Pressure up after bump every 3 days

[Dcookster]

Tell me if this is right, if starting filter pressure is 11 and goes 20 every 3 days it needs to be torn down and cleaned then reassembled? See pictures before and after. Last year I didn’t get pool installed till late July and never had to redo the D.E. or did I do any back washing, as a matter of fact I didn’t have to bump my filter all that much. Probably in a 3 months span I would maybe bump it once or twice a month. This spring we had a heck of a wind/rain storm that filled my skimmer so bad that it was sucking air with very little water to pump. Luckily I got home from work before the pump burned up. Kim says probably a lot of small debri and that may be the cause? See pics of dirty fingers and D.E. In tank and tell me what ya think? Thank in advance for any advice and replies.

 

[Texas Splash]

A pressure increase of that proportion and that fast would have me concerned about your water chemistry. Can you post a full set of test results please? Let's start there. Also, maybe you can tell us what type of DE you got? Not food grade I hope?

 

[Dcookster]

All my test results are on point, I will post them

 

[Dcookster]

The D.E. Is Dicalite Swimming Pool Filter Power

 

[Texas Splash]

Do you recall the type/brand of DE? Was if food grade by any chance? Disregard. We cross-posted.

 

[Texas Splash]

On the surface, I'm not seeing the reason for the unusual look of that filter. Safe to assume nothing unusual has been added to the water other than salt for the SWG and the DE itself?

I'll call on the assistance of @Jimrahbe or @JoyfulNoise who have quite a bit of DE experience. Maybe they've seen this reaction before.

 

[Dcookster]

On the surface, I'm not seeing the reason for the unusual look of that filter. Safe to assume nothing unusual has been added to the water other than salt for the SWG and the DE itself?

I'll call on the assistance of @Jimrahbe or @JoyfulNoise who have quite a bit of DE experience. Maybe they've seen this reaction before.

On the surface, I'm not seeing the reason for the unusual look of that filter. Safe to assume nothing unusual has been added to the water other than salt for the SWG and the DE itself?

I'll call on the assistance of @Jimrahbe or @JoyfulNoise who have quite a bit of DE experience. Maybe they've seen this reaction before.

if you look at my dirty fingers on my filter, the end of last year it was all caked up at the top like mud between all the fingers up top. This was my second time breaking down my filter. The first was the end of last year, it’s like night and day, much worst last fall compared to current date. ( this spring) Trying to remember back to my first year, I may have loaded to much D.E.? My scoop (Blue) is something like 11.4 lbs. which I think last year I did 8 scoops. This year I weighed my D.E. 4lbs which ended up being 5 and 1/2 scoops. Would more D.E. Control the pressure then being exact for which the filter calls for? I’ll see what the next few days brings. Hopefully I won’t need to bump my handle to often. I will keep you posted. Thanks

 

[Jimrahbe]

D,

If you have to bump the filter every three days, it is almost always because of a chemical issue. I suspect you have algae, even if you can't see it yet..

Let's assume the problem was too much DE, which I have not seen before... If cleaning your filter fixes the problem we need to know, so that we can add it to our troubleshooting tree. If it does not fix the problem, then you need to do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test or OCLT... Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

If you fail the OCLT, you will need to do a SLAM.. If your pool is clear, it will be pretty quick. SLAM Process

Thanks for the pics of your bump filter.. I have never seen the inside of one before...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[Dcookster]

D,

If you have to bump the filter every three days, it is almost always because of a chemical issue. I suspect you have algae, even if you can't see it yet..

Let's assume the problem was too much DE, which I have not seen before... If cleaning your filter fixes the problem we need to know, so that we can add it to our troubleshooting tree. If it does not fix the problem, then you need to do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test or OCLT... Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

If you fail the OCLT, you will need to do a SLAM.. If your pool is clear, it will be pretty quick. SLAM Process

Thanks for the pics of your bump filter.. I have never seen the inside of one before...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

My pool is crystal clear, even clearer then yesterday after re-doing /cleaning my filter. I slammed it last fall then covered it till March of this year. Read on here if water temps get above 60 algae could grow. So with that said I opened up my pool early. This year I have only added 1gal of beach and that was 20 oz at a time till I got my swg going. My test results have been on point ever since last year.

 

[splashpad]

My pool is crystal clear, even clearer then yesterday after re-doing /cleaning my filter. I slammed it last fall then covered it till March of this year. Read on here if water temps get above 60 algae could grow. So with that said I opened up my pool early. This year I have only added 1gal of beach and that was 20 oz at a time till I got my swg going. My test results have been on point ever since last year.

Have you bumped your FC to 31 and retested in 30min, then 2hrs, see how it holds? You might have the makings of left over algae bloom.
You could even do it as the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

 

[Jimrahbe]

D,

This is kind of like when the wife is found dead in the house and the only one with her was the husband, you know the police will assume he is guilty until it is proven that is not the case... In most cases when a filter clogs quickly it is because of algae.. In your case, it might not be the husband, I mean algae, but the only way to know is to rule it out.

Reassemble the filter and see if you still have to bump three times a week.. If so, we can assume the husband did it..

We have to look at the obvious first...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Dcookster]

Well I tested my FC at 5:30pm it was 7.5. I shut off my SWG which It was set at 20% and water temp is 64. O’Dark30 is around 8 O’clock so I’ll test at 9pm and then again at 6am. Stay tuned and thanks again for the help.

 

[Dcookster]

Results, - looks to have dropped 0.5, pressure gauge hasn’t moved since filter was completely cleaned Saturday. Does this mean no algae? Or should I do it again tonight.

 

[splashpad]

Out of curiosity, can you raise your FC to shock level for CYA/80? FC/CYA Levels And retest 30min to 1hr later?

 

[Texas Splash]

I don't think you were actually doing a SLAM Process yet correct? Just performing the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test as @Jimrahbe recommended? So if that's true, let's ask this ......
How does the water look? Crystal? Can you tell if a coin is heads or tails in the deep end? If so, then according to your notes, you appear to have passed the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.

 

[Dcookster]

Splashpad, i can this evening, I turned my Swg on when I left for work this morning, we I get home I’ll turn it off and start adding beach till I reach