I just found this forum a few days ago and am looking forward to spending lots of time here.
First some background (maybe it is pertinent to my immediate problems):
- 20x40 IG pool, approx 5 years old
- vinyl liner
- originally, we used Tri-Chlor pucks for 2 years and were constantly struggling with low PH. Bought a ton of borax. For 1 year, I used bleach (no PH problems) but found it to be a pain. Switched to Cal Hypo on recommendation from friends and multiple pool vendors. I now know that use of cal hypo has caused my pool to be inundated with calcium (see levels below).
- i've been paying our pool installer to close/open the pool every year. The swear up/down/left/right that the DE grids are chemically cleaned every year. The guy has an excellent reputation so I want to believe him.
- liner is light blue, and is wearing off. We first noticed this in year 2 when we used a cleaning robot for a month or so. We noticed that the robot wore off the pattern in the corners. We returned the robot, thinking it was the problem but over time we have noticed the problem everywhere. Not bleached, it is wearing off. The pattern can literally be scratched off with a fingernail. The pool installer says it is probably due to a bad liner but says the manuf warranty is worthless and that it is not worth trying to go back to them.
- the first year we had the pool, the DE filter didn't require backwashing till the summer was 2/3 over. Since then, it has constantly been a PITA. With sparkling clean water, the filter is typically clogged a day after backflushing and within a week of being taken apart. Over the last several years, I let the pump run for a week or so in a low flow condition with clogged filter before backflushing.
- This past weekend, I tore the filter apart (again) but this time I used a spray-on acid that is meant to clean DE filter grids. It sure did a job on the grass so I think that it worked. Unfortunately, when I got home this evening the filter was 12 psi over the "clean" pressure.
Current chemical levels:
FC-2
TC-.5
Alkalinity-120
Calcium - 400
PH - 7.6
Is it possible that the high calcium level is causing the DE filter to become clogged so quickly? I am guessing that there is no connection (the filter was constantly clogged when using Clorox and Tri-Chlor pucks too) but I need to ask the question.
Is a calcium level of 400 reason to panic and replace all of our water? From reading on this forum, I understand that there is no effective way to reduce calcium.
Are there any other reasons why a DE filter would clog so quickly in water that appears clean?
thanks!
- As stated earlier, my DE filter is clogged within 1 day of being backflushed. This past Saturday, needed to buy more DE and again asked aboutI took the whole thing apart and used a chemical spray. It is
First some background (maybe it is pertinent to my immediate problems):
- 20x40 IG pool, approx 5 years old
- vinyl liner
- originally, we used Tri-Chlor pucks for 2 years and were constantly struggling with low PH. Bought a ton of borax. For 1 year, I used bleach (no PH problems) but found it to be a pain. Switched to Cal Hypo on recommendation from friends and multiple pool vendors. I now know that use of cal hypo has caused my pool to be inundated with calcium (see levels below).
- i've been paying our pool installer to close/open the pool every year. The swear up/down/left/right that the DE grids are chemically cleaned every year. The guy has an excellent reputation so I want to believe him.
- liner is light blue, and is wearing off. We first noticed this in year 2 when we used a cleaning robot for a month or so. We noticed that the robot wore off the pattern in the corners. We returned the robot, thinking it was the problem but over time we have noticed the problem everywhere. Not bleached, it is wearing off. The pattern can literally be scratched off with a fingernail. The pool installer says it is probably due to a bad liner but says the manuf warranty is worthless and that it is not worth trying to go back to them.
- the first year we had the pool, the DE filter didn't require backwashing till the summer was 2/3 over. Since then, it has constantly been a PITA. With sparkling clean water, the filter is typically clogged a day after backflushing and within a week of being taken apart. Over the last several years, I let the pump run for a week or so in a low flow condition with clogged filter before backflushing.
- This past weekend, I tore the filter apart (again) but this time I used a spray-on acid that is meant to clean DE filter grids. It sure did a job on the grass so I think that it worked. Unfortunately, when I got home this evening the filter was 12 psi over the "clean" pressure.
Current chemical levels:
FC-2
TC-.5
Alkalinity-120
Calcium - 400
PH - 7.6
Is it possible that the high calcium level is causing the DE filter to become clogged so quickly? I am guessing that there is no connection (the filter was constantly clogged when using Clorox and Tri-Chlor pucks too) but I need to ask the question.
Is a calcium level of 400 reason to panic and replace all of our water? From reading on this forum, I understand that there is no effective way to reduce calcium.
Are there any other reasons why a DE filter would clog so quickly in water that appears clean?
thanks!
- As stated earlier, my DE filter is clogged within 1 day of being backflushed. This past Saturday, needed to buy more DE and again asked aboutI took the whole thing apart and used a chemical spray. It is