Need information about maintenance of pool filter please.

[Markstein]

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm on the tail end now. The grids are all taken apart and soaking in TSP. (I'll probably leave them soaking overnight).

I have a few questions before I can put everything back together.

Question #1: Regarding the down spout "inside" the filter that attaches to the bottom hole on the filter itself. There are 2 pieces. 1 elbow that screws into the side of the filter (the bottom hole) and 1 "L" shaped piece of pipe that runs to the very bottom of the filter. Where this "L" shaped pipe attaches to the elbow it is loose. There is no snugness to it. It just sits in the elbow and is held in place by sitting in the elbow. Is this the way it is supposed to be or should this be glued in?

Question #2: There are "O" rings on each of the filter housing fittings. In the above question this would be the fitting that fits in the side of the filter and you screw the elbow to it. There is also another hole that a fitting slides into for the up-pipe directly above it. Do these "O" rings need to be greased? As in the same grease you use when putting on the filter top, or the collection basket top that sits before the pump itself?

Thanks everyone,

Mark

 

[sbluhm]

Not sure about question 1, but for question 2, I say lube the o-rings with the same gasket lube. I usually do anyways.

Sounds like you're doing great and this has been a learning experience.. it's going to be great when you get that filter going and can really keep the water clean.

 

[Markstein]

Ugh..okay so I just got back from Leslies Pool Supply (getting DE and o ring grease). I asked them about muriatic acid and of course they said they do not recommend it. I have 1 gallon of muriatic acid. I have the grids in a garbage can in 30 gallons of water.

How much muriatic acid should I add to the 30 gallons of water? The tutorial says a 10:1 water - acid ratio. So 1 gallon of muratic acid for every 10 gallons of water? That means I would need to add 3 gallons of muriatic acid? This seems really strong to me.

Thanks a lot for your help and reassurance, I can't afford to have the filters get eaten up by acid if I add too much so any guidance on this is definitely appreciated. I'm not continuing on with the acid wash until I hear something from you guys here.

Also, there is a sight glass on the side of the valve that is filled with algae, etc. Does this sight glass unscrew? I don't want to try it until I know for sure. Here is an image showing what I am referring to:

Mark

 

[Markstein]

Any takers on my above post? I don't like to "bump" my thread but I'd like to put everything back together and get to cleaning the pool but the 2 things above are the only things holding me back. (amount of acid and sight glass question). I know that doing an acid bath is probably easy and normal for most, but this is my first time and I have no experience so I just need some reassurance that adding 1 gallon of muriatic acid to 30 gallons of water and soaking them for 3 hours will not harm the grids.

Thanks a lot. This is a great forum by the way!

Mark

 

[Bama Rambler]

As for the question about the MA & water mix, if you have a galon and just must (though I don't think you should) soak your grids in it, I'd just add the gallon you have in the water and let it soak.

The sight glass in question does unscrew. However, I'd be tempted to put the valve on winterize and soak the whole thing in a chlorine/water mixture.

 

[Durk]

I'm with 'Bama. If you don't see any build-up, such as Calcium, on the grids that the soap soak left behind, why bother with the acid? I have been cleaning my filter since 2004 and I have yet to give my grids an acid bath. They look too clean to need it. They go a six-month season rising from 10 to only 12 psi. I really think the acid thing, while maybe necessary in some cases, became generalized by the industry so people would get scared out of doing it themselves.

The glass does unscrew, but you don't know how much you would scuff it up getting it started if it hasn't been done for a few years. I'd leave it.

 

[Markstein]

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking an acid bath was necessary because these filters have not been cleaned in so long. They had built up algae and old chunked up DE inside the filters even after soaking them overnight in TSP. While waiting for an answer on the acid bath I went head and spent 4 hours forcing the built up algae through the tiny 1/4" holes in the pipe that goes through the grid with a water hose. I got most of it out now. The filters are not bright white, they have brown stains on them in some spots. The filters do, however, now drain in about7 seconds.

I'm going to put everything back together tomorrow and see how it goes! :|

Thanks again everyone,

Mark