Low flow coming from return

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hope42872

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Jun 1, 2014
4
United States
Hi, I am new here and have read and learned a lot from this site, so I thank you all for that.
I am seeking advise because the pool store has me spending big bucks and I am not so sure it is necessary. To my utter dismay, I opened my pool this year to a swamp. This has never happened to me before, so I am completely overwhelmed. I live in Ohio and our winter temps hit below zero often. After filling the pool, we noticed that there was water dripping from underneath the skimmer. At first you couldn't see any cracks but since the pump has been running, now you can see a couple of them and water is out of those cracks at a steady rate. I just bought a new skimmer but have yet to install it. As of right now, my pool is still green after balancing the water, getting debris out, scrubbing it, adding Green to Clean (recommended by pool store), and shocking the heck out of it. What I notice is that the pressure coming out of the return is low. If I backwash and turn the filter back on, it increases the pressure coming through the return but it only stays that way for an hour or so. The start up psi is 8 and it is at 10. I only backwashed to see if it would increase the pressure. I told the guy at the pool store what was going on and he told me it had nothing to do with cracks in my skimmer. He said I need a new multiport valve for my filter. I have a Hayward sand filter and Hayward pump that I replaced in 2010, so they both are 4 years old. My above ground pool is 18,000 gallons.
Could the low pressure be the multiport valve? I've read other threads and checked baskets, lines, etc. Nothing is clogged.
thanks for any help!
 
Welcome to TFP!

I doubt it has anything to do with your multiport valve.

How long are you backwashing? 3 to 4 minutes may be required to clean the filter, and insufficient time could cause rapid clogging.

It could also be that the debris in the water is clogging the filter.

I can promise if you had sufficiently shocked the water that the pool wouldn't be green. Most pool stores don't grasp the idea that a single dose of chlorine won't have much effect on algae, and that you need to keep persistent high chlorine levels to get rid of algae. Check out SLAMing Your Pool for the process and Defeating Algae
 
I have have read the slaming the pool. I have to get the test kit that is recommended. Right now, I have a good Taylor test kit but it's not what I need. I've been running to the pool store daily to have the water check. After balancing the water and getting out as much debris as we could we added 8 bags of super shock. The next day the pool water looked lighter green, which was black green to start. Then the pool store had me raise my pH to 8.0, and then add Green to Clean, wait 5 minutes and then add 3lbs of shock. 12 hours later add 3 more lbs and then after another 12 hours add 3 more lbs of shock.
I am confused about the CYA level because it is at 5. The guy at the pool store says you do nothing to raise that level until much later. My last readings were:
FAC 5ppm
TAC 5ppm
Calcium hardness 200
Total alkalinity 80
pH 7.4
Base Demand 5
CYA 5
Copper 0
Iron 0
Then last night they rechecked the pH after adding soda ash and it was 8.0.

Since I started all this, I backwashed the filter for a good 3 minutes and then I backwashed before putting any shock in the pool. I only backwashed for a minute to see if it would raise the return pressure. The guy at the pool store told me not to backwash unless the psi went into the backwash range and it hasn't. The gauge is brand new too.
 
You will only get more frustrated if you keep listening to the pool store on chemistry advice and the free advice from the people on this website. The pool store is giving you bad info. A PH of 7.4 is good, but a 7.2 is ideal when you are battling algae. There was no reason for you to bring it up to an 8.0.

Around here, shock is a process and not a product that comes in a bag. All those bags of "shock" you added contain stabilizer/CYA which will only increase your CYA level. It takes a week after you add stabilizer/CYA for it to show up on a test. Also, pool store testing of CYA has been known to be highly inaccurate.

You should be backwashing your filter when the pressure rises between 20 and 25% above your clean pressure. If your normal clean pressure is an 8, you should backwash when your pressure reaches 10. Backwashing frequently when you are trying to clear a dirty pool is normal.

Please order the recommended test kit, post the test results from that kit and start SLAMing your pool.

The relationship between chlorine and CYA: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock

Overview on beating algea: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/126-defeating-algae

Detail info on beating algae: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/3913-Turning-Your-Green-Swamp-Back-into-a-Sparkling-Oasis

Info on SLAMing your pool: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

Recommended Test Kit: http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html
 
You don't need any expensive pool store potions (like green to clean) that really don't solve your problems. Shock is a process and not a product that you dump in your pool once.

Not just any test kit will do. Here is a discussion of test kits:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/124-pool-test-kits-comparison

Here is the most economical test (most # of tests for each $ you spend) must be ordered online: http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html

Pool stores don't sell this kits because they want you hooked on their method which costs more money in the long run.

Yes, plain bleach (no splashless, no perfumes, etc) just generic non-brand bleach will do, I get mine Wal-Mart (wal-mart brand) and Costco.
 
hope42872 said:
So what do you advise me to do while waiting for the test kit besides continued brushing? I've already put so much shock, not to mention $, I hate to do nothing while waiting!
Click to expand...

Go to the links provided by kc in post #4. :D
 
While I am not and expert, you could add 1/2 jug of plain bleach twice a day while you are waiting for your test kit... in the mean time, read and reread the links already provided.

Also, add your pool information to your signature and add your location.
 
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