Help, can't put filter back together

[Streeters]

Okay, We took our meteor sand filter apart to change the sand and can't get the center standpipe off of the head. Just broke off one of the little fins, dang it!! They DO NOT fold up.......
In spite of other sites that say you never need to do this, we found the sand packed up hard and full of debris from the oak trees. We have tested and shocked and just couldn't get the water to become clear again, sand was 7 years old. Never had problems before with the water clarity and the chemicala maintenance guide stated we may need to change the sand.
I want my sparkly pool back and am freaking out because its hot and now the filter is down - and the water was already cloudy, if it goes green I'll cry......still in the hiogh 90's here!!

Help!!!!! Thank you in advance...this is an awesome site....

The Streeters in toasty Northern CA.

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! You will need to replace the broken lateral before you put everything back together, or else it will leak sand into the pool. Try tapping the center pipe gently with a rubber mallet to loosen it. Until you are able to get the filter back in operation, use liquid chlorine to treat the pool. Carefully walk around the pool while pouring in the chlorine, then mix the water by brushing the sides and bottom of the pool. Use about a bottle of 6% bleach per day to prevent things from growing for now.

 

[bobodaclown]

Add chlorine, bleach and brush the sides. It may keep it at bay till you get the filter fixed.

 

[Streeters]

Thanks so much!!!! We have a 13'x 25' , 11,000 gal splash pool - above ground, vinyl......don't think I can use liquid chlorine but will go to local pool shop and find out....other wise I will pre disolve the granular shock and pour it evenly around and brush well.....meanwhile put 4 tabs in the floater and am actively keeping leaves out. Due to high heat and cool nights we have oak leaves falling already.....
Need to read this site more and learn about alternative chemical use like bleach.

Wish me luck, trying to find the lateral locally or will have to order online and wait (aarrg).

Happy Swimming soon I hope....thanks again!!!!

Streeters, Paradise CA

 

[Richard320]

Of course you can use liquid chlorine! Don't let the pool store tell you any different.

Next time you see a pool service truck on the street, look in the bed. I bet you'll see what look like milk crates, orange and yellow. The yellow ones have....bleach! Double strength, but the same stuff as Chlorox.

 

[RobbieH]

Exactly. In fact, I would consider bleach SAFER than your granulated shock, because the bleach will more readily dissolve into the water, and won't hit the sides or bottom with a huge concentration of chlorine, much less what is caused by undissolved granules that fall to the floor and sit there.

 

[zea3]

Liquid bleach will be safer for your pool will the filter is down. If you can set the pool to re-circulate and by-pass the filter that would be best, especially if you are using dry chlorine. If the granulated chlorine drops to the bottom of the pool it will bleach the liner wherever it sits until it has dissolved. Liquid chlorine either from the pool store or 6% plain unscented bleach from the grocery store mixes with water quickly with far less risk of liner damage.

 

[Streeters]

Thanks everyone.....the local pool store told me ALL liquid pool chlorine is 11 or 12% and to not add it....dang it and and she had no idea of what 6% was.
So, I predisolved two1 lb packets of granular shock n clear that I use weekly in a 5 gal bucket 1/2 bag at a time and put it in all around the edge of pool while diluting even more with water by letting the bucket fill and overflow into the pool. No undisolved granules left- brushed the sides and bottom and stirred up the water really good. You can cause good "waves" by push/pulling the side bars so I really got the water moving and plan to go out and do that every few hours. My new laterals (got one extra) will be here Friday so hope it holds. Good idea about the bypass....we'll see if can figure out how to do that when hubby comes home tonite.
Lookslike I am going to learn ALOT from this site- awesome!

 

[chiefwej]

The first thing you need to know is not to listen to the sales person at the pool store. Start reading the info in the Pool School (button top right of the page). In a short time you will know a lot more than the people at the pool stores. They are sales persons. They are not there to help, they are there to make sales.

 

[Streeters]

Update, I hooked the hose from the pump to the return and boy does the water move!! It was pretty easy- thanks for that great tip.
So, I am now circulating for an hour or two, letting the water sit and then doing it again on & off all day. I have 2 floating dispensers with 2 tabs in each but the water is still very cloudy...milky...but no green at all.

New lateral going in Friday evening with all new sand and I sure hope it clears up after that!!

I will be definitely be reading pool school -look forward to learning more about everything!

Thanks :-D

 

[Swimgirl]

I also have an above ground pool, 4' deep, vinyl liner - believe me, liquid chlorine is MUCH safer for those things than granular! I got "freckles" in my pool when I used granular! And I have put liquid chlorine in the pool w/ no pool circulation without any liner bleaching. Since you got the circulation going, you can add it in front of your return. If you hadn't have, adding by walking around the pool pouring it slowly and then brushing it would have been the best.

 

[Swimgirl]

Oh, and we had the same issue (stand pipe sticking in the head) with a sand filter that our neighbors gave us. What finally worked for us was pulliing on the pipe while carefully inserting a screwdriver blade between the pipe and the fins that hold the pipe to the head. Wasn't easy, and you can only insert the blade (a knife might work better) a little ways. It did, however, break the bond. And you do need two people, one to pull on the pipe while the other works on the top part.

