??? With Sand Filter

[vincent]

Finally, 9 months after opening my new pool, I did a backwash for my sand filter. I switched off my pump and turn my filter selector to backwash and power on. The water is not that dirty but very murky with sand. After running almost two minutes, the colour improved to yellowish and almost clear. I switch off the pump and turned my filter selector to rinse then back to filter position. Then I turn the pump and and to my horror, out came murky water into my pool like a gaint squid sleeping on mud being disturbed.

It's been so long since opening and without ever doing it before (backwashing) and not finding my instruction manual on how to backwash, I just seems to lost control. Having started at this forum as a complete newbie early this year, the many gurus and taught me how to manage my pool and I would say they did an excellent job because by just following their directions, my pool had been sparkling since then without a single problem. Now I have to come bck with this foolish problem.

Where did I go wrong? Or is it that I did not rinse my sand enough during initial installation?

All advices, comments, querries and criticism most welcomed.

Thanks.

 

[launboy]

No, it sounds like you did everything right to me. Did you wait for the water to come out clear on the rinse cycle? Some people (and filter manuals) reccomend backwashing the filter until clear, rinsing, and repeating this process a couple of times until the water comes out clear on both backwash and rinse.

Personally, I only backwash and rinse once and sometimes I'll get a little cloud of stuff going back into my pool but it's not very big so I just let it go.

HTH,
Adam

 

[amjohn]

Similar thing here. We don't have a "rinse" cycle, so we have to use filter to waste to accomplish the rinsing- assuming that is the right way to go?. We backwash until clear, then filter to waste until clear, then start regular filtration- usually with a little poof of stuff coming out at first. Have only backwashed three times so far- It had not occurred to me to repeat the backwash and filter to rinse process immediately. May try that next time to see if it makes any difference.
It is surprising to see that stuff come out though.

 

[waste]

Vincent, sorry this happened

I think the previous posters were correct, but there is a chance that the spider gasket (A/K/A wagon wheel) in the multiport has a small issue - but I seriously doubt it I think another 'backwash/ rinse' cycle with a slightly longer rinse run would have prevented the issue.

You've always been so nice and supportive of this site that I felt I HAD to respond to your inquiry

If you have any other troubles, please let me know and I'll help


Ted

 

[vincent]

Thanks guys for everything.

I did not wait for water to fully clear to stop backwashing though and it was only very slight cloudiness left. But when I rinse, it's clear but I did not bckwash it again before returning to filter. Will give it a try the next time. Will not get my hands itchy by trying now.....

Ted, you're the champ .....thanks for being so nice.. you are getting me more ha....

Cheers.

 

[duraleigh]

Vincent,

Your sequence was correct but you didn't rinse long enough.

1. backwash 'til clear

2. Rinse 'til clear then continue to rinse at least 30 seconds more......the dirt is resettling and will turn clear in the sight glass before it has been cleared from the system.

3. Finally, return to filter. If you see any dirt back into the pool, you still didn't rinse long enough.

 

[vincent]

Thanks Dave,

Guess I have not been generous enough with my precious water or rather my CYA and CH. Since being taught on water balancing from this forum and your TF-100, I have been building up on my CYA and CH. Last test got me CYA20 and CH190 (better not let Jason see this....he won't be very happy ha....sorry teacher, you got a slow learning student but definetely obedient... ).

I am targeting another 4-5 months to reach my target of 40-50CYA and 350-400CH. So you see how precious are my CYA and CH?

Bravos to all the Mod team, gurus and not forgeting Sean.

Cheers.

 

[amjohn]

If you do not have a sight glass, what is the best way to tell.? We have just been watching the water come out of the end of the backwash hose, both on backwash cycle, then filter to waste (no rinse cycle- on a 6-port valve- how dumb is that?) The water starts clear, becomes dirty, then clears, both on backwash and the filter to waste cycle, but obviously we have not waited long enough. How to tell?

 

[vincent]

Just vacuumed everything up yesterday but at the next pump on, it dumped some more fine sand though very much less. How long will this go on before I have to check on the spider gasket. It's a brand new filter 10 months ago (and 1st backwash now).

Oh, mine got a sight glass so I can't answer that. Maybe the gurus can answer that for you, amjohn.

Cheers.

 

[amjohn]

Can you see in your sight glass that water is still a little dirty, or does it look clean, yet still send some stuff back into the pool?

 

[vincent]

When I first started backwash, the water were brown and dirty, then after a minute or so, it gets clearer and by the time I switched it off, it's just a little cloudy (no color). Turnen to rinse, starts with cloudy then clear thus I off and turned back to filter.

Cheers.