Filter PSI keeps going up after clean and backwash

[DBswim]

My Hayward filter PSI keeps going from 13 PSI to about 30 PSI in about 3-4 days of about 5hrs of filtering per day. I have cleaned the grids and backwashed the filter. The equip is new. There is no air bubble in the VS950 pump. No air bubbles coming out the returns. The water level in pool is consistent.
I can't figure this out. If I backwash the PSI goes down to 13-15 but slowly rise to about 19-20 by end of 4-5 hrs of running.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Is this a cartridge or DE filter? How does your water look?

 

[DBswim]

DE filter... water is clear. New pool, only 3 months old.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

When you turn the pump off, does the gauge go to Zero?

Any chance your battling some algae that's filling up the DE? DE does capture everything fast when algae is present.

 

[DBswim]

The guage does go all the way down when syst is off. Water looks crispy clear. When psi gets high I open filter the grids are not very dirty at all. Although do rinse them.
I only need to backwash for about 5-10 secs for psi to go down to normal.

 

[MITBeta]

DE filters are REALLY good at filtering. And they will catch an algae outbreak long before you can otherwise detect it. I spent a frustrating summer dealing with the same issue a few years ago.

Please post your current chemistry readings.

 

[DBswim]

So I cheaped out!! I promise I will not cheap out when it really matters. BUT I got some "cheap" Varify test strips for about $20. I wanted to see if the chemistry may indeed be a problem. I had 0 CYA and 0 free chlorine. Two days ago I added 3.5LBS of CYA into the scimmer, about one pound every 20 min.
The pump was about 23 psi when I added CYA and it is now still at about 23 psi running about 6hrs daily. This is an improvement. Usually when I'm about 23-24 psi it will get to 30 by end of the day. After adding CYA, Free chlorine level is about 1.5 and CYA is about 20-30. I think more CYA maybe needed soon.
BUT, tomorrow I am going to vacuum the pool, then clean the grids, and backwash for a few seconds. This should bring my psi to about 13-15psi.
I will let you know how its going on friday as I will run the pump 6 hrs daily (3hrs am / 3hrs evening). Also, the water is much more crystal clear.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Oh dear.... please never pour CYA in a skimmer. Its sticky stuff when wet and can clog a pipe, and once it hits the filter it can fall down and not get circulated for a long, long time. We tell folks put it in a couple of socks hung well into the water in front of a return and let it dissolve. You can squeeze the sock now and then to help it along.

What did you add for chlorine? That silly UV Ozone device will not sanitize your water very well, but will chew thru some chlorine if nothing ickier is around.

You should have put your $20 towards a TF-100/TF-Pro instead of "Guess Strips". They don't read a value specifically enough to use. www.tftestkits.net or the Taylor K-2006C on Amazon.

Will check on your Friday and see where we are.....

Maddie

 

[DBswim]

Thank you for the needed advice!! Will update on Friday or Sat with psi readings.
I use liq chlorine and a tab floater. Half gal and tabs will last about 2 weeks.

 

[DBswim]

So after all the fighting with water chemistry it turns out that I didnt have enough DE in the darn thing!! I kept adding only 6 cups of DE... I needed 6LBS!!!!