Cleaning New Filter

[jscottou22]

So my new pool has been opened for about a month now, and everything has gone swimmingly (I am officially a dad now, so I can get away with that joke) following the TFP recommendations from the start. When my pool builder rep was out for pool orientation, he said that I would need to disassemble and clean the filter at the 3 month mark due to the new plaster. He also quickly informed me that he would come back out for $90 to do it for me. After reading the thread on how to clean a DE filter, I feel confident that I can perform this task myself. My question is, do I need to clean the filter at 3 months regardless of my filter performance? So far after a month, my filter pressure has risen pretty much zero. He told me I need to backwash every month regardless of pressure, so I was planning on doing that this coming weekend. I just wasn't sure if they were trying to get another $90 out of me, or if I truly need to thoroughly clean the filter at the 3 month mark?

Thanks.

 

[Arizonarob]

Hang tight and some people will be around to advise.
@kimkats

 

[Richard320]

If it were me, I'd open it up and clean it just so I could see for myself how much plaster dust there is stuck to the grids. But then, I no longer just backwash. I backwash briefly to loosen it up, then open up and hose the grids off, reassemble, backwash again to clear out the hose, and recharge. About thirty minutes, twice a year.Not a huge burden.

 

[Jimrahbe]

22,

It is always a good idea to clean the filter after the pool is first built because of all the stuff that can find its way into the pipes during the build..

As far as backwashing every month, your builder is just wrong.. Just backwash when the pressure goes up 25% over the clean pressure. You can't backwash forever.. After backwashing three times, you will need to open and clean your filter.. This is because backwashing only removes about 80% of the dirt...

Like Richard, I never backwash anymore, I just clean the filter twice a year.. But you will need to see how often your filter pressure goes up by 25% before knowing if that will work for you or not..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jscottou22]

If it were me, I'd open it up and clean it just so I could see for myself how much plaster dust there is stuck to the grids. But then, I no longer just backwash. I backwash briefly to loosen it up, then open up and hose the grids off, reassemble, backwash again to clear out the hose, and recharge. About thirty minutes, twice a year.Not a huge burden.

Thanks for the info, Richard. So when you open up the filter and hose it off, do you take the grids out of the housing and disassemble for a thorough cleaning, or do you just hose it off inside the housing? And an unrelated question, how often do you apply lube to the o-rings in the pump lid and filter?

 

[jscottou22]

22,

It is always a good idea to clean the filter after the pool is first built because of all the stuff that can find its way into the pipes during the build..

As far as backwashing every month, your builder is just wrong.. Just backwash when the pressure goes up 25% over the clean pressure. You can't backwash forever.. After backwashing three times, you will need to open and clean your filter.. This is because backwashing only removes about 80% of the dirt...

Like Richard, I never backwash anymore, I just clean the filter twice a year.. But you will need to see how often your filter pressure goes up by 25% before knowing if that will work for you or not..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks Jim. I see you live in Bedford...that is where my wife is from, and my in-laws still live there.

If you never really backwash, do you never have to charge the filter with more DE? And if I never really do a full backwash, how do I know when to add DE or how much to add? I am pretty sure the manufacturers instructions state to add 80% of the original DE after every backwash, and I also know you don't want to add too much.

 

[Richard320]

Thanks for the info, Richard. So when you open up the filter and hose it off, do you take the grids out of the housing and disassemble for a thorough cleaning, or do you just hose it off inside the housing? And an unrelated question, how often do you apply lube to the o-rings in the pump lid and filter?

My filter is kind of weird in that the backwash valve is internal, in the base of the filter. So when I hose down the grids, all the sludge drains right out the bottom and out the hose. Sometimes handy, but I think I'd prefer a multiport. Anyway.... I usually just take the top bracket off so I can spread the grids a little and hose 'em down. The big O-ring gets lubed every other teardown. I'm very careful where I set the lid so it doesn't pick up any grass or grit.

 

[Jimrahbe]

I see you live in Bedford...that is where my wife is from, and my in-laws still live there.

Gosh!! I hope you don't hold that against me...

If you never really backwash, do you never have to charge the filter with more DE?

If you backwash you add about 80% of the amount of DE your filter takes... To clean the filter, you have to open it and take the grids out and clean them.. Then reassemble it and then load 100% of the DE the filter takes... I disassemble the filter/grid assembly and clean each individual grid... The first time I did it, it took me an hour to get the grids to line up so I could reassemble it.. I almost cried.. Took me about 15 minutes the next time and now it takes about 5 minutes to reassemble.

If you were asking if I add DE between cleanings.. then the answer is no..

Thanks,

Jim R.