I've got absolutely no clue where to start!

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I’ve taken some pictures unfortunately it’s just not looking a whole lot different.

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I’m trying to be patient but hubby is starting to question why we don’t call in pool people. :(

I’m just wondering if something else is going on with the water...

Have been brushing daily, often several times. The walls of the liner don’t feel slimy at all.

This morning test. I added too much bleach last night because I was extremely tired, and when I test just now I barely lost anything overnight (1 am - 12pm)

FC: 13.5 (from 14.5)
CC: 0.5

We’ve had some set backs for sure but i’ve had all new equipment since Saturday it’s been on 24/7 besides about 5 hours yesterday while I mistakenly thought I’d lost my sand. I really can’t say clarity is any better at all. Bleach demand upped a bit sat-sun and now it’s slowed wayyyyy down again.
 
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I was needing to backwash hourly when i had the pump on 3400 rpm, I haven’t needed to backwash since i dropped it to 1700–2400-2900(2 hours in the morning)

I emailed Hayward and asked them what gpm / rpm was safe for the filter, and they weren’t helpful at all. But I don’t think 3400 rpm is safe, unless I’m not understanding how any of that works (and I don’t!)
 
I would think you would need to backwash more often on low speed, but I do not have a VSP so I don't really know. I know when I run mine on low it seems to catch a lot more stuff.

Questions about the pool sand:

I went back and found your post where you said it was POOL sand, but wanted to verify.

When you put the sand in the filter, did you run it on RINSE until it ran clear?

Do you have something like this? Standard Blue Plastic Swimming Pool Leaf Skimmer Head - Fits Most Poles - Walmart.com

Its mesh is finer than a pool leave "rake" and is stretched tighter. I would be very interested if you could fish up some of what you are feeling on the bottom. I know you said it was rocks, just curious what it looks like.

I have other thoughts but they are irrelevant until you figure out if your filter is working correctly or not.
 
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Hmm...

I just went to backwash even though the gauge didn’t indicate the need.

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Obviously it did need it. Faulty gauge? I have another I can attach. However it’s not like, not working at all! It fluctuates depending on filtering speed. It was on 8 just before the backwash, and my “clean pressure” was 7 for that filter speed the day we installed.
 
TFTestKits has very nice gauges and Lowes/Home Depot have some also just not as nice. You need a properly working gauge.

I thought it was very strange that your backwashing had significantly reduced in frequency.
 
Just ordered a leaf eater. It’ll be here Thursday. Unfortunately they’ve just put us under a flood watch (rain isn’t even here yet), expecting a ton of rain wednesday-thursday so not sure when I’ll get to use it!
 

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Strawberryshortcake said:
I just went to backwash even though the gauge didn’t indicate the need.
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FWIW, I've noticed my filter hasn't changed measurably during SLAM, but that there still seems to be things to backwash too. My gauge seems to adjust appropriately at other times (like jumping up when my pump is priming or if I adjust the rpm of my pump) leading me to think the gauge is good, but for some reason the gunk doesn't seem to raise the PSI.

My SLAM thread has some of my similar experiences, where the pool water didn't change significantly. It seemed like it just had to get over some kind of hump, because recently it's been changing by leaps and doing as it's supposed to. It could just be a matter of patience. Vacuuming to waste might be helpful, too, or using a robot vac like I did (although if there are rocks down there I might not send the robot in yet.)
 
johntniman said:
FWIW, I've noticed my filter hasn't changed measurably during SLAM, but that there still seems to be things to backwash too. My gauge seems to adjust appropriately at other times (like jumping up when my pump is priming or if I adjust the rpm of my pump) leading me to think the gauge is good, but for some reason the gunk doesn't seem to raise the PSI.

My SLAM thread has some of my similar experiences, where the pool water didn't change significantly. It seemed like it just had to get over some kind of hump, because recently it's been changing by leaps and doing as it's supposed to. It could just be a matter of patience. Vacuuming to waste might be helpful, too, or using a robot vac like I did (although if there are rocks down there I might not send the robot in yet.)
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I think Naughty by Nature said it best, "You down with P.O.P? Yeah you know me". Something like that ;)
 
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johntniman said:
FWIW, I've noticed my filter hasn't changed measurably during SLAM, but that there still seems to be things to backwash too. My gauge seems to adjust appropriately at other times (like jumping up when my pump is priming or if I adjust the rpm of my pump) leading me to think the gauge is good, but for some reason the gunk doesn't seem to raise the PSI.

My SLAM thread has some of my similar experiences, where the pool water didn't change significantly. It seemed like it just had to get over some kind of hump, because recently it's been changing by leaps and doing as it's supposed to. It could just be a matter of patience. Vacuuming to waste might be helpful, too, or using a robot vac like I did (although if there are rocks down there I might not send the robot in yet.)
Click to expand...

I have been keeping up with your thread, too! I. definitely noticed we are having similar issues! Seeing your water start to clear up gave me some more hope LOL

Yeah I’m not sure about the gauge. I just bought it. We put it on the old filter but then replaced that filter within a week (old gauge was broken). It’s the ones from Lowe’s. As you mentioned is adjust to filter speed and everything. The filter came with a similar gauge so a Hayward brand gauge I can try sticking on there, just seems odd for sure.
 
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Mr Bruce said:
I would think you would need to backwash more often on low speed, but I do not have a VSP so I don't really know. I know when I run mine on low it seems to catch a lot more stuff.
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Agreed 100%

The lower speed allows more particles to get trapped in the filter, vs everything getting stirred up in the pool water itself, which is why you need to alternate speeds, stir up everything at high speed for 2hrs or so (just throwing numbers out), then run at low speed for 6+ hours to collect what is suspended and then start all over again :)
 
Well I had no idea! I thought it would be the opposite way. Hopefully the speeds I have set now are working well. I’ll mess around with backwashes and try to figure out how often it needs to happen if the gauge isn’t an indicator at low speed.
 
Strawberryshortcake said:
Well I had no idea! I thought it would be the opposite way. Hopefully the speeds I have set now are working well. I’ll mess around with backwashes and try to figure out how often it needs to happen if the gauge isn’t an indicator at low speed.
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The pressure gauge tells the story ;) If the (clean) gauge pressure goes up, then everything is being forced "through" the filter, whereas when the pressure is down, things are allowed to "collect" (think of flood vs slow stream, debris is washed away with rushing water (aka pushed through the sand), but debris gets caught up in slow water)
Just suggestion:
If you can run it fast for give/take 2hrs, then run it slow for 4-6hrs, backwash before speeding it up again and you might notice some faster clearing! :D

Oh and to follow-up on the previous equipment failure, did the pump likely just "die"? No more water losses w/skimming? Or have you stayed away from it? (sorry if I missed it, been off for a bit!)
 
I think the old filter had sprung another leak! That’s what i’m going with anyway lol. It was leaking from so many places that I wouldn’t have noticed a new one. I’ve had the skimmer open since we installed the new stuff and all is well!
 

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