Green swamp at opening

we do have an auto fill valve
So I understand there is an above ground part that was broken. I'm assuming this leads to an autofill pot near the pool. What does that pot look like (should have a cover)? Said another way, where does the line that goes from the broken part to the pool come out and fill the pool?
 
So I understand there is an above ground part that was broken. I'm assuming this leads to an autofill pot near the pool. What does that pot look like (should have a cover)? Said another way, where does the line that goes from the broken part to the pool come out and fill the pool?
It has a plug on it and has for 7 years. You can barely see the faint white plug under the water, where the line comes out on the side of the pool directly out from the white plate. The other picture is the plumbing over near the equipment pad where the previous owner stepped on it and broke it and it should just be a completely dry line running from right there to the pool.
 

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It has a plug on it and has for 7 years. You can barely see the faint white plug under the water, where the line comes out on the side of the pool directly out from the white plate. The other picture is the plumbing over near the equipment pad where the previous owner stepped on it and broke it and it should just be a completely dry line running from right there to the pool.
Got it! Very helpful. Are you absolutely sure there is an actual plug in the line into the pool? What happens if you would take the plate off and pour 5 gallons of water into it? Can you pop off the plate and take a picture of the pot?
 
Got it! Very helpful. Are you absolutely sure there is an actual plug in the line into the pool? What happens if you would take the plate off and pour 5 gallons of water into it? Can you pop off the plate and take a picture of the pot?
Yes. It’s always been there and I can see it and feel it and it’s a cap securely on where the line would let out in the side of the pool, similar to if the returns were plugged. we did take the plate off and it’s just the plumbed line going through there. There is some water because the top is not airtight so clearly rainwater gets in but it does not get in the pool nor go back into any plumbing that’s connected to anything else. Of course my husband is gone now and I can’t get it off. I imagine if I poured a 5 gallon bucket of water in it it would just overflow on the concrete everywhere.
 
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Yes. It’s always been there and I can see it and feel it and it’s a cap securely on where the line would let out in the side of the pool, similar to if the returns were plugged. we did take the plate off and it’s just the plumbed line going through there.
If it is just the plumbed line (no way for the water in the pot to get to the pool) and the line is capped, then that is not it. For grins, is the water level in the pot below the plumbed line.

Sorry for the gyrations, we are all doing our best to help you out with our collective knowledge!

I imagine if I poured a 5 gallon bucket of water in it it would just overflow on the concrete everywhere.
It is a long shot, but I'd do it if it were me. Even if I had to get the shop vac out to empty it after I filled it. But, I'm "extra."
 
If it is just the plumbed line (no way for the water in the pot to get to the pool) and the line is capped, then that is not it. For grins, is the water level in the pot below the plumbed line.

Sorry for the gyrations, we are all doing our best to help you out with our collective knowledge!


It is a long shot, but I'd do it if it were me. Even if I had to get the shop vac out to empty it after I filled it. But, I'm "extra."
Oh, I am so thankful for everyone’s help! Here is a picture. I just don’t think it’s anything at all because it’s always been capped and does not flow out to the pool, and then the other end of the line is broken and does not attach to anything that connects to the rest of the plumbing. The pool builder told us don’t ever worry about it unless we wanted to repair it and that it was not connected to the pool anymore.
 

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I noticed brown water was coming out of the skimmer boxes… how is that even possible when nothing had been turned back on, and the multiport was in the closed position?
Good morning! This had been bugging me. With the MPV in closed, your IN & OUT ports should be closed. The only exception might be WASTE which I believe would still be open and why you noticed water could indeed overflow out thru that waste line during the deep clean. That's also how you recovered that air relief vent screen. With a side mount, you don't have a tall center pipe that goes from the bottom (laterals) straight up to the very top of the filter collar like a top mount MPV. Instead you have that diffuser that was attached to the top inlet elbow pipe. That's what we could see exposed about 1/4 down in your pic. It's good you placed the coffee filter over it. Always best to cover that pipe. Some people also close any 3-way valves on the equipment pad before and after the filter as a precaution, but I don't understand how anything could've gotten past that MPV into the pool while in the closed position. :scratch: If I did up more info on that I'll let you know for future reference.

In any case, it's good you inspected and fluffed-up the sand to get things moving again. Hopefully you begin to see more improvement today. If not, we'll regroup and see what your next best option should be.
 
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Good morning! This had been bugging me. With the MPV in closed, your IN & OUT ports should be closed. The only exception might be WASTE which I believe would still be open and why you noticed water could indeed overflow out thru that waste line during the deep clean. That's also how you recovered that air relief vent screen. With a side mount, you don't have a tall center pipe that goes from the bottom (laterals) straight up to the very top of the filter collar like a top mount MPV. Instead you have that diffuser that was attached to the top inlet elbow pipe. That's what we could see exposed about 1/4 down in your pic. It's good you placed the coffee filter over it. Always best to cover that pipe. Some people also close any 3-way valves on the equipment pad before and after the filter as a precaution, but I don't understand how anything could've gotten past that MPV into the pool while in the closed position. :scratch: If I did up more info on that I'll let you know for future reference.

