This is my first post as I am new to this site. I have a 24' above ground pool with a sand filter, and 1 hp pump motor. I just replaced the sand in my filter and it seemed to do fine for the first week as I was trying to clean and filter the water. For no apparent reason the water seems to not be going thru the sand in the filter but seems to be going directly into the skimmer and out of the return. Also when I turn off the pump the water gushes out of the top of the skimmer at least 4 to 6 inches. When I try to backwash, the waste water takes about 20 to 30 seconds to begin flowing. The pool water also is not clearing after putting the chemicals in that I usually open the pool with. I had the water tested and put in the recommended amount. At any rate there is either something wrong with the filter itself, the multiport valve, or there is air somewhere in the system. This is an old Jacuzzi filter (13 years old) and I don't see any bleed valve anywhere to bleed off excess air. Does anyone have any ideas. This is a first for me as this has never happened since I have owned the pool. I bought it new 13 years ago. The multiport valve is a 7 port valve which includes Filter, Drain, Test, Backwash, Whirlpool, Winterize and Rinse. I am at a loss as to what to do next. Thank You!
Skimmer and/or Sand Filter Issue
- Thread starter Chief04
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
It sounds like you have a lot of air trapped in the filter. Does your filter have an air bleed valve on the top of the filter? If so, you should open that valve until only water comes out. That might be enough to take care of the problem, or it may reveal some additional clues that allow us to figure out what else is going on.
It would also be helpful if you could post a complete set of water test results.
It sounds like you have a lot of air trapped in the filter. Does your filter have an air bleed valve on the top of the filter? If so, you should open that valve until only water comes out. That might be enough to take care of the problem, or it may reveal some additional clues that allow us to figure out what else is going on.
It would also be helpful if you could post a complete set of water test results.
Hi Chief04 and welcome to TFP! 
We can help with chemical balance with a full set of test results, preferably from a Taylor based kit or TF-100 kit.
Lots of good stuff here to help with clearing your water, read in Pool School link at the top right.
Your pump acting up sounds to me like maybe the spider gasket is ruptured or the Lateral manifold assembly is not in the housing right.
You will have to pull the top back off to see if it in lined up.
Chuck
We can help with chemical balance with a full set of test results, preferably from a Taylor based kit or TF-100 kit.
Lots of good stuff here to help with clearing your water, read in Pool School link at the top right.
Your pump acting up sounds to me like maybe the spider gasket is ruptured or the Lateral manifold assembly is not in the housing right.
You will have to pull the top back off to see if it in lined up.
Chuck
Thanks for all of the replies. it is really appreciated. The pressure gauge is pretty steady of 12psi. The pressure does not seem to build beyond that, and there is a strong stream coming out of the return jet at all times. if the sand filter was actually filtering the pressure would build until it needed backwashing. As I posted earlier there is no air bleed valve anywhere on the filter. I will test the water and post very soon. In the meantime I will take the entire top including the Multiport valve off of the filter and have it looked at by the people I bought the equipment from to see if they can see any problems or issues. The laterals have never been taken out or moved but it is possible they were somehow affected when I replaced the sand. I left about a couple of inches of sand in the bottom and then filled the tank about 1/4 with water before putting the new sand in. Thank you for all of the great ideas. I will let you know if any of the suggestions posted pan out, and I will post water test results soon. Thanks again.
That's indicative of a suction side air leak.
Air is being drawn into the system somewhere between the pump and the skimmers. It then travels into the filter and the pump keeps the filter pressurized. When you shut off the pump, the pressurized air inside the filter pushes the water in the filter backwards through the pump and out to the skimmers. Find that air leak and that will stop.
That makes sense. The pump and filter are under a deck and a little difficult to get to, but I will crawl under there and try to find where the air leak might be coming from. I will keep you informed of what I find as soon as I can get to it. Thanks Again.
