to disagree... an algae bloom will generally start out with the water showing signs of stress, it will lose it's sparkle, and will appear dull, followed by cloudiness and/or dead algae (resembling a fine dust) appearing 'out of nowhere'. Once the algae spores reproduce faster than they are being killed the pool will turn green.
Anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread. Regardless of what your dealing with, hairnets in the skimmer are a great tool in your pool care arsenal.
Anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread. Regardless of what your dealing with, hairnets in the skimmer are a great tool in your pool care arsenal.
I suppose there's no harm in brining my FC up just to be sure, thanks for the tip. I'll know for sure once I try the hairnet life hack
I'm loving the hairnet trick. I'm catching a lot of fine gunk. Another tip, run your pump as fast as you can. I notice small bugs swirling around my simmer when I run the pump at half speed. Once I crank it up all that stuff just gets sucked down.