In any case, it's good you inspected and fluffed-up the sand to get things moving again. Hopefully you begin to see more improvement today. If not, we'll regroup and see what your next best option should be.
Morning! I’ve lowered the pump speed as suggested and I’m about to test and then get ready and run out for more chlorine and DE.
Well, we put the filter back together and turned the multiport to backwash and crossed our fingers the vent screen would come out the backwash pipe when we turned the filter on and it did. So, I wasn’t doing the deep clean anymore. I didn’t mess with any other valves before starting the deep clean simply because I thought the filter was completely isolated when it was set to ”closed”. However, cloudy brown water appeared in the skimmer boxes AND when I finish the deep clean I took the hose out and ran over to turn it off. When I returned a few seconds later, instead of the water being up to the very top of the filter, it had dropped several inches and I could hear water trickling in a pipe somewhere. The multiport was still on closed.
 
When I returned a few seconds later, instead of the water being up to the very top of the filter, it had dropped several inches and I could hear water trickling in a pipe somewhere. The multiport was still on closed.
I suspect that is because the water was escaping out through the WASTE port.
 
This had been bugging me. With the MPV in closed, your IN & OUT ports should be closed.
Yeah, this bothered me two. How did they get dirty, sandy water out of the SKIMMER? It would have to go back through the pump. Broken MPV? Doesn't make sense.
I suspect that is because the water was escaping out through the WASTE port.
If it was waste, how'd it get to the skimmer. I'm really confused at the point.

When there was dirty water in your skimmer, was the pump basket also dirty?
 

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Yeah, this bothered me two. How did they get dirty, sandy water out of the SKIMMER? It would have to go back through the pump. Broken MPV? Doesn't make sense.

If it was waste, how'd it get to the skimmer. I'm really confused at the point.

When there was dirty water in your skimmer, was the pump basket also dirty?
I didn’t check the pump basket. Does this sound like potentially a broken spider gasket on the multiport? I think I remember reading something about that while searching threads on the website for the past few days about pools not clearing up after an extended slam.
 
I didn’t check the pump basket. Does this sound like potentially a broken spider gasket on the multiport? I think I remember reading something about that while searching threads on the website for the past few days about pools not clearing up after an extended slam.
That's where my head is going...or less likely something else wrong with the MPV.

Can you get the part number off the MPV. Should be SP0715X62 or SP0710X62. Maybe post pics of the stickers on the MPV. You certainly have the 6 position valve.
 
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Does this sound like potentially a broken spider gasket on the multiport?
I've also been wondering if there's a problem in the MPV, but I am still waiting on one more response to a PM I have out there. It is possible something happened to the MPV during your winter. That might also explain why filtration might have been compromised, but I didn't want to speculate yet until I get one more reply about this scenario.
 
That's where my head is going...or less likely something else wrong with the MPV.

Can you get the part number off the MPV. Should be SP0715X62 or SP0710X62. Maybe post pics of the stickers on the MPV. You certainly have the 6 position valve.
 

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I've also been wondering if there's a problem in the MPV, but I am still waiting on one more response to a PM I have out there. It is possible something happened to the MPV during your winter. That might also explain why filtration might have been compromised, but I didn't want to speculate yet until I get one more reply about this scenario.
We haven’t touch the equipment until we open the pool, and it was winterized by a professional who owns the business and that’s all he does for a living and he’s always done a fine job for us. Nothing out of the ordinary. It’s always turned the same way, and obviously the pump has always been off whenever it’s been turned.
 
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Nothing out of the ordinary. It’s always turned the same way, and obviously the pump has always been off whenever it’s been turned.
Understand. That's why we'll hang-tight for now on the MPV. But even if everything was done properly at closing in the past, I'm assuming that MPV is the original from 2013. If so, it could've developed a problem at any point over 10 years of winters. But we'll come back to that in a bit. For now, continue with all the good work you have been doing. Maintain the SLAM FC level, brush each day, and look for anything suspicious. We'll come back to the filter and MPV a bit later.
 
I’ve added 2/3 cup of DE so far and the filter pressure did not change. Yesterday after the cleaning it was running at about 19.5 psi on 80%. I reduced the pump speed as recommended this morning and the psi was at 11 on 60% and it remain at 11 after two doses for a total 2/3 of a cup DE.
 
I’ve added 2/3 cup of DE so far and the filter pressure did not change. Yesterday after the cleaning it was running at about 19.5 psi on 80%. I reduced the pump speed as recommended this morning and the psi was at 11 on 60% and it remain at 11 after two doses for a total 2/3 of a cup DE.
Until we get the multiport valve figured out, I wouldn't add more DE. I'd hate to see that DE end up in the pool.
 
Until we get the multiport valve figured out, I wouldn't add more DE. I'd hate to see that DE end up in the pool.
OK I just added another third for one cup total, no change in psi. I will stop there. How would I know if it ends up in the pool? It looked dissolved when I poured it into the skimmer.
 

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