DE filter needs frequent cleaning

[Suzikay]

Hi! This is my first post! We have a Pentair Quad DE filter that's about 10 years old. We've lived here for 2 years, and the longest we've ever been able to go without a full cartridge cleaning is about 3 months, and that was right after we replaced the cartridges about 6 months ago. There is NO BACKWASH on our system, and we occasionally hose the cartridges down inside the filter but end up having to completely clean them a couple days later anyway. We have no algae growth and our pool chemistry is almost always right on with chlorine, total alkalinity, and pH. We drained it last year also. Pool is 25,000 gallons. We can't figure this out! Help!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

"pool chemistry is always right on" does not tell us much.

What test kit are you using?
What are the test results? Specifically FC and CYA, although all of them could be helpful.

How big is the pool and filter?
Please add your pool and equipment details in your signature.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Suzi,

Filters don't generally go 'bad".. They stop working when they become clogged. So either you have a ton of stuff falling into your pool all the time, or you have algae, even if you can't see it. Either way, it sounds to me like your filter is doing what it is being paid to do... capture all the gunk in your pool water.

If you have a ton of debris falling into your pool, then you might want to try hairnets over your skimmer baskets. This will keep a lot of stuff out of your filter. The downside is that with a lot of debris, you will have to clean the skimmers often...

I suspect that you really don't have a lot of debris and your filter is just capturing algae. DE filters are very good at this and will clog up in a few hours if a pool is green, a day if the pool is just cloudy, and a week or so if the water is more clear.

I have a standard cartridge filter and can go a whole year without cleaning the cartridges.. Then again, I don't have algae..

You should read this link and see what we are all about.. ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Our whole TFP pool care process is based upon understanding what the chemicals in our pools do, and how to maintain the proper levels by testing our own pool water.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mescalante726]

Suzi,

Filters don't generally go 'bad".. They stop working when they become clogged. So either you have a ton of stuff falling into your pool all the time, or you have algae, even if you can't see it. Either way, it sounds to me like your filter is doing what it is being paid to do... capture all the gunk in your pool water.

If you have a ton of debris falling into your pool, then you might want to try hairnets over your skimmer baskets. This will keep a lot of stuff out of your filter. The downside is that with a lot of debris, you will have to clean the skimmers often...

I suspect that you really don't have a lot of debris and your filter is just capturing algae. DE filters are very good at this and will clog up in a few hours if a pool is green, a day if the pool is just cloudy, and a week or so if the water is more clear.

I have a standard cartridge filter and can go a whole year without cleaning the cartridges.. Then again, I don't have algae..

You should read this link and see what we are all about.. ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Our whole TFP pool care process is based upon understanding what the chemicals in our pools do, and how to maintain the proper levels by testing our own pool water.

Thanks,

Jim R.

What pool test kit do use or recommend and how do keep your pool completely algae free?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Suzi,

As you can see in my "signature" I use the TF-100.. Since I can't count and swirl a test tube at the same time, I also have the Speed-Stir which makes testing almost fun.

See this link... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...estkits.net/&usg=AOvVaw3qfqUZzC_W9pErsHInlaYb

I thought of one other thing... Quad DE filters are actually plumbed backwards when compared to "normal" filters... It is possible that your filter has the water entering the filter where it should be exiting the filter... We have seen a couple of cases where this has happened.. Not real likely, but possible. So, go out and make sure the pump's output is connected to the "input" connection on the filter.

The key to the TFP pool care process is to kill any existing algae by increasing the chlorine level in the pool. And then, making sure we keep our chlorine level above the point where algae can come back.. To do that we use this chart.. FC/CYA Levels

You can see that the amount of CYA in the water determines where the FC (chlorine) needs to be...

When you get a chance, please complete your signature telling us about your pool and pool equipment. (Settings, then Signature...)

Thanks,

Jim R.