OK..everyone has been so good in giving me ideas on how to correct my problems with my pool, I just wanted to get back and give an update. The first thing I did was crawl under the deck and look for any signs of leaks or anything that could cause air to get into the system. Nothing was visible so I began the pain staking process of checking one thing at a time by disassembling. Before it was over I had to disconnect all lines, and take the pump and motor off of the platform and take it into my workshop. The first thing I found when I took the skimmer line off of the pump was what was left of a dead frog that somehow got into the skimmer. It must have gotten in when I took the old basket out and took it to the pool store to replace it. Anyway it got into the line and I'm sure that didnt do the system any good. The second thing I found when I took the pump apart from the motor was a big piece of plastic wrapped around the rotating impeller of the motor. That must have come off of the basket inside the pot. I checked the pot and sure enough it was broken with a missing plastic handle as well. I went back to the pool store, bought a new basket for the pot, and purchased a new O ring for the pot cover. I also purcahsed some silicone for the O ring and treated anything that was rubber and needed to seal. I also took a sample of my water to the pool supply store to have it analyzed. The numbers were as follows: TDS+=400, Total Chlorine=0.6, Free Chlorine=0, ph=7.5, total alkalinity=118, Total Hardness=126. As a result of the testing I was advised to put 4lbs of CLC (which is a heavy duty shock) in my pool and 16oz. of Banish, which is an extra song algecide in the pool. When I got home I reassembled the pump, put it back and reconnected all hoses. I restarted the pump and so far no more indication of air leaks. After putting the chemicals in the pool is already noticably better and has started to clear. No more green look. The water of sort of an aqua marine color, and getting better by the hour. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who responded to my post and giving me the information I needed to get my pool back in working order. MUCH APPRECIATED! Have a great weekend everyone!
Sorry for some of the spelling errors in my previous post. I was kind of in a hurry.
If I can recommend one thing it would be to buy your own test kit. Your pool store didn't give you a CYA which is directly related to how much chlorine your pool needs. Therefore you might have created overkill by adding the 4 lbs of CLC or it might not be enough. I know it seems like a huge investment up front, but when you stop buying all the pool store chemicals that they are selling to you the payback will be instantaneous. This is my third year of owning a pool and the first time I've done BBB but I can already tell you that my pool is at the best it's ever been.
Glad you got the plumbing straightened out.
You may want to check out Pool School for some chemical guidance. A single shock application seldom clears a pool, and you need to know your CYA level to even determine the correct amount of shock. All of the info is in Pool School.
Your CLC is nothing more than plain old calcium hypochlorite. 4lbs probably got your chlorine to about 20ppm, but if the algae was bad, most of it is probably gone now.
You may want to check out Pool School for some chemical guidance. A single shock application seldom clears a pool, and you need to know your CYA level to even determine the correct amount of shock. All of the info is in Pool School.
Your CLC is nothing more than plain old calcium hypochlorite. 4lbs probably got your chlorine to about 20ppm, but if the algae was bad, most of it is probably gone now.
Thanks for the feedback once again. I will definately go to the pool school, and learn what they have there. Actually, this was not a single shock application, as I have shocked it before and completed all of the recommendations from the pool store. Also I just neglected to give the CYA from the water testing, my fault. They said that recommended CYA is 30-200 and mine was 0. I was a little put out because I did the water testing with them just a little over a week ago and they sold me all of the chemicals they said I needed, and that it should do the the job. Your right in advising me to purchase my own test kit, that way I wont be at the mercy of anyone else telling me what I need and dont need. I talked to one store associate who sold me the initial line of chemicals, then another person did the second water test and told me I should have bought the Banish and CLC, and then told me how much of each to use. Very frustrating. So I will attend the pool school and purchase my own test kit as advised. Just goes to show you no matter how long one has a pool, he can always learn something.
You are on the road to recovery. The first step is admitting that the pool store is out there to make money. The second step is to buy your own test kit. Once you get pool school figured out it all starts to feel elementary.