what should my filter pressure be?

[vlb1964]

I am also wondering what my psi on my pressure gauge should read, it never really reads above 5 except when I put it on recirculate.... then it can raise between 10 and 15, also I got algae when I had to replace some O-rings and everything was closed. super hot temps outside expedited this problem. I have treated the algae with a 60 algaecide, and used a sequestering agent to accumulate the algae debris, so I can vacuum.... however it is sooooo lightweight that, when I go to vacuum, that i just stirs it up in a frenzy, there is plenty of of suction .... and instead of the being able to vacuum large amounts of debris, it just pollutes the water and turns it green. I can stop, wait and let the algae debris settle to the bottom again, but I can actually vacuum up very little because of the powdery stir up problem, becomes like a green cloudy effect. and for some reason, running the filter is doing very little to change this, Let me also add that the suction from the pool to pump and filter is super strong as is the water input from filter to pool, as a matter of fact the water pressure coming into and out of the pool is scary strong when sand filter is set to filter, pretty pretty like backwash release water flow, it;s crazy, when filter is set on recirculate, the water flow seems to be what is should be, however the psi reads higher and can climb a little when it is on recirculate... The only reason I can figure the filter is not working on the algae debris is that it is soooooooo lightweight and powdery that it isnt being caught by sand filter and is just being released back into the pool... My question... does the PSI reading sound correct and what am I missing , why is my sand filter not cleaning this algae debris from my pool, I can run the filter on filter for over 24 hours and see know difference but the water pressure from the pump and filter as well as the suction going from the pool to the pump and filter is so strong it IS STIRRING UP the lightweight powdery algae debris, so whenever the pump is running the dang algae debris is stirred up, water is nothing more than a green tinted cloudy mess.
Is something wrong with my filter, is something hooked up wrong, backwards.... would a clarifier help this or would more sink and sweep or sequestering agent make the algae debris heavy enough to not "poof" up into the water when trying to vacuum ... AND there is a possibility that my EX-husband did not put enough sand in the filter tank, without emptying it is there a way to measure the height of the sand against the tank size or space between top of sand and top of tank. Incidentally, when the debris settles to the bottom of pool the rest of the water is extremely clean and just sparkles, i am loosing my mind and patience. My pool is an above ground, 18 ft x 52 inch, my pump is a 3/4 magnetek and my sand filter is a pentair, tagelus triton Ta 35d ....I would appreciate any and all help suggestions.. Husband is long gone so there is no way to ask him what he did...Please help???????

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, vlb1964

5 psi is pretty low for a sand filter that small with a 1-speed pump, especially if your recirculate setting actually goes up that much. When you backwash is the water dirty at first? Does your pressure gauge go to 0 when the pump is off?

Is something wrong with my filter, is something hooked up wrong, backwards

You could post a pic of your equipment setup for us to look at.

would a clarifier help this or would more sink and sweep or sequestering agent make the algae debris heavy enough to not "poof" up into the water when trying to vacuum

I wouldn't use sequestrant unless you know you have a metals problem (nothing you posted suggested you do). For now, I would not use a floc either since they can cause more problems then they fix.

without emptying it is there a way to measure the height of the sand against the tank size or space between top of sand and top of tank.

Most filters are filled about 2/3 full, so you could pull off the multiport when you check for other problems and check the sand at the same time.

It does sound like you filter is having problems. Some possibilities are that it could be a bad multiport spider gasket, a broken lateral or channeled sand. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/my-sand-is-channeled-how-to-fix-it-t7626.html

I have treated the algae with a 60 algaecide

Polyquat60 algaecide is good for preventing algae but to kill it once you have it we recommend the SLAM process: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

and used a sequestering agent to accumulate the algae debris, so I can vacuum

Why are you using a sequestrant? Did you mean floc or a clarifier? Sequestrants are to keep metals in the water from forming stains.

 

[vlb1964]

Welcome to tfp, vlb1964

5 psi is pretty low for a sand filter that small with a 1-speed pump, especially if your recirculate setting actually goes up that much. When you backwash is the water dirty at first? Does your pressure gauge go to 0 when the pump is off?

Is something wrong with my filter, is something hooked up wrong, backwards

You could post a pic of your equipment setup for us to look at.

would a clarifier help this or would more sink and sweep or sequestering agent make the algae debris heavy enough to not "poof" up into the water when trying to vacuum

I wouldn't use sequestrant unless you know you have a metals problem (nothing you posted suggested you do). For now, I would not use a floc either since they can cause more problems then they fix.

without emptying it is there a way to measure the height of the sand against the tank size or space between top of sand and top of tank.

