My pool is very cloudy after several weeks of a SLAM, so I followed the instructions on here to add DE to my sand filter. I determined the amount to add by slowly adding until there was an increase of 1 psi on the filter. My question is related to how to respond to increased pressure several hours after adding it. My baseline pressure is about 8/8.5 but both times we added it, a few hours after the addition, the psi moved to around 12. Everything was still moving through the returns well, but I was concerned and backwashed for about 30 seconds. It brought the pressure back to baseline, but is that defeating the purpose? How much pressure is too much and what's the best way to respond?
Adding DE- question regarding when to respond to increased pressure hours after adding
- Thread starter Ltaylor3
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,507
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
The rise is the point of adding DE. It is catching stuff and your pressure is rising. When you pressure rises to 10.5 backwash and add DE again. Rinse and repeat. This will help filter out the stuff in your pool and clear it up.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,811
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If you have good return flow you can wait another PSI or 2. Just watch your flow carefully and backwash once you see it slowing.
After backwashing you should add DE again.
Repeat as necessary.
Your equipment and pipes can handle over 50 PSI. The pressure is not the reason to backwash. You want to keep a good flow through the filter to clear your pool water.
VinnyinNJ
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 20, 2022
- 815
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Turbo Cell (T-CELL-5)
I'm new to sand filters as my last pool had a DE filter and it worked great in clearing the pool. The bad part is if the pool has a lot of debris it needs to clear up the DE filter needed to be recharged frequently. As others have said, keep watching and backwash and add DE as needed.
I have 3 boxes of DE from our last pool sitting in my garage just in case I need to use it with the new filter.
I have 3 boxes of DE from our last pool sitting in my garage just in case I need to use it with the new filter.
Pooler-Bear
Member
When do you know the flow is too restrictive or bad for your filter? When I backwash, I get a really nice flow, but then it goes down after few hours. I won't be home tomorrow, will it be dangerous or potentially damaging if the PSI goes 5-10psi over the clean psi? My clean is about 15, so if it goes to 20-25, is it bad?