 

[Streeters]

UPDATE: Filter fianally back together water STILL cloudy

Hello everyone,
Well we got the standdpipe out, new lateral installed, put it all back together with 150 lbs of new sand (silica 20), filled it up, back washed & rinsed, added 2 lbs of shock (BioGuard "Maintain").......- ran the filter overnight. Everything is running like it should-great pressure! That was Friday evening - the water was cloudy - its Sunday and the water is STILL VERY CLOUDY!!!!!! No sign of algea or yuck anywhere....that means in one week I used 4 times the amount of product that I would normally need to maintain sparkly clear water. The filter was only down for 3 days - if you read my prior psots, I even had the pump hooked to the return so I kept the water circulating. I have never had this happen in 8 years of pool ownership - what the heck?????
Tmorow I will have Leslie's test the water in case I've missed something - Friday the local pool shop tested and said all was well, PH, stabilizer,etc. and said to add 1 bag of shock, well 2 hasn't done it. Dang.......

I am at a loss of what to do. HELP!!!!

 

[britinusa]

First thing to do is post a full set of test results.
Second thing is stop listening to what the pool store is telling you! lol
Post your results and we can help you get your pool clear again

 

[Streeters]

I need to get a test kit.....am embarrassed to say I have not used one for 3 years.
My routine is/has been to run filter for 6 +/- hours per day, brush sides and bottom mid week, back wash, rinse, vacuum thouroughly then backwash/rinse everyweekend, shock weekly and add stablizer and calcium if I add alot of water. We winterize (yes according to the pool store) and in the spring when we take the cover off, adjust PH, stabilizer and schock. This has worked since 2003.......

So I will buy a test kit tomorrow and post results - the kits seem so complicated . Due to finances I will have to get the cheaper kit.....

Thanks!

 

[linen]

Which kit are you getting? I would start reading the pool school (link is on the upper right of the page), there is a lot that will help you maintain your pool for much less money than using chemicals from the pool store.

 

[Streeters]

I've read pool school and other topics and I really think that the calcium has gone too high........the product I've been using is 57.8% calcium hypochloride which (of course) states it is safe for vinyl pools like ours. However, in reviewing everything else on this site it seems to be the only reason the water is still cloudy. I intend to purchase a mid range price test kit from Leslie's Pool Supplies that will address the chlorine, clacium and alkalinity.
Amazing that (surprise) I was told (pool store) that this product was better than straight chlorine or bleach (same thing) because "this way you'll get your calcium too". Our small local pool store is not a chain, owner claims to be a "pool chemist".....but has provided conflicting information in the past. The common solution is to add more "shock" or that I have "unseen" mustard algae which prompts the sale of expensive algaecides. Plus, all the test kits sold there have "expired" a year ago according to their label - told it doesn't matter they stay good longer than that. Geezz....
So, its about 1/2 hour drive to the next town where there is a Leslies- I will post test results tomorrow afternoon.
I did add some clarifier and amazingly its slightly clearer. Still going to test, tho. Also use floater dispensers...right now have 4 tabs going, (yes again told to do so by pool store) however normally only use 2- 3" round tabs per week.
I really appreciate the info and have been reading BBB, but for now just want to get the water clear before I switch to a new system.

 

[linen]

Make sure the test you get for FC is a fas-dpd test, not just a dpd (or an oto for that matter). Also you need a CYA test...very important. Since you think you have high CH then you need a good test for that as well. Strips are useless and usually indicate levels that are not even close. With all that said, a good kit will save you money and time in the short term and the long haul. Switch to BBB and you will get clear water, we will help!

 

[Streeters]

Made my notes, will get test kit(s). I'd much rather spend the money on a good test kit - I really like the idea of using "real" chlorine (bleach) that will not add even more calcium to my pool.

Hope I don't have to drain it - hubby said that's it for the year if thats the case. Water here is $$$ - and it will be cooling off soon and our pool days will be over until next June/July. We only get 3 months a year when the water is warm enough so the clock is ticking for us.

On a personal note, I lost my job July 1st so finances are tight..more time than money right now- I should be floating around on my raft with a cool drink to console myself as I prepare to find a new job (good luck there) - not running back & forth to the darn pool store spending money!

Again, thanks for all the help - love this site!

 

[Streeters]

UPDATE: Test results

So, I was wrong about excess calcium...I went to leslie's and here are the numbers from their testing:
FAC - 10.0, pH 7.4 , TA-170, Calcium hardness - 250, CYA- 30+ and Phosphates- a whopping 1500
So, have added a phospate removal product and have been instructed to run pump for 48 hours then backwash, and NOT to add more shock or chlorine or anything. Also removing floating tabs - down to 2 tabs like I usually use.
A little clearer today due to the clarifier I think - and drifts of pale powdery stuff on the bottom....dead algea? Never was green but with such a high FAC could be.... what do you experts think??