Needing to backwash every hour. Normal?

[Rambo hustler]

I’m currently dealing with a lot of dead algae during a slam. The pool was a swamp prior to the shock. I know clearing dead algae is tough on sand filters but this seems excessive.
After an hour of running my pump i can barely feel anything coming out of the return. After a backwash the the return is back to full flow. My pump is set to 24/7 btw.
Is this much backwashing normal or is there something wrong with my sand filter?

 

[crusemm]

This is perfectly normal for a SLAM. As the chlorine kills the algae, that dead algae has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is your filter. Backwashing is good because it removes the dead algae from the system so the remaining FC can attack the still living algae, and make it dead too. Have you added anything to your sand filter such as DE or poly fill (I think that's what it's called)? Any additives will make a difference. Read SLAM Process for further information. BTW, please fill out your signature with your pool equipment so we can better help you.

 

[Rambo hustler]

This is perfectly normal for a SLAM. As the chlorine kills the algae, that dead algae has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is your filter. Backwashing is good because it removes the dead algae from the system so the remaining FC can attack the still living algae, and make it dead too. Have you added anything to your sand filter such as DE or poly fill (I think that's what it's called)? Any additives will make a difference. Read SLAM Process for further information. BTW, please fill out your signature with your pool equipment so we can better help you.

I haven’t added any additives this season. Last year was my first year owning a pool and I was naive and listened to the pool store. I added floc twice last year. Hoping that hasn’t jacked up anything.

 

[ajw22]

Do you have a RECIRCULATE setting on your MPV?

 

[crusemm]

That may be what's causing the problem. I'm no chemistry expert like some people here, but I do know that the floc can be terrible for filters, basically acting like a glue that coats everything and sticks it all together. So now your choice is 1. Continue as you are, and backwash frequently, or 2. Replace your sand and continue.

 

[Rambo hustler]

Do you have a RECIRCULATE setting on your MPV?

Yes I do

 

[ajw22]

Do your SLAM Process in stages. Put the filter in RECIRCULATE and focus on checking FC regularly and killing the algae. Then move to a filtering stage when you spend time with frequent backwashing while continuing to check FC periodically . Alternate stages as you find your backwashing intervals lengthen until you can get back to more normal process.

Nuke a lot of algae in one round so you don’t have to stand over the filter forever.