My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

[RobertScalchi]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

That's a great idea buying a sheet of it and wrapping it around your cartridge filter. I didn't know you can buy sheets of it. I was throwing this idea around for the last 4 years with the user KIMKATS on TFP. I was trying to inquire if anyone knew of any fabric material I could wrap my cartridge filter with.

4 years ago when I was at work I thought I remember seeing some type of sleeve you can put over your cartridge filter to filtrate out to an even finer micron like 5 micron, but I was never able to find the product again.

Here is my post on the subject from a couple of years ago.

Enhancing cartridge filtration

KIMKATS suggested two things here out of the ordinary which I haven't tried and tested yet. Here is her paraphrase.

"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. it will get better little by little each day."

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

I noticed from your previous post that your FC is only at 4. Is there any reason why your FC is so low? Shouldn't you be at shock or SLAM levels which is between FC 15-20 ppm?

What is your current state of CYA?

Good moring Robert... no no no.. the FC1 and FC4 is my filing system of my pics for FiberClear1 and FiberClear4

My signature has all my specs, my pump is solid and good to go, I know what I need to do about filtration upgrades, just being Frugal LOLOL at the moment and pondering our next steps. Just this 150lbs of sand could use a swift kick in the butt and my venting a bit. that was all.

Thanks and sorry for the confusion with the FC filing system.

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Went back and edited that post to clear up the distinction between FC1 and Fiber Clear Day 1. People can read fast but miss details, so glad that you pointed that out. Thanks!

I just backwashed and swept the pool again. Can't see it from the top deck pic I take but right on top, I can see the bottom of my steps in the deep end ladder and the bottom of the wall where it meets the floor in the pool, so I am absolutely making progress.

I am day 13 since open and only on Day 3 of SLAM.

Helps me to have that POP (Pool Owner Patience) when I keep a log with Dates, test results, adjustments made and a running Day # of SLAM. I know I have been working on this pool now for 2 weeks as of Sunday May 13, and I feel like it, but in reality on day 3 of SLAM and aggressive sweeping, backwashing really pushing the show along.

That made me feel a lot better which reduced my feeling of "what is taking so long"

 

[RobertScalchi]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Ok... Whew... I had a feeling that FC indication was pertinent to something else. Just making sure and wanted to "clarify" that ...no pun intended of course....lol

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

wanted to "clarify" that

Outstanding! lol

 

[madyogi]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Hey all. Still trying to catch up on the conversation, been busy running around with my boy, and doing a bit of sprinkler system maintenance, as well as staying on the pool. Your photos look good, funandsun. The cloudiness is very similar to mine right now, just that mine is still much greener. I suppose that's an indication of more algae? I have been continuing with the protocol, but raised my FC shock level to 22. Also put my Polaris back in this morning after brushing.

Planning to catch up on the conversation, get some more done outside, then check back in later this afternoon.

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Yes, green in your case like mine a few days prior is just live Algae that is dying a slow miserable death. I am also letting my PSI on my sand filter rise a bit more, noticing a drop in the flow from the returns but reading that Hayward yesterday had me thinking that I may just be backwashing too quickly.

My psi readings have been as follows:

10psi @ 6pm last night (no backwash performed)
10psi @ 1pm today (no backwash performed)
12psi @ 3pm today (no backwash performed)

Now typically I backwash at 20-25% over clean PSI, but reading the manual yesterday got me thinking because this is what it says:



Well, clean PSI for me is 8 and it is 9 when I add the Fiber Clear. So that would put me closer to 18-19PSI before I should backwash.

Plenty of opinions that sand does better when it is dirty, so I wonder if I am not letting it get dirty enough to do a better job. ie: I am cleaning too soon so my filter's performance from my view is consistently being gauged by it's least effective range because I keep setting it back just before it really enters into it's best part. Make sense?

Similar to a casino that changes out the dealer when a player is on a hot streak. The Backwash is the dealer and the Filter is the player

I don't know.

 

[RobertScalchi]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Yes whether its sand, cartridge, or DE, you want your filters to run a little bit dirty to filter out the finer suspended particles and algae if you have it. The results of your filtration system doing such is that it increases pressure. As the Hayward manual says and as I myself and everyone else here recommends, you can operate up to 10 psi above clean operating pressure safely without putting too much strain on your pump, before backwashing, cleaning cartridge primary filters, cleaning secondary skimmer socks and bag filters, etc...

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Yes whether its sand, cartridge, or DE, you want your filters to run a little bit dirty to filter out the finer suspended particles and algae if you have it. The results of your filtration system doing such is that it increases pressure. As the Hayward manual says and as I myself and everyone else here recommends, you can operate up to 10 psi above clean operating pressure safely without putting too much strain on your pump, before backwashing, cleaning cartridge primary filters, cleaning secondary skimmer socks and bag filters, etc...

I read a lot of threads about backwashing at 25%, well 10 over 8 is 125%. Maybe they failed to carry the 1?

 

[madyogi]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Yeah, I've always seen 20-25% over clean pressure, which for me would be ~21, with clean pressure of 17.5.

The .5 micron bag came in, elbow is coming tomorrow, and the 5 micron is probably coming Monday or Tuesday. Am I right in thinking I should probably start with the 5 micron and give it a day or two? The impatient pool owner in me wants to get the bag going, but I think it makes way more sense to wait and start with the 5 micron when that comes in...

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Yeah, you wanna wait... take it in stages down in the micron level. You put that thing on, 10 minutes later it pops off and moonshoots over your house. haha (back to the drawing board) lol

Btw, I backwashed at 5pm, filter was just hanging at 12psi and flow was jumping/lurching in the pump's strainer basket.

