At my wit's end!! Need help on why discharge jet spewing dirty water

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H

huskerfan

0
Jul 12, 2016
53
Lincoln, Nebraska
Pool Size
14000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hey guys. So, i am getting VERY frustrated with my pool. Last summer was my first summer with it; this summer i know a lot of what not to do from learning the hard way last summer. Currently my pool chemistry is in-line. Water is clear, and everything is balanced, and has been. I drained the pool and started with fresh water this summer too because i was unsure of how old the water in there was. My issue is that there is some dirt on the bottom of the pool that i cannot vacuum up without vacuuming to waste. Obviously i do not want to do this every time because i will keep losing my chemicals. When I vacuum thru the filter, the water is clear until i lower the vacuum down onto the bottom of the pool and start to go over some dirt, but then (it takes about 10 seconds or so) the discharge port will start spewing out dirty water (I'm assuming it takes a few seconds due to the dirt having to go through the hose and then down thru the pump and filter) until i lift up the vacuum off the floor. I am getting extremely frustrated here because i have tried sooo many different things. Then last week i took of the multiport valve to inspect the spider gasket, and it looked a little deformed, so i thought that would be my issue. $85 later for a new gasket and diverter plate and i am still having the same issue (i will include pictures of the old spider gasket and diverter plate). My pool is a 24' round (13,500 gal). I have a Sand Dollar filter, but I am unsure of the size on it as i could not see any markings on it. I'll go out tomorrow in the daylight to see if it is an SD35, SD40, SD60, or SD80. The next possible cause i am throwing around is wondering if the filter is undersized for the pool. Only reason i was wondering this is because my parents just got an above ground pool that is oval shaped, but the same volume as mine, and their filter is about 1.5-2 times the size of mine. Any input you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance!
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Welcome to the forum.

What you describe as 'dirt' sounds like dead algae to me. Can the pool pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test?

How are you testing the water?

Please post a complete set of current test results so we can better understand your chemistry. Please include:
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
 
Not to sound crass, but i haven't had an algea bloom this year. Had quite a few big rain storms though, so i was thinking it was dirt and debris from the storms and misc. trees around. I only test for pH and Chlorine most days as thats the only testing kit i have, and then every now and then i will take a sample in to my pool store to be tested for everything else. Last time i took a sample in (about 2 weeks ago), everything was in line. I would have to call them and see if they have any testing results on file, but, like i said, all the chemicals were in line. I guess what i am thinking is that there has got to be something else wrong (mechanically i would think) to cause my jet to spew dirty water when vacuuming. However i am not an expert, just a thought of mine.
 
Check out my "what the what?" post on june 6th of this year. I agree whole heartedly with domct203, sounds like dead algae. I had the same puzzling issue...changed my spider gasket, then changed my laterals and sand (while I had the old stuff out, otherwise would not normally change sand), then changed the whole sand filter valve assembly, then asked the forum for help and....viola! I recommend an OCLT just to verify there is nothing creeping up on you.
 
Read through that post from June 6, L'anseMeg. Looks like that might be the issue i am having as well. I guess the link i am missing is, IF that debris on the bottom of the pool IS indeed dead algae, why would it not get trapped in the filter when vacuuming through the filter? No matter what the debris is, shouldn't it be caught in the filter and then be able to be backwashed out?
 
It's not the same dead algae. When it's alive, and just getting started, it's kinda hard to see. When the chlorine kills it, it becomes a bit more visible. So the filter is getting that dead stuff, but more is being created each day.
 
So, i ended up having to leave town for work the past couple days and just got back. Now my pool is a little more green (looks definitely like algae now), not like before where i had the issue of the debris coming back into the pool when vacuuming. My results from back then (called the pool store to get the results of the last time i took in a sample from back a few weeks ago) and they were on 7/29/17 of:
Tot & FC= .5
Ph= 7.6
Tot Alk: 104
Tot Hard: 306
Cya: 76

Will test again in the morning but i definitely need to SLAM/shock the pool now since i had a bloom while i was gone (was on the low end of my tablets in my automatic chlorinator and forgot to check them as i had to leave town in a hurry for work). From the results i posted, looks like maybe my issue was my FC was too low for my CYA level??
 
CJP71 said:
So, i ended up having to leave town for work the past couple days and just got back. Now my pool is a little more green (looks definitely like algae now), not like before where i had the issue of the debris coming back into the pool when vacuuming. My results from back then (called the pool store to get the results of the last time i took in a sample from back a few weeks ago) and they were on 7/29/17 of:
Tot & FC= .5
Ph= 7.6
Tot Alk: 104
Tot Hard: 306
Cya: 76

Will test again in the morning but i definitely need to SLAM/shock the pool now since i had a bloom while i was gone (was on the low end of my tablets in my automatic chlorinator and forgot to check them as i had to leave town in a hurry for work). From the results i posted, looks like maybe my issue was my FC was too low for my CYA level??
Click to expand...
The algae bloom was starting before you left, hence the dead algae.

As mentioned, you just can't trust pool $tore results, and you need to get one of the recommended test kits pronto.

The TF-100 is really the best value, and you will have it in a couple of days.

http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html

I would imagine that your CYA is higher than the pool $tore reports if your pool has had a steady diet of Trichlor tablets. Those tablets add 6ppm of CYA for every 10ppm of FC added.

You should immediately switch to liquid chlorine, aka bleach. Laundry bleach is fine, as long as it is not scented, splashless, Cloromax etc. Most laundry bleach is 8.25% sodium hypochlorite, just be sure to get it from a store that has a high turnover so you know it's fresh.

You are correct, your FC is too low for your CYA if algae has bloomed, and you will most likely be looking at some draining/refilling to get that CYA level down. If the pool $tore CYA is correct, your CYA of 80ppm (always round up) will require a FC level of 31ppm for the duration of the SLAM.

While waiting on your test kit, add one 96oz jug of laundry bleach daily to keep the algae from getting too out of control. That jug will add 4.7ppm of FC to your 13500 gallon pool.

[FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]

SLAM Process

ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
 

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