Floc HELP

[duraleigh]

I consider Borax the icing on the cake.

Almost right but not quite. 20 Mule team Borax can and does serve two functions in your pool.

1. The most important one is to use it to raise pH. It will do so with relatively little movement of the TA.

2. Secondly, it can be used (lots of it) to introduce borates to your pool as sort of a conditioner/algae preventative. Of course, it still raises pH so a lot of muriatic acid has to be used along with the 20 mule team to counteract that pH rise. That's the function that is "icing on the cake" and not at all required for pool water management.

 

[Txmat]

Thanks Dave for the clarification.

 

[fourofsmith]

Put filter back together with new sand. Backwashed after vacuuming a little. Mega brand new sand came out! Is this normal. We could not put the full 150 lbs of sand in it. It would not fit. Also when we opened the filter the old sand was just 1/2 full. Is there something making my sand go away? Will I need to just add sand a couple times a year?

 

[Txmat]

What about the spider gasket? Did you check it and lube it?

 

[fourofsmith]

My Esther Williams SP-711 Series Control Valve and paper work for the filter don't mention a spider gasket etc. I don't see anything like that in the paperwork. It is from 6-06. former owner kept some details. Even wrote on the bottom of the tank when she put the sand in last

 

[Txmat]

Can you post some pictures of the filter and the equipment?

 

[fourofsmith]

I will post pictures later today. Vacuumed x 2 so far today and now not getting anything significant in the basket. But I have noticed my psi is down to 10-12 and not moving. Usually we would start at 12 and at first go to 18 then backwash, but I haven't seen any reason to backwash. Is my reading possible? Down after the addition of new sand this morning? Is this the part where I run the filter 24/7 make sure chemicals are right and wait? At what point is it safe to go swimming?
Thanks to you all!

 

[JesseWV]

The filter is lower PSI because the sand is new and clean. It should start rising as more particles are filtered out. I wouldn't backwash until at least 18psi. If the pressure does not start rising either something wasn't put back together properly or the gasket in the multiport could be bad. We really need a picture of your multiport valve and the rest of your set up for that matter.

You lost sand during backwash probably because of too much sand being added. It usually says on the filter how much to put in. Sometimes there's a line for the fill level which seems to work better than weight due to different sand particle densities.

Yes, you need to let your filter do it's job while you are getting your water balanced and sanitized. Here are TFPs Recommended Levels. You can work on getting those levels nailed over time but a few mater for swimmer safety. It's safe to swim when:

FC: Find target appropriate to your CYA level on the Clorine/CYA Chart.
CC: Less than 1
pH: 7.2-7.8.

 

[fourofsmith]

pics

 

[fourofsmith]

more pics. The duck is actually a thermometer that you can't see

 

[fourofsmith]

last pic for the night. Ready to add chlorine for 80+cya with a full sun pool.

 

[fourofsmith]

with a cya of 80 + a triclor (friend did it) the shock fc is 31 that is rediculous. Should I just drain part of the pool to get it back down? It's high due to all the triclor/diclor added in the beginnin. Right?

 

[JasonLion]

Dichlor and trichlor both contain CYA. If CYA is 80+, replacing water to bring it down is a great idea.

 

[fourofsmith]

Added 441oz of chlorine~! UHHHggg! That was expensive. We will work on water drainage and additions tomorrow. Then it will take less chlorine too. Hopefully no tadpoles found friendly frogs this morning that had laid their eggs on it. Put them all in a five gallon bucket of well water and suprisingly they are growing quickly. Can't wait till they hatch so we can put them in the creek. guess our nasty pool was a great hang out. Tonight the couple of gray tree frogs were back. So cute!

 

[JesseWV]

Okay....I now need help finding sand filter parts for an Esther Williams 1800 High Rate Sand Filter. I don't see it on the Hayward site. Just looking in advance. Is there any way to find old parts. The filter is only 9 yrs old.

Looking at your pics you have a Hayward set up with Vari Flo valve. I'm not sure where you're seeing Esther Williams.

To check your gaskets, just unscrew the top six screws and pull straight up. The spider/spoke gasket will be right there. You want it to be crack free and still flexible. You can always post pics of it here. I would take the opportunity to lubricate it with silicon based lubricant. Do not use petroleum based or it will deteriorate the gasket. You can also check o-ring around the piece that came off and lube it up as well.

 

[fourofsmith]

Finally received the TF-100. A couple days feels like forever. Now keeping FC at goal of 26 for CYA of 65. But the CC is not changing much. CC goes between 3 and 2.5 and back again. Tried to empty a few inches and refill to day a couple times (on a well), but the CYA did not budge. Water is still not clearing. Are the gaskets mentions above my only other recourse? Is there something I am not figuring out? I have not opened the top of the filter for the gaskets, but I was hoping not to have to. Is this the next step? (Requires extra help) So hoping there would be something else. But I am not seeing an improvement in clarity of the water.

 

[Txmat]

Are you still getting sand when you backwash or filter? The reason we mentioned the spider gasket was it is sometimes the reason you get sand coming out the return. If you are no longer getting sand then do not worry about the spider gasket. Post all your numbers from the TF-100 and you will get some good comprehensive advice. Be sure you have read and maybe re-read the portion on clearing your pool in Pool School. In order to get the Chlorine volume reasonable you need to lower that CYA. That requires draining and re-filling.

 

[fourofsmith]

not finding the clearing your pool section of pool school. I will post more test numbers in the am.
Tonights numbers :
FC 25.5
CC2.5
CYA 65

Not worried as much about other numbers each time I test each day. It did not seem that I needed to at this stage (not every time I test for FC). I will take a full test battery in the morning and post.
thanks.

 

[Txmat]

Sorry for the misdirection. Look at the "Shock Your Pool" and "Defeating Algae" sections of Pool School. One of the things that a lot of people miss and is important to understand is that "Shocking" is a process and not a one time event. The more often you can measure your FC and raise it as necessary to keep it at shock levels the faster your pool will clear. Testing and using the pool calculator will help you determine what you have to do to keep it at shock level. If you follow the pool calculator's suggestion and lower your CYA you will need less bleach to shock your pool because you will not have to bring the FC to as high a level. Post the complete numbers when you get a chance.

 

[fourofsmith]

Readings from 1600.
pH 7.5
FC 10
CC 3
TA 180
CH 200
Steps taken since......draining some of the pool.