A "dirt" problem?

[Sguilliams]

Good Morning TFP!
I have a problem with "dirt" in my pool. This is the second year in a row this has occurred at about the same time of the season. Up until this point of the season, we have the cleanest/clearest pool to the envy of a lot of the neighbors. Here are my current test results as of last evening when the photos were taken:
FC-3.5
CC-0
pH-7.6
Alk-60
Hardness-70
CYA-30
We only use 12.5% liquid chlorine. We currently run a 26" (200#) waterway sand filter with 2HP/2SP pump. We currently run the pump on low for 10-12 hours/day. Run on high during vaccum or addition of chlorine.

I am attaching several photos: Zoomed out of what I am vacuuming. A photo of it laying on the top step. And a photo after running my finger through it.
Whatever I am fighting is not slimy at all. It is extremely fine, to the point I have a difficult time filtering it out with my sand filter.
The best solution I have found is to vacuum to waste (however not practical). Or a combination of skimmer sock and/or DE addition to the sand filter.
Anybody have a clue what I am fighting and/or how to prevent this mess again next season?
Thank you all!

 

[Newdude]

Do you have any farms nearby ? Or a lot of trees? I have both and have a similar dusting this time of year. It’s almost like pollen season but not as bad. The first couple of years I was worried it was pool related when I found it but then I realized it’s everywhere including inside the house if we had the windows open and the AC off. Some of mine blows off from the farmfields when they are tilling/planting the new crop and some of it comes off the trees in the rain. We had a good storm last week and my car looked like it did at the height of pollen season. The dust was more brownish and less yellow but just the same.

It’s always possible your chemistry is off, but if it happens at the same time year over year I would guess it’s envoirnmental.

 

[Sguilliams]

Thanks Newdude. How did you handle your "dusting" issue? Increase filtering time or time of day when you filter?
We are surrounded by farms (in fact we are one ). We have some trees in the area within a few hundred feet, but nothing directly over the pool.
I was always thinking pollen in the back of my mind, but we should be too late in the season for that.
I haven't noticed anything abnormal on cars, etc. But I will start paying closer attention...

 

[Newdude]

I run 24/7 so I’m always filtering. When it gets bad it’s usually gone within a few days besides whatever settles on the bottom. And that’s gone with the first vacuuming. I dunno if it’s a 2nd round of some sort of pollen, or the trees catch the farm dust and drop it all when it rains, but it sure looks the same as what I have. Last week it destroyed my brand new car. 5 days old and it was disgusting. It cleaned right off but still made me sad.

 

[Newdude]

It also has a lot to do with why I trust my pool store. I know. I know. Across the country most of them are money suckers, but the first few years I had my pool they saw me many times about this dusty stuff. They could have sold me anything with me never knowing better. They sent me home empty handed and told me to let the filter do it’s thing. ‘But..... But..... it’s a little cloudy and I need something’. ‘Nah you’re good, the pump will fix it’. It made me trust them exponentially more when they did say I needed something.

 

[Sguilliams]

Okay good to know. I have been filtering a lot more since it started. It seems to drop out every time I shut the filter off. Next year I swill switch to 24/7 once I start to notice it coming in. Thanks again for your input.