cleaning cartridge filter every few days

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R

rockgod

0
Jul 10, 2017
7
Chicago/il
Hi All,
I'm a second year pool owner. I have a 15'x30' oval above ground pool with a Waterway clearwater II 1.5HP cartridge filter/pump.
We had our pool installed late July 2018, and when we bought the pool, the salesman told us the filter should only have to be cleaned once a season, but may need an occasional cleaning mid-season if the pump pressure gets too high.
This year we opened the pool to crystal clear water and able to get all the balances right...but, the cartridge is getting filthy dirty every couple of days. Pump pressure is getting over 20psi (normally at a steady 15psi) and it is barely able to vacuum anything up.
I'm not sure if it's the time of season and the air is dirtier than it was last year, or what. Closing up last season, I cleaned the filter and it was mildly grey (about 2.5 months of use and).
This year for example, I cleaned the filter on July 2nd, went out of town from the 3rd-7th. Let some friends use the pool 1 day in between and on July 8th the filter looked like this again:

110285
anyone go through this before?
Any ideas as to if I'm doing something wrong or how to prevent this?
Any help is greatly appreciated...

thanks!
 
Welcome to the forum!
How does your water look? Do you have test results you can post?

Dirty filter that quick implies algae. It may not be green, yet, but you have algae.
You need to follow the SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit, see Test Kits Compared. I suggest the TF-100 Test Kit ™

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running.
 
Welcome! :wave: I'm going with algae @rockgod. I have about the same filter as you, and I can tell you the salesman was blowing some smoke when he said clean it once a season. :pth: My water is crystal and because it's a single cart, I have to rinse it once every 3-4 weeks at best. That's also with using a skimmer sock in my poolside skimmer. Your cartridge pleates look a bit green to me, so as Marty noted ........ might be time to do the SLAM Process.

Don't forget to update your signature with all of your pool and equipment info. It will help us later. PS - I love my TF-100 test kit with magnetic speedstir. :stirpot:
 
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This year for example, I cleaned the filter on July 2nd, went out of town from the 3rd-7th. Let some friends use the pool 1 day in between and on July 8th the filter looked like this again:
Click to expand...
How many people? 150 people having a big fourth of July party can make a mess, especially if they're all slathered in tons of suntan lotion.
 
Thanks for all the quick replies...
1) pool water is crystal clear
2) test results are all good according to my 5 way test kit. couldn't tell you the brand if you put a gun to my head. can't post results as I'm at work now, but I have a notepad I write them down on after every test....just to compare to the previous tests.
3)The sales guy actually talked me out of buying a spare cartridge (and pool heater) which I was very surprised about since he works off commission.
4) about 4-5 people. less than the amount that's usually in there (my 3 kids, wife and 2 nieces and 2 nephews) swimming almost daily since school got out.

Mknauss- just standard Clorox bleach?
I have a leap frog chlorine thing between the outlet of the filter and the return jet on the pool. The sales guy also talked me out of buying a replacement for that ($90) saying I could just cut the top off and put chlorine tablets in there and it does the same thing, just liquid as opposed to tablets.

I'll have to read up on this SLAM process. I'm also going to look up this skimmer sock thing.
I always assumed having a pool would be a lot of work, just didn't think about all the science behind it
 
Take look at the links I posted. If you are interested in TFP and us helping out, you will need a proper test kit.
 
I have filter like that and clean it once a season. I put a hair net in the basket that catches a lot. I have to change it every day or two.

But...if you follow tfp and listen to the gentlemen that have posted here, you will have amazing water and spend almost nothing. I haven’t hit a cnote yet on chemicals this year. The local hardware store sells pool stuff and they tell us people come and and dump a few hundred bucks a month on stuff. My water is beautiful and sparkling and luscious.

Get the test kit recommended.
 
another quick question...will using the liquid bleach to SLAM my pool bleach out my liner?
Also,
I've been searching but can't seem to find any sort of calculator for my size pool and adding a specific amount of nay chemical i.e.recommended 5ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine.
Is there such a calculator on this site?
 
Does your 5 way test use reagent? or is it a dip strip? if it uses reagent, does it tell you what FC and CC is?

I had a 6 way HTH test kit. It is not sufficient. Read the links mknauss gave you. You need a real test kit.

I am unfamiliar with Leapfrog. Does it use powder or tablet chlorine?
 

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rockgod said:
another quick question...will using the liquid bleach to SLAM my pool bleach out my liner?
Also,
I've been searching but can't seem to find any sort of calculator for my size pool and adding a specific amount of nay chemical i.e.recommended 5ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine.
Is there such a calculator on this site?
Click to expand...

Scroll down, at bottom of screen is a link called Old PoolMath Webpage
 
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