Do I back flush?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
L

LizCarroll

0
May 31, 2017
10
New Palestine IN
I have ALWAYS had trouble keeping any CYA in my pool and that has caused me some problems in the past. This is my first year actually opening my pool myself. The first thing I did this year was add 4# of stabilizer over the past couple days prior to the SLAM. I decided to start the SLAM last night and added WAY more bleach than necessary...10 gallons of 12.5% :O (I read in another forum that someone with a CYA of zero should add 10 gallons of bleach so I went off that without thinking about the concentration...)

I just checked and I am at 16ppm of FC so not crazy high I guess. My question is, do I back flush? I know it says when you are SLAMing you should but I also read that when you are adding stabilizer you shouldn't back flush for a week. Which one trumps the other? should I just wait it out a couple days. Pool is cloudy but slowly clearing.
Next year it sounds like maybe I SLAM first then fix the CYA?

Thanks for any guidance.

Liz
 
I guess the question would be: Is the CYA being pulled directly into the skimmer after being dissolved, or into the pool? If it's going into the skimmer, you should avoid backwashing. If it's going into the pool... you are good.

The preferred method of adding CYA is to hang the socks over the return jets, distributing the CYA into the pool.

What's the size of the pool, and what are you using to test your water?
 
LizCarroll said:
Thank you. Very thankful for this website :)

I put 4 lbs. of stabilizer powder in 2 hose socks by the skimmer 2 days ago. It is incorporated now.
Click to expand...
Back-flushing when the pressure rises 20% above the clean pressure is OK. Some folks follow pool store methods and dump the CYA into the skimmer. Back-flushing in that case may throw away any granules still in the filter.
 
You only need to backwash a sand or DE filter when the filter pressure has increased by 20%. If you know what your filter pressure reading is just after the filter has been cleaned, use that as the starting number and wait until the filter pressure has increased by 20% to clean the filter again.

Since you used the sock method to add CYA, the CYA granules will not be caught in the filter, so you are fine to backwash as needed.

When you are reading on the forum, please keep in mind that the FC dosage for a pool is based on test results and pool volume. What is recommended for one pool may not be the right dosage for your pool. Plug your test results into PoolMath to determine what you need to add to your pool.

- - - Updated - - -

waskydiver said:
I guess the question would be: Is the CYA being pulled directly into the skimmer after being dissolved, or into the pool? If it's going into the skimmer, you should avoid backwashing. If it's going into the pool... you are good.

The preferred method of adding CYA is to hang the socks over the return jets, distributing the CYA into the pool.

What's the size of the pool, and what are you using to test your water?
Click to expand...
As long as the CYA is contained in a sock it is ok to put it in the skimmer, and it will work the same as hanging it in front of a return. The problem is when CYA granules are dumped directly into the skimmer or pool and collect in the filter, where they take longer to dissolve and may be flushed out in a backwash.
 
Thank you @zea3 I still have a lot to learn about the filter and how to read the pressure I suppose. I don't know how I would clean my filter so I will need to read up on that as well. I guess I will hold off on back flushing for now since I want to get the full effect of the stabilizer I added.

This morning my FC is at 11. When I look at the Chlorine/CYA Chart should I base my shock number on 20 CYA? Is that what you would do?
TIA
 
I added the stabilizer earlier this week so I haven't performed the CYA test again. It was 0 last Monday, should I recheck it now? I have the Taylor 2006 test kit.

My pool is still not 100% clear but it is better than it was. FC was 12.5 last night and 11.5 this morning. CC is .5
I did look at the pressure gauge on the filter and it is at zero so maybe I need to buy a new one? There is most definitely water going through the filter so that isn't why it is at zero. This was the very first time I opened the pool myself, could I have done something wrong? There is no water leaking from the motor or the filter.

Thank you for your help. File Jun 03, 10 27 08 AM.jpgFile Jun 03, 10 27 33 AM.jpg
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
If the gauge reads 0 with the pump on and the pump is primed and moving water which you can feel in the return jets, yea the gauge is probably bad and you need a new one.

You should test your CYA and use the chart for you chlorine level based on your test results.
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

You should always be adding chemicals by doing a test first and using pool math as a guide for the correct amount you need to add based on the test results.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply