My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

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Re: My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

yep, multiple issues.

got new valve handles, seems the main drain valve is frozen open. would take some persuasion to move it and that leads to ... update this plumbing set up, remove these valves that are pretty old and get control of this.

Multiple things going on, will deal them one at a time.

I was at least hoping to shut off the main drain so I could inspect the o ring buuut since it's frozen or appears to be puts me in a Holding pattern waiting on "the dude".
 
splashpad said:
Any updates yet?

And wanted to bring your attention to this thread: DE filter vs Sand (notice a long time DE user's comment) =) just saying ;)
Click to expand...

Hahaha, well, I won't offer my opinion in that thread. I will work off the assumption that I am not doing it right. lol

And in all fairness, I have not used DE, I only have experience with Cellulose Fiber in my sand filter. So I will keep my nose out of that conversation.

That said.. "the dude" said "Don't take anything apart" I got a good laugh out of that.

I made him some videos of the pump in action at 1300 rpm, 1700rpm and 2200 rpm, so he could see the air very clearly and I was also able to get some audio of the ruckus going on in the sand filter at the higher rpm's.

Waiting for a reply.
 
It is time this thread gets livened up a bit with some Fun (after all that is my first name)

So my little princess has been patiently checking the pool each day after school to see if our Main Drain is visible. I bought myself some time last week and she has been very diligent about checking and accepting that she couldn't swim yet.

So yesterday around Noon when I was brushing, I put the brush next to the drain and indeed I could make out very faintly the outline of the drain. I could see it a lot better than the iPhone could pick it up.

So on our 1/2 block walk home from the bus stop, I told her if she wanted to swim today she could. That was an easy sell.

I am all for handing out medals to everyone, building up our kids is important to our family but she has not reported to me that anyone else in her class who has a pool has been swimming yet, so it is not lost on me that today she will be reporting that She now has. Medals are Medals but bragging rights still count. lol

From the Not very nice category: I devilishly enjoy that this evening when her classmates return home and tell those families who do have a pool and have not opened yet that one of their classmates is already swimming, that feeling of dread will enter their minds. I lived it, I know. I told you it was devilish.

That said, here are some pics from our First Jump of 2018!

First Jump 2018.jpg

Courtside
Courtside Dunk.jpg

Swimming
swim.jpg

============

Todays updates


Air Bubble @ 1300 RPMs
1 AIR BUBBLE.jpg

Clarity around Stairs
1 Steps 5_23.JPG

5/23 AM Picture
5_23_2018.jpg

Also talked with the wife, later in June and after we have talked with "the dude", we will have a handyman we have used come and estimate out a new pool equipment pad. Starting to think of where we want it and how big.

Went to my pool guy Smitty last night, he sells 25lbs of DE for $24.95, how does that price compare? I know I get a great deal on cases of Liquid Chlorine, so just curious.

Assuming that I may have to live with this sand filter a bit longer, I may try that vs this Fiber Clear and see what I think of it.
 
Great update!
Yeah it was cool to be the first in our TOWN to be swimming (small town, lol) Then it rained and it's COLD here, boo!


That air bubble is MUCH more acceptable. I wonder if your pump is "too strong" for the size of the inlet lines? (ponders)
You should notice marked improvement on the filtering!!

To double check: Have you verified your sand barrel is indeed at "full level", especially with all the air that was entering previously?

DE is a great thing in Sand Filter!! $1 per lb seems like a fair/good price. Add in skimmer @ 1/4c at a time until a 1 or 2 psi increase =)
 

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Re: My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

No I have not opened the barrel, I am wondering though if the air led to the multiport failure. Again, the failure is only on the recirculate side and I am also thinking to go buy a coupling with threads on the end so I can add a cap, that would stop water escaping and I could gain use of the recirculate.

If that won't work, please feel free to speak up.

I am still in the mindset to replace this sand filter, but low cost band aids to limp me through are well within reason until bigger decisions are made.

I would add that I can't solely blame the sand filter for all of my woes, introducing air is not the sand filters fault, AND if the air could cause the MPV failure, I will take that back off the list of charges as well.

I am still left with a very slow clearing process and the need to add something to it to improve overall results.

If I want V10 performance, I should not buy a Prius. That is my reasoning on this.

As always, opinions welcome.

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pabeader said:
I did a quick search of this thread and I have a question. How many skimmers/main drains do you have?
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1 skimmer
1 main drain
2 returns

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madyogi said:
Glad to see your kiddo enjoying the water!!

That's exactly what I paid locally for my DE, and I expect it to last several seasons.

Where do you get your cases of Liquid Chlorine, and what do you pay?
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Thanks madyogi, it was rewarding. I do enjoy the heck out of trying to achieve peak performance and results out of the pool and the equipment. I vent and it probably reads more dramatic than it really is.

I have an old timer that has been selling pool supplies out of his [climate controlled] garage for 35years. I pay $14.95 for a case of Liquid Chlorine (4x128oz @ 12.5%).
 
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Re: My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

pabeader said:
Have you tried turning off one or the other of the main drain and skimmer? Might help find the air leak. Also, is the water in the skimmer swirling around like a tornado?
Click to expand...

Yes, I did try that, cracked the handle that turns the 2 valves (1 for skimmer/1 for MD), the MD will not turn and out of fear of doing something stupid, I did not force it. I did close the skimmer and no improvement.

No, the water inside the skimmer has never swirled like a tornado.

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funandsun said:
Yes, I did try that, cracked the handle that turns the 2 valves (1 for skimmer/1 for MD), the MD will not turn and out of fear of doing something stupid, I did not force it. I did close the skimmer and no improvement.

No, the water inside the skimmer has never swirled like a tornado.
Click to expand...

I would add, I do have a pretty heavy suspicion where the leak is coming from. But as "the dude" said, "do not take anything apart". So I am sitting tight for now.

*Plumbing and I have a very toxic relationship.
 
pabeader said:
Okay. I asked because if I turn off my main drain, and don't have a hairnet on the skimmer basket, I can get air sucked in if it starts to swirl.
(Note: This is on my old IG pool)
Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing. Yes, I have thought about a lot of ways air could be getting in from the nightmare (underground) to the more likely at one of my above ground unions.

Here are pics and why I suspect what I do

When I was trying to turn the valve handles, I discovered that this part moves.

Here it is straight
T Straight.jpg

Here it is with very little effort to move
T Turned.jpg

And here is where I can see the movement
T unions where it turns.jpg

I suspect this is my problem, I just forward these same pics to "the dude", lets see what he thinks of that.
 
Re: My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

funandsun said:
No I have not opened the barrel, I am wondering though if the air led to the multiport failure. Again, the failure is only on the recirculate side and I am also thinking to go buy a coupling with threads on the end so I can add a cap, that would stop water escaping and I could gain use of the recirculate.
Click to expand...
That should work, recirculate is just running thorough the MPV, so that sounds right (our drain/waste opening has to be capped to use recirculate, fwiw, but ours is a "mini" Intex)

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funandsun said:
When I was trying to turn the valve handles, I discovered that this part moves.

Here it is with very little effort to move
View attachment 78272
Click to expand...

Pretty sure that should not be possible! lol I don't think you have a "poor filter", I think you have really bad plumbing!!
 
I agree. That looks suspect. This has been a great thread.

The stream of water over unions, joints and on top of site glass helped me locate a suction leak on my neighbors pool. He had a super small site glass hair line crack. Replaced and no bubbles. Try the stream of water around that suspect joint. The pressure of the water coming out of the hose doesn't need to be high pressure, just a steady flow. Good Luck.
 

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