Opened pool 2 days ago, frequent DE filter cloggin

kevreh · May 2, 2012

I'm going to throw this out there even though I suspect I know what the problem is. During the first couple days after opening I've had to backwash my DE filter 3 times. The pressure goes from 12psi to about 20psi in 1/2 a day and the water flow slows down.

Now, I think the problem is that its been a very mild spring that has lasted a month already. The water is darker with more algae than any year before. I think thats the issue.

So, should I keep on backwashing? Or should I bypass the DE filter, and once the chlorine kicks in will it oxidize the algae? I was low on salt so my SWG just kicked in later yesterday.

Thanks,
Kevin

JohnT · May 2, 2012

What you are seeing is the "downside" of DE filters. They are too efficient when the water is dirty, and you need frequent backwashing. You may want to recirculate until the algae is dead, but at some point you'll need to filter to remove it from the water so it will take a lot of backwashing.

Maybe filter while you are home and switch to recirculate before you leave to keep flow going.

kevreh · May 2, 2012

Yeah, sort of my fault because I didn't shock before closing like I usually do. That with the very mild spring means my pool has been sitting there creating algae for the last month or so.

Thanks for letting me know. Just checking.

tj_shopper · May 6, 2012

We are having the same problems. We opened the pool with ALOT of algae - more than we've ever had. This was the fourth winter that we haven't covered the pool for the winter. This was a weird winter and had some 80 degree days in March.

We kept backwashing our DE filter, but we keep losing pressure. It doesn't help that our pressure gauge is broken. I will have to run out and purchase a new one. My husband took the DE filter apart today and cleaned it with the muracid acid treatment. When he put everything back together, the pressure was great. But then after 1.5 hours, the pressure died again. He bumped the filter and the pressure was okay. We know that it's not going to hold up.

So, after reading the post here, do you suggest that we put a submergible pump into the pool when we are not home to keep the water sort of flowing? Both of us are gone for most of the day and we don't want the pump running when there is no pressure.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

JohnT · May 7, 2012

Just set the filter to recirculate while you are gone.

tj_shopper · May 7, 2012

How do I set the filter to recirculate? I didn't think I can do that with my filter? Thanks.

kevreh · May 7, 2012

You should have a multiport valve that looks like this: http://www.poolcenter.com/images/valves ... emount.jpg.

On top of it should be a position for Recirculate. Turn your pump off, turn the valve to Recirculate than turn it back on.

I my case I just had to keep on backwashing. Probably did it 4 times over 2 days.You shouldn't have to take the DE filter out and clean it....not necessary.

shore1 · May 7, 2012

Actually we did have to take out our filter and clean it after maybe 4 backwashes because we had so much algae we couldn't backwash well enough the fifth time to get the pressure to come down. I should mention that we started out with a clean filter prior to opening the pool but the amount of algae was just too much for it and it is doing fine now.

jrguzmanr · May 7, 2012

I had the same issue, so once the water got clear enough on the shallow end that I could see the bottom, I started to vacuum to waste instead of brushing. So far my filter is going on 5 hours without the pressure rising too much.