Old DE on ground > turning green?

[ddas]

I drained my DE filter right on the ground next to it, which resulted in a lot of white used DE sitting on the ground near the pool equipment. (This isn't harmful or anything is it? I don't care about the ground there, as it's fenced and way out of sight.)

A week later, the DE is beginning to turn green. Is it mold? Moss? Anything to be concerned about?

[attachment=0:26t6jww6]photo.JPG[/attachment:26t6jww6]

 

[Richard320]

All the algae stuff that was in your pool is no longer threatened by chlorine and is thriving. Once the stuff dries out, the algae should disappear. But if there's splashout or sprinklers, get used to it.

As an aside, dry DE dust is an inhalation hazard, it has tiny microscopic jagged edges, and can scar lungs, sort of like asbestos, if inhaled. That's partially why I switched to cellulose. It's biodegradable (DE isn't) so I can run the backwash onto the lawn and forget about it. The lawn seems to thrive on it.

 

[ddas]

Ah. You hit the nail on the head -- I just realized that this patch (photographed) is very close to a sprinkler. And the remainder of the old DE -- where the sprinkler doesn't reach -- is white.

I was aware that dry DE dust is an inhalation hazard (and it sure makes my skin itch if I come into contact with it while pouring it into the skimmer), but I assumed that after it's been used in the pool (i.e. it's been mixed with lots and lots of water) it is no longer dangerous. True or false?

Can I use cellulose in a DE filter? Does it work as well? Better? Worse? Any links to places I can read more about this? (both the health aspects of DE as well as the alternative of cellulose)

 

[Richard320]

Ah. You hit the nail on the head -- I just realized that this patch (photographed) is very close to a sprinkler. And the remainder of the old DE -- where the sprinkler doesn't reach -- is white.

I was aware that dry DE dust is an inhalation hazard (and it sure makes my skin itch if I come into contact with it while pouring it into the skimmer), but I assumed that after it's been used in the pool (i.e. it's been mixed with lots and lots of water) it is no longer dangerous. True or false?

Can I use cellulose in a DE filter? Does it work as well? Better? Worse? Any links to places I can read more about this? (both the health aspects of DE as well as the alternative of cellulose)

:google:

Sorry, all I know is my own experience with it. I started a thread here a while ago. Search fiberclear. That's one of the trade names.