New Sand Filter Pump... Where to begin

[JulieS]

I just received my 2650 Gallon Sand Filter Pump W/GFCI and have properly installed it using the adapters that came with it for now. Down the road I will cut the holes and use the standard parts. I have some pretty basic questions, some may even give you a good laugh!

Once my pump was assembled, it instructed me to backwash until the water in the little bubble thing ran clear water, so I removed the cap and backwashed as directed.

Then I was instructed to rinse, but didn't know whether or not to put the cap back on, or does it rinse through itself??

From there it said turn to filter and let her go, then document the pressure gauge. I was about center of the green, which seemed good, then after about thirty minutes, it was right on the line between green and yellow. Do I just keep backwashing until it's back in the green? Is there an average time that it takes to backwash?

I am exhausted for now, but I'm sure I'll have more questions soon. In the morning I'll read through pool school again!

Thanks!

 

[linen]

Rinse also goes through the waste port, so you need to leave the cap off.

We recommend backwashing when the pressure goes up 25% from the "clean" pressure. This is a little trickier on the intex gauge, since there are no numbers (I think). You can estimate on the gauge when the needle moves up the equivalent of 1/4 of the "clean" pressure, or you can monitor the flow coming out of the return and when it is noticeably lower than when clean, backwash then.

 

[JulieS]

I have tried to backwash my pool a couple times now, and the pressure goes down, then I rinse and turn to filter and the pressure goes right back up to the top of the green. How long does it generally take to properly backwash a pool? I would really like to get this figured out so that I'm not afraid of damaging the pump! I would also like to be able to aerate soon so I can get my pH up to take the TA down! I'm so close to being able to add the borates!!

This site is so helpful, I have referred several people I know, and they can't believe how much GOOD RELIABLE information there is on this site! I don't know where I would be without the help I receive here!!

 

[frogabog]

It only takes a minute to rinse clean new sand enough. I think the pressure is high because you're using the small ports.

Check all the strainers for something stuck. Is the return flow good? If so, I'd say let it run at that pressure. Watch the gauge tonight, and if it stays where it is that's your working clean pressure.

When I first started mine, it ran at 0, or maybe 1psi for first few hours. Then it rose to perhaps 4psi and pretty much hung there for over a week.

 

[AquaDoctorLLC]

How long does it generally take to properly backwash a pool?
!

Backwash 2-3 mins. or until you see "clean" water coming out discharge hose.

Rinse 30-45 seconds

 

[JulieS]

Thank you both so much for your replies, I feel much more comfortable using the pump! It's a huge change to go from a tiny cartridge pump to a giant sand filter pump! Now if only I could use the pool too... It's still nice to see my family enjoy the pool, and that makes all this learning worth while.