Enhancing cartridge filtration

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R

RobertScalchi

0
Oct 14, 2014
261
Bloomingdale
Hey Everyone,

Looking for products, DIY hacks or suggestions on improving cartridge filtration down to 5 micron from 10 micron on
cartridge filter. Looking to catch suspended fine particles in cloudy water without aid of clairfiers or additional floc. Water is clear before turning pump on, but slightly cloudy while pump running due to some left over fine suspended particles. Flocculant settled all dead algae to floor. Vacuumed marjority to waste. Successfully turned pool from black to green to turquoise clear/cloudy (Can see floor.) Ran pump 24/7 for last 3 weeks. Brushed and vacuuming everyday. Cleaned cartridge filter, skimmer sock, and have duda diesel return jet bag attached which is cleaned twice daily. Got water to turquoise blue with just these 3 filtration aids. Decided to floc, settle and vacuum to waste. Maintained SLAM level at FC 17 ppm all throughout 3 weeks. OCLT test once cleared. FC 1-2 ppm loss daily. Which is norm.

Current CCX1000 cartridge is 5 years old and well over due for replacement. Have new cartridge on order and shipped. CCX 1500. Found out old cartridge is wrong sq. Ft. Size 100 sq.ft 80 gal CCX 1000 when should be CCX 1500 150. Sq. Ft. 120 gal. turnover according to Model X Stream and 1.5 HP motor.

Thinking about using small amounts of DE on older cartridrige filter to crystal clear since embedding DE on filter pleats is not a concern.

Is there any type of tacky liquid I can treat a filter with to catch really fine particles in the future without compromising water clarity, pump performance or integrity? Trying not to waste water floccing every year. I know i can avoid a mess in the future by maintaining proper water balance all year until November and keeping the leaves out. I've done it before. Just looking for hacks for filter to do its job effectively and filter everything, not just some things, without greatly impeding water flow or psi. Maybe band some type of fine mesh fabric around the pleats?

Any tested ideas out of the norm are welcomed.

Hayward Power Flow Matrix 1.5 HP CCX 1500 pump and filter.

BBB method

18 ft. Round above ground 7200 gallons

FC 12 ppm 8.25% bleach
PH 7.6
CC 0.2
CYA 40
Took TA from initially 60 to 90 precisely, then to 120ppm to raise PH from 7.2 to 7.6
CH 260 (Vinyl Liner irrelevant)

TDS unknown.
CSI Unknown
 
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You can add poly fill to the skimmer basket. This is the stuff used to stuff pillow with. It is just another filter really. It sounds like you have most of the covered-skimmer sock, bags on returns, etc.

I really don't think DE in a cartridge filter is the way to go. They are not made for it and it could cause more problems than it is worth.

I have heard of people making a "sock" for the cartridge filter out of cotton fabric. You make a tube that is about 1/2" around than the cartridge and long enough that it close over the ends. Put elastic in each end to keep it in place. You will have the most filtered pool in the world!

NOW saying all of that I really think your pool just needs some more POP-pool owner patience. That can be hard when you have seen it change SO fast at the beginning but this last bit IS the hardest as you cannot really see the improvement each day. :hug: it will get better little by little each day.

Kim:kim:
 
Just to make sure I understand, you're trying to make the 5 year old cartridge filter better until the new one gets here?

If so, while not an official TFP suggestion, there is a filter aid called cellulose fiber that can be added to cartridge filters to potentially capture finer particles. This may or may not be more trouble than it is worth, hence why it is not an official suggestion.

Are the horizontal bands still intact or do the vertical pleats just flap back and forth freely? Have you ever cleaned the cartridge with a TSP solution as described here?
 
Good suggestions. Thank you. Kim. I remember seeing a designed cartridge filter sock 4 years ago but was never able to find it again, and never ordered it. But yeah I'm willing to try a fabric banded over it. Currently now I only have two bands across the pleats on the filter. The third middle one broke off this year. I have never cleaned it with tsp. I'll try that. I typically rinse the filter getting inside each pleat and then rinsing from the inside out. Typically before winter when i store cartridge, i rinse filter, let dry overnight, then blow out cartridge with compressed air into every pleat. Synthetic DE is also a good suggestion.
 
Pool owner patience. P.O.P. and a LOT OF RAIN. Crystal clear. I can make tails on a dime from the kitchen window . Another thing someone on YouTube suggested might be worth mentioning. If you alternate cartridge filters after cleaning and let them dry out it might shrink up the fibers a little tighter to where filtrates better. Kind of like the same effect of when you put a wool sweater in the dryer and shrinks. Lol
 
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Thanks everyne for all the suggestions. I love the proactivity here and responses. Usually once i run clear. I usually clean the cart filter once a season if that. Another thing worth mentioning from one of my post from a couple years ago that me and Kim were talking about. I kept finding minute particles of sand on my floor, and I don't have a sand filter. Found out that it was my manual made in China cheap triangular vacuum head that had a seal cap on it which was filled with sand and crushed seashell from the factory In which the sand acted as a weight. The sand leaked all over the floor one day while I was vacuuming underwater. So I con firmed that the sand actually does go past the filter and the Duda diesel bag does catch it at 5 micron . However as soon as I remove the bag, remanence of sand gets caught in the return hose and the return threads, and winds up back on the floor in small amounts until I get it after a few tries. That is why I couldn't figure out why for 4 years...after I would vacuum the floor, the floor was perfect and then these granules would show up out of nowhere within 15 minutes after removing the bag. Even though crystal clear, me being ocd, I want to try and push the envelope an attempt adding synthetic DE to The Duda diesel bag for Ultra clarity. Ill let you guys know the results. :)
 

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