Plumbing Help

[DeanP66]

It doesn't matter if you connect your vacuum to the skimmer or to the cleaner port, it all goes back to the pump and filter regardless. Now, if you have a separate cleaner that attaches to that cleaner port with its own filtering in-line, then that won't get back to the filter. The way your equipment is plumbed, that has to be for a suction cleaner, not a pressure cleaner like the Polaris with the bag.

Your other option is to get a robot that you drop in the pool when you want it vacuumed. It is self contained completely. You don't even have to run the pool equipment to use it. You just plug it in to an AC outlet and let it do its thing for 2 hours. Then open it up and clean its self contained filter elements and you're done. Nothing back to the filter clogging it up prematurely.

 

[Jimrahbe]

F,

Show us a pic of your water.. If it is green, you most likely have algae and you will never be able to fix that problem with a filter. Algae is a chemical issue and not a filter issue.

Algae will however, clog a cartridge filter in as little as a few hours.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

F,

Show us a pic of your water.. If it is green, you most likely have algae and you will never be able to fix that problem with a filter. Algae is a chemical issue and not a filter issue.

Algae will however, clog a cartridge filter in as little as a few hours.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Jim,
The water is very clear. Photo album below, it's getting dark here, so may be a little misleading. When I took a sample recently to get tested, it was crystal clear.

https://imgur.com/a/SkbbbTl

 

[Jimrahbe]

F,

Does look good, but something has to be clogging your filter...

Jim R.

 

[DeanP66]

You could run an overnight chlorine loss test (OCLT), but that requires your own quality test kit.

That takes the sun out of the equation so you can see if anything is eating your FC at night.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

You could run an overnight chlorine loss test (OCLT), but that requires your own quality test kit.

That takes the sun out of the equation so you can see if anything is eating your FC at night.

I have recent test numbers (below)but not sure any chemical levels would cause the rapid increase in pressure today given what I did and when it happened. 14 is still lower than where it was prior to cleaning the filter (20), but it was at 8 today pre-vacuum.
Free Chlorine- 6ppm
pH- 7.7 (treated yesterday w. 1/2 cup of muriatic acid)
Acid Demand -0 drops
Total Aklalinity- 100ppm
Calcium Hardness- 225 ppm
Stablilizer- 0ppm (treating tomorrow with 3 pounds stabilizer
TDS- 4800 PPM
Salt- 3200 PPM

 

[DeanP66]

Where are those test results from? Your own test kit or the pool store? If from your own, which test kit do you have? I don't see a CC reading (combined chloramines). That might tell us if there is anything else growing in the water (algae), but the OCLT is also an option. Once the sun is off the pool, add a couple of ppm of FC (doesn't really matter how much) and measure in 30 minutes so you have your beginning FC # after sundown. Then, get up in the morning and recheck the FC before the sun hits the pool and see if you've lost more than 1 ppm of FC. More than 1 ppm loss means something is still eating the FC in the water. 1ppm or less means it's clear of algae. If you use pucks, pull them out before you do the test or else your reading wont be valid.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

Where are those test results from? Your own test kit or the pool store? If from your own, which test kit do you have? I don't see a CC reading (combined chloramines). That might tell us if there is anything else growing in the water (algae), but the OCLT is also an option. Once the sun is off the pool, add a couple of ppm of FC (doesn't really matter how much) and measure in 30 minutes so you have your beginning FC # after sundown. Then, get up in the morning and recheck the FC before the sun hits the pool and see if you've lost more than 1 ppm of FC. More than 1 ppm loss means something is still eating the FC in the water. 1ppm or less means it's clear of algae. If you use pucks, pull them out before you do the test or else your reading wont be valid.

These were from Pinch A Penny. I do own this kit but haven't used it yet...TF-100 Test Kit ™

I still don't understand why any of this would affect a rapid pressure increase today.

 

[DeanP66]

If what you vacuumed is algae, that can fill up a filter much faster than dust particles and pollen and so forth. It will cause the pressure to go up faster than the other dirt and things you vacuum. Thats why we advise to backwash or clean your filter regularly when you're trying to clear a green or cloudy pool. Algae will clog it in a hurry, 2hich will force the pressure to go up.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

If what you vacuumed is algae, that can fill up a filter much faster than dust particles and pollen and so forth. It will cause the pressure to go up faster than the other dirt and things you vacuum. Thats why we advise to backwash or clean your filter regularly when you're trying to clear a green or cloudy pool. Algae will clog it in a hurry, 2hich will force the pressure to go up.

Makes sense but my pool is clear. Unless there were tons of algae on the floor (which I doubt bc the pool cleaner I had did vacuum regularly), I don't see how I had an algae issue.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

Just taken over a pool and have the following levels per a sample I took to Pinch a Penny...I noticed the purifier was set to 100%. Should this be lowered considering the chlorine levels? I was thinking 75% initially. Thanks in advance.
Free Chlorine- 6ppm
pH- 7.7 (treated yesterday w. 1/2 cup of muriatic acid)
Acid Demand -0 drops
Total Aklalinity- 100ppm
Calcium Hardness- 225 ppm
Stablilizer- 0ppm (treated today with 3 pounds stabilizer)
TDS- 4800 PPM
Salt- 3200 PPM

 

[mknauss]

Please use your own test kit and post the test results.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

Please use your own test kit and post the test results.

I'm not sure the exact number here obviously, but this was taken this morning by myself. Looks high IMO.

https://imgur.com/a/xorMR0t

 

[mknauss]

For FC, use the FAS-DPD test. 10 ml water sample, one scoop of R0870 powder, and each drop of R0871 reagent to clear is 0.5ppm FC.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

For FC, use the FAS-DPD test. 10 ml water sample, one scoop of R0870 powder, and each drop of R0871 reagent to clear is 0.5ppm FC.

24 drops of R0871, 12 ppm FC.

 

[mknauss]

Great. Run a full set of tests.
FC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

 

[mknauss]

As we do not know your CYA, we do not know what level of FC your pool should be kept at. Please post a full set of test results.

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

As we do not know your CYA, we do not know what level of FC your pool should be kept at. Please post a full set of test results.

Will do, I did just add 3 pounds granular stabilizer this morning as initial tests showed 0 CYA, should I still test for everything today considering it won't be dissolved fully yet?

 

[mknauss]

Will do, I did just add 3 pounds granular stabilizer this morning as initial tests showed 0 CYA, should I still test for everything today considering it won't be dissolved fully yet?

No. Once the stabilizer is fully dissolved from the sock, wait 24 hours and test your CYA.

Did you test the CYA was 0? Has this pool water had CYA added to it in the past?

 

[FloridaPoolNewbie]

No. Once the stabilizer is fully dissolved from the sock, wait 24 hours and test your CYA.

Did you test the CYA was 0? Has this pool water had CYA added to it in the past?

I didn't use the sock method, I added to a bucket of pool water (thinking it would dissolve which it didn't) and poured it into the skimmer. I assume the granules will take some time to dissolve.

Pinch a penny tested the CYA at zero a few days ago...I haven't tested it yet. IDK about the past, new home owner with an existing pool.