Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

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Re: Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

At the beginning of the year when we first turned our pump on and we were getting a little bit of sand coming out of the return. We inspected at the filter and realized our hub had a crack in it. We emptied the sand filter and replaced the hub and at that time the sand looked to be in very good shape with little to no debris in the filter. As for the gauge, it is new but seems to be working. It stays between 12 and 18. When it gets to 18 we backwash and it will drop back to 12. Our automatic vacuum comes with a gauge to check the return pressure and when doing that we feel within the normal ranges. Any other way I can test to see if this could be our problem?
 
Re: Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

Still cloudy. Still slamming. Debri is gone. Should be clearing. Can someone guide me on whether or not there could be a problem with our sand filter when the intake is normal and the output is normal and the pressure gauge is normal. I’m at a loss at what else to look for.
 
Re: Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

Have you tried adding DE to your sand filter? Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter

We recommend backwashing your filter when the pressure reaches 25% above your clean pressure. From your data above you are waiting until a 50% rise and that may be restricting our water flow through the filter.

Take care.
 
Re: Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

mknauss said:
Have you tried adding DE to your sand filter? Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter

We recommend backwashing your filter when the pressure reaches 25% above your clean pressure. From your data above you are waiting until a 50% rise and that may be restricting our water flow through the filter.

Take care.
Click to expand...


Is this what you’re referring to?
 
Re: Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

yes. You will not need much. That box will last your lifetime.
 
Re: Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

For some perspective, the photo on left is your pool 2 days ago, and on the right is today.

9C3AE93B-9A56-47CD-8250-AE71B2F6C3FC.jpg

It IS clearing, it is just taking time - not unusual with sand filter. Keep slamming, backwashing only when filter pressure rises 25%. Sand filters do a better job when they are a bit dirty! And the DE Will help as well.

Don’t bother with OCLT until your water is clear.
 
Re: Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

This is year seven for our pool. We have a sand filter but have upgraded our pump from a three-quarter horse power to a 1 hp. This year at opening, our filter seemed to shudder when turned on. We opened the sand filter removed the sand and remove the standpipe. The hub at the bottom of the sand pipe was split in half. That would explain some of the sand we have found in the bottom of our pool. We had a very hard time finding a replacement so broke down and had to go back to the pool store from which we bought our pool. It was realized at that point that the inside of our filter wasn’t necessarily what was supposed to go with you outside but everyone agreed that it would work and it had been successfully working for the last five years (the pool store rigged it to work I guess). We were able to replace the hub and put the filter back together. Now for today’s issue. We have been slamming for almost 3 weeks and chemical readings have been fine but our water will not clear. Our pressure gauge seems to be operating normally and keeping a pressure around 12 psi and dropping appropriately when we backwash. I have noticed however that inside the skimmer basket the suction looked less than I would expect, yet we were having a lot of output come out of our return. Yesterday, for the first time, I added DE as suggested by someone on this site. I watched my pressure gauge and it rose one psi after just a 1/4 cup. I immediately saw a different suction level in my skimmer basket and the pool shows a difference this morning in regards to cloudiness. When I went to check my gauge and my skimmer this morning I realized the suction head greatly declined again when I looked in the skimmer. I wanted to see what a backwash would do so I backwashed the pool and added DE yet again as suggested. My question is how do I test the functionality of my filter when it seems to be running correctly yet it does not seem to be doing its job?
 
The one action you can take with a sand filter is a Deep Clean. See Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

Sadly, sand filters are not efficient at filtering fine materials. It sounds like the DE worked. It must be done many times. After backwashing you add it again.

Take care.
 
Thanks. I found some guidance on here so I did add it again. It did not raise my PSI. It only took a quarter cup last night to get it to raise. Should I treat this like my first time and watch my gauge and keep adding it until I go up the one psi?
 

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I agree that the filter is the culprit. Sounds like it was pieced together from different broken filters. I would get a new one, properly sized!
 
I can't imagine any reason that would not work with your pump. I believe it came with a 1 hp motor but I'm currently using a 3/4 hp.
Is that filter near you? I'd offer $100 & see if you can settle on $125 or $150.

I wish we were closer, I'd buy it off you if you weren't happy with it.
 
Re:  Numbers perfect, SLAMing for Days, still not clear:(

Pcrider said:
Still cloudy. Still slamming. Debri is gone. Should be clearing. Can someone guide me on whether or not there could be a problem with our sand filter when the intake is normal and the output is normal and the pressure gauge is normal. I’m at a loss at what else to look for.
Click to expand...

Do you have a through-wall skimmer? or is it just an inlet opening? Can you attach your vacuum hose & head and let it act like a "deep" end drain?

Honestly adding, monitoring, clearing and re-adding the DE is your best bet with a SAND filter. The cloudiness is the chlorine killing the algae, and the filter has to strain it out. The smaller the particles, the more has to get caught up in the sand for it to clear.

- - - Updated - - -

Pcrider said:
If y’all are right, so is my husband ;) I don’t know which is worse, a cloudy pool or a gloating husband- lol!! The new vacuum got here today and we will start on it shortly so we will see...
Click to expand...

LOL gloating DH's are "the worst" :D
 
I'm not sure anyone has mentioned, but have you considered cleaning out the filter basket. If you had a lot of leaves in the pool, they can become trapped lowering the overall efficiency. I don't see this as a step mentioned in SLAM. I do second the sand filter cleaning mentioned above as well.
 

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