New pool, new questions

[idbowman82]

Hi, all.

I just sold my home, and with it my 30', above ground pool. My new home, by chance, also has a 30' above ground pool. I've been maintaining our pool for 15 years or so, so I'm plenty comfortable with all of the ins and outs, but the pool at the new house has a few things I haven't dealt with before.


1. I've always used a cartridge filter in the past. This new pool has a DE filter. This new pool is plumbed with rigid PVC, and swapping out the pump/filter for my current setup isn't practical (We have a whole house to move and organize - monkeying with pool plumbing is just not something I have time for, at least not until next season).

How different an animal is DE from cartridge from an every-day point of view? What do I HAVE to be aware of right from the jump?



2. I was turned on to using bleach as the chlorine source of choice (thanks TFP!) years ago. This new pool is plumbed with an in-line chlorinator. I'd prefer not to use pucks...really, I'd prefer not to use the chlorinator at all. Will it do any harm to continue applying bleach as I always have, and just never fill the chlorinator? In my mind, that really just turns the cholrinator into a purpose-less extra few inches for water to travel from filter to return, but I don't know enough about these things to assume I'm right. Could that somehow damage the chlorinator itself, creating leaks or impediments to water flow?

 

[mknauss]

Start using the bleach like you did at your other pool. The chlorinator does not care if there are pucks in it or not.

You can get some pucks for when you are out of town for more than 3 or 4 days and put them in the thing to maintain the pool.

Good luck.

 

[kcindc]

Never, ever, ever run your DE filter without DE. Here is a pool school article to read: Pool School - Maintenance and Cleaning of Pool Filters

When you backwash, some of the DE is removed and some of the DE stays behind. After you backwash you have to recharge the filter by adding 3/4 of the DE when initially charging the filter with DE.

You should break down and clean the DE filter once a year.

Look up the owner's manual for your DE filter to find out a) how much DE it needs when it is initially charged and b) how much DE to add after you backwash.

Backwash when the filter is 25% higher than the clean pressure.

 

[idbowman82]

Thanks mknauss - glad the chlorinator isn't going to make things unnecessarily tricky (and having a way to chlorinate when I'm away).

I've never actually looked into DE until now (now that my hand is forced, I guess). I'm in NE Ohio, so we've only got about a month left of pool season...I'm hoping to be able to run it without backwashing until the season is over, then use the cold months to spend some time learning more about it. Good pointers for a start - thanks very much!

 

[Richard320]

DE filters are only a nuisance if your pool gets green and gooey. Then it loads up too fast. If you take great care in closing and cover the pool, it won't get that way and you'll get to skip the joy of hourly backwashing.

When you do close, break down the filter and get it real clean. DE can harden up into almost concrete, especially if there's a lot of dust mixed in. Maybe clay, not concrete. But you understand, I'm sure.

When you open again, pay attention to the pressure gauge a few minutes after you've recharged the DE and bled out any air. That's your clean pressure.

In my experience, cellulose DE replacement works just as well as DE to filter, but when it needs cleaning, it needs it right now and it sticks to the grids worse than DE. I open the filter and blast the grids clean with the hose. But it's also just refined sawdust, so it will break down wherever you discharge. DE will not. It's petrified.

There are a couple sticky articles in the equipment forum you might find helpful.

Leave the inline chlorinator in place, just don't fill it. If it isn't leaking, leave it alone. It might come in handy if you can ever afford a vacation again. Also note that if the previous homeowner left a bucket of pucks behind, they'll keep for years if you keep the bucket sealed.

 

[scooperhsd]

And if you decide you want to go back to a cartridge filter instead - you CAN do that and replace the DE filter. Since you have been here a long time - you should know the usual advice about filters and filtering.