Sand/dirt getting into the pool through the jets - cartridge filter

[pulzar]

I've had this ongoing problem for a year or so, where I get a good bit of dirt and sand coming into the pool from the jets bringing in the water from the pump. I have 3 jets and two water features, with three pipes leading out from the pump -- one for each water feature, and one for all the jets. The closest jet spits out the most dirt out of the 3 jets, and each of the water features do quite a bit, as well.

If I vacuum the pool clean (with a robotic vacuum that has its own filter, i.e. no dirt goes back into the pump/filter), there will be plenty of new dirt in the pool within a couple of days. I tried turning off water features, and that didn't stop the dirt from coming in from the jets.

I can't figure out what is going on, and where this is coming from. The only common pipe where dirt could come in to reach all jets would be on the intake back to the pump, but then the filter would catch it, and there would be plenty of dirt in the filter when I clean it -- however, there isn't. The filter is usually dirty with bits of grass and whatnot.

The filter is a cartridge filter, so there's no sand in there.

The dirt is kind of redish brown, and I do have a bunch of that kind of dirt around the pool pump/filter. I also have some reddish brown rocks around the pool... but if there were disintegrating at this rate, they'd be gone by now -- I'm emptying out a ton of dirt every week.

Finally, there is no water loss, at least nothing obvious.

I'm really stumped... Any suggestions, ideas, or things I could try to test out theories?

 

[triptyx]

Are you sure it's dirt and not algae?

What are your current test numbers?

 

[duraleigh]

+1 what tryptyx said.

 

[pulzar]

Are you sure it's dirt and not algae?

What are your current test numbers?

Quite sure -- the bigger pieces are definitely little pieces of rock - see attached photos.



The numbers - FC is at 5, CC at 0, pH is 7.8, although it does very frequently and quickly go to 8 or over, so I do have to put in acid frequently. Calcium is high, at 630.

 

[kadavis]

What model filter do you have, sounds like something in the Filter is not right

 

[pulzar]

What model filter do you have, sounds like something in the Filter is not right

It's a Hayward SwimClear with 3 cartridges. I've cleaned them recently, I didn't notice anything unusual, but there certainly could be something going on. Any suggestions on what I should be looking for?

 

[Jeff_Pleatco]

Can you post pictures of your cartridge? Based on the size of the debris you posted, that should definitely get caught by the cartridge. It is possible there is bypass on the top or bottom of the cartridge if it is not seated properly on the manifold.

 

[kadavis]

Next time you open filter remove the cartridges and then the manifold they sit on. I've had several of these crack open underneath where you can't see.

 

[FourT4]

I hate to tell you this, but I thought my issues was a cracked lateral, and it turns out i have a cracked pipe somewhere which is my source of dirt/sand...

 

[pulzar]

I hate to tell you this, but I thought my issues was a cracked lateral, and it turns out i have a cracked pipe somewhere which is my source of dirt/sand...

That's been my fear. I think it's the only explanation for the amount of dirt that comes in regularly.

However, I'll take a closer look at the insides of the filter to see if I spot any problems. However, it would mean that the dirt is coming in from somewhere else and *then* making it through the filter, which would mean that two things are broken ... hopefully not the case.