Most filters are filled about 2/3 full, so you could pull off the multiport when you check for other problems and check the sand at the same time.

It does sound like you filter is having problems. Some possibilities are that it could be a bad multiport spider gasket, a broken lateral or channeled sand. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/my-sand-is-channeled-how-to-fix-it-t7626.html

I have treated the algae with a 60 algaecide

Polyquat60 algaecide is good for preventing algae but to kill it once you have it we recommend the SLAM process: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

and used a sequestering agent to accumulate the algae debris, so I can vacuum

Why are you using a sequestrant? Did you mean floc or a clarifier? Sequestrants are to keep metals in the water from forming stains.

First off the tank is definitely not filled 2/3 full with sand.... so that is something I will definitely address....second I did not add that I have only used a sequestering agent because we are on well water that has a high iron content and I myself put that in when we did first initial beginning season start up... l did so before adding any chlorine, because I know what can happen mixing iron with chlorine from washing my clothes with my water, doing my white loads is a process...therefore I never had to deal with the "poop soup" pool water that comes from mixing chlorine with iron rich pool water .....the sink and sweep agent I used was especially for algae debris and WAS the only thing that allowed me to assemble together the the algae debris and get it to the bottom for the purpose of vacuuming it out, however it is soooooo lightweight and powdery that while I am while I am vacuuming a certain amount out, I am also spreading the silt like algae debris ALL over the pool water and have to stop and let it settle and come back later to continue... never dealt with this situation with vacuuming before.. My spider gasket seems to be fine, no swelling, no tears or splits. as far as pressure , yes when pump is off it does drop to 0... one thing I have wondered about is the water in my sight glass... never look dirty, I am beginning to think that most of my issues are absolutely coming from the not enough sand, since I have never been the one to purchase the sand before and my ex did this, can you tell me what sand to buy??? and I will definitely take care of this. I think this is why I am having trouble getting this water clean for sure, but I wonder does this have anything to do with the pressure readings?

 

[duraleigh]

Let me address two issues...

1. Your psi should drop, not increase, when you set the filter to recirculate. Recirc bypasses the filter completely resulting in less resistance and lower psi than if you are pushing the water through the sand in the filter.

2. Water clarity issues (algae) are seldom the result of filtration but most always poor water chemistry. Algaecide will not rid your pool of algae but chlorine will.

Read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School to get a better understanding of the importance of adequate chlorine and it's relationship to CYA.

Can you post a complete set of water test results?

 

[vlb1964]

Let me address two issues...

1. Your psi should drop, not increase, when you set the filter to recirculate. Recirc bypasses the filter completely resulting in less resistance and lower psi than if you are pushing the water through the sand in the filter.

2. Water clarity issues (algae) are seldom the result of filtration but most always poor water chemistry. Algaecide will not rid your pool of algae but chlorine will.

Read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School to get a better understanding of the importance of adequate chlorine and it's relationship to CYA.

Can you post a complete set of water test results?

is it possible that my ex deliberately set up something wrong or changed something before he left, the reason I ask this is, I too felt as though the pressure readings are backwards and as though the pool water is NOT is no being filtered at all. I had already gotten the chemical readings right and am now in the middle of performing the " slam" chlorine ritual as advised here on this forum, started it tonight, so giving you current readings would show super high Free chlorine levels... I guess my issues are not so much what the water looks like as it the performance and what is going on with the filtration system, ie... the harshness of the water flow on filter cycle, the flow of water on recirculate being much milder and what I would consider normal water flow, but still much milder than on filter setting and the fact that if I were to add something the pool at the skimmer, it seems that I can see it coming right back into the pool and even floating on the pool going around and going back into the skimmer, again as though it is on recirculate, but it is set to filter... I have to the top of my sand filter with the valve labels on it, backwash pointed toward the outer pipe so label says backwash where you would think your backwash flow would flow from , ie away from the pool. I just have this feeling that maybe he took the top off, turn something around inside that would change directions of my flow to my ports.. again, filter seems to be recirculating and recirculate seems to be filtering... should I possibly try just running it as though nit was the other way around, or if he did turn something around to I run the risk of messing something up? I will take a pic of everything and post on here in a sec
thank you all sooooo very much... PS just to let you know , this thing I said about could he deliberately, would not be out of character, even though it would be the children who have to do without there pool, it would still be something not unheard of for this person... again thanks everyone