what about floc ???

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If everything is working correctly there isn't any need for floc. Proper chlorine levels and a working filter should keep the pool crystal clear. The only time I normally recommend floc is when you are in a great hurry to clean up algae fast and know that the algae is all dead.

So, yes floc can get the water clear, but you should also look into why the water wasn't in clear in the first place.
 
Since you have a sand filter I would try adding a bit of DE to the filter before I would try floc. Start with half a cup and mix into a slurry and pour it into your skimmer. Wait about 10 minutes and check your filter pressure. Repeat this until you get a 1 psi increase in pressure. When you backwash the DE will wash out but next time just add the full amount that causes a 1 psi increase in pressure. You should find it helps make your water much clearer.

If you overshoot 1 psi when you are doing this just backwash the DE out and start over.
 
tnthudson said:
waterbear, that is cool! In layman's terms, what does DE do for a sand filter? I always feel like I see just a hint of cloudiness in my water, even after shocking and when my FC level is great.
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In layman's terms you get ~ the filtering ability of a DE filter. What Waterbear said works very well for most sand filter owners! What it does is coat the top of the sand with the DE which catches the finer particles in the pool water. IMO sand with DE is the best way to go for ease of maintenance and water clarity!!
 
tnthudson said:
Wow, that's great! One last question, I think it still relates well to this thread ... can we do this all the time with a sand filter (i.e. after every time we backwash)?
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Yes because each time you backwash you wash out the DE.
 

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OK great, I made a note to do that...if anyone else here tries it for the 1st time, let us know how it goes and anything you notice as a 'noob' that we other noobs should look out for ... (shameless guinea pig ploy) 8)
 
DE= Diatomaceous Earth It's the stuff used in DE filters. You get it at the pool store and it's literally dirt cheap!
Slurry means to mix it with water and make sure there are no lumps before your pour.
One final thing, don't breath the dry DE powder...over a long time it can lead to silicosis.
 
I never have completely sparkly water - at least not since the summer storms have started - because of dust. That stuff is so fine that when I try to vacuum it, I get some, but the rest just gets stirred up! Will floc help with dust?
 
Hey y'all! I'm quite new around here although I've been battling my pool off and on for 8 years! I finally figured out - thru your help here - that my local pool store really didn't understand water chemistry. So I'm tackling it myself.

In regards to this thread, I have used a bit of DE in my Triton sand filter to help clear the water (slurry through skimmer). About 1/4 cup raises my PSI 1 pound (seems like a small amount for a 20,000 pool). I've recently noticed that my water is slightly cloudy. At night, with the pool light on, I can see millions and millions of very tiny particles passing in front of the light.

I'm afraid this is DE that has escaped by filter. So my real question is, how to tell if that's the case? My Triton is 15 years old and although I don't have any sand in my pool, I'm thinking I may have a broken/cracked lateral. Does that make sense - DE but no sand?

Also, I assume the only way to get the DE out (assuming that's it) is to Floc the pool.

Thanks for getting me this far and I look forward to becoming a longtime member.
 

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