Oh well, it is working, I can see it getting better. So open a can of POP and relax. 25 days last year and I am on day 13 this year and well ahead of the game. Only 3rd day of SLAM.

 

[madyogi]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Yep. My thoughts exactly. My problem is I'm running out of R-0871. I ordered a large 2 oz bottle of it to start the season, but have been testing so much at 15+ FC levels that it's almost gone now. I probably have two tests left, which is kind of a bummer. Just bit the bullet and ordered the big bottle for $20 on Amazon. It's like 10 times more reagent for three times the price. Any thoughts on getting a decent chlorine measurement for cheap while I wait for the new reagent to arrive?

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

I bit the bullet last year and went to a local pool store and bought some. I too ran out. I too got the big bottle.

You know you can test at the 10ml mark and count drops by .5 right? So I just counted out 18 drops to clear which means I was at 9ppm.

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Here they are in action. Backwashed as PSI came up finally to 14psi, got a good dirty backwash, that felt good.

Installed 1 bag on each return and will check on them each hour for the first few.

I did not add any Fiber Clear after the backwash, all Filtration improvement going forward will be due to Hairnet+Sand Filter+ 5 Micron Duda Diesel Bags.

I remain in SLAM Process

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

This is where I really really want to find a bluetooth or wifi based pressure gauge where I can monitor from my phone or desktop. May as well go full geek mode if possible.


1 PSI increase so far

Current PSI reading as of 11:30am


Clean PSI 9:00am

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

We vacuum on Recirculate BECAUSE we have a PoolDevil (and you could do the same with the duda filter bag, which we also got last year), no lost water (or chemicals if you aren't needing to lower anything). The crud bi-passes the sand filter media, but obviously gets collecting by our PoolDevil net. This is not what it was intended for, but it works extremely well!
The PoolDevil we got this year, so trying to figure out how to attach the duda bag to it (for vacuuming purposes)

Great idea, I did think about just running recirculate with these on the returns. Only reason I didn't was because I am a bit nervous and wanted to see how much pressure built up. But put these on at 9am with PSI @ 8 and as of 1 hour ago PSI @ 10 and can see some discoloration to the bag too. Again trying to remain calm and composed but I can see liner, ripples and dirt that is holding up on the ripples like it loves to do and a very clear dark area in the corner of my deep end where dirt calls home. oh breathe, calm, breathe calm. I really hope my daughter can swim tomorrow.

splashpad, what are your thoughts here with madyogi? Test and filter right? anything jumping out that we are overlooking?

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

I kind of have heavily promote the concept and practice of the bag or other mediums around here, although I learned it from other members here that were willing to experiment a little. BECAUSE A $5 POOL HACK saves time, saves money, saves chemicals, saves water, saves electric, if you look at the overall cost. Because when something isn't running efficiently, then it's costing you money.....

Last year when I was swimming with the kids, I had on a pair of goggles and I was not happy with what I saw, lots of very fine particles floating everywhere.

So I started digging into Filtration systems and having read DE can get to 5 micron that was always what I had in my head as a goal, all last year, all winter, all this year leading up to open.

Then when you mentioned this duda bag set up, I thought about it, tried to break the idea apart, it can't work because of this or that. Kept coming back to, "IF I cover both returns with bags, how could it not work? Gonna cost me about $50.00 to find out".

$21 for 3 bags (1 extra)
$20 for 2 elbows
$4 for 2 stainless steel hose clamps
===
$45.00

If a $45 solution can provide $1,000.00 clarity and raise the bar even higher over here, that would really be something.

So, I bought front a row seat to find out.

 

[splashpad]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Last year when I was swimming with the kids, I had on a pair of goggles and I was not happy with what I saw, lots of very fine particles floating everywhere.

So I started digging into Filtration systems and having read DE can get to 5 micron that was always what I had in my head as a goal, all last year, all winter, all this year leading up to open.

Then when you mentioned this duda bag set up, I thought about it, tried to break the idea apart, it can't work because of this or that. Kept coming back to, "IF I cover both returns with bags, how could it not work? Gonna cost me about $50.00 to find out".

$21 for 3 bags (1 extra)
$20 for 2 elbows
$4 for 2 stainless steel hose clamps
===
$45.00

If a $45 solution can provide $1,000.00 clarity and raise the bar even higher over here, that would really be something.

So, I bought front a row seat to find out.

Do you have a thread started for this trial? I would love to follow it!

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

Do you have a thread started for this trial? I would love to follow it!

I have been taking the pics for it, but have not posted it yet, figure I may be ready as soon as tomorrow or Saturday, I have the before, just waiting on the after but seems that is coming pretty quick.

Stay Tuned. I love to take pics and share all the stuff I do or try. I had been posting everything here in madyogi's thread since we were all doing it but figured once we get him straightened out, Mendy, Robert, myself, madyogi will all contribute to one dominating post about it. It may even win a Sticky who knows lolol. Depends how good the results are.

I don't have a gopro but my daughters iPhone 7 may work if she is willing to try and if Mom is willing to buy if it doesn't LOL

 

[funandsun]

My SLAM w/ Duda Bags & Fiber Clear

PSI was up to almost 12 and it's getting dark, removed the duda, pressure washed them and reinstalled. no issues. psi dropped back down to 8 after cleaning. just as an update.

lol @ madyogi and the CYA test. yogi, go line to line and when its gone go with it maaaan lol. Be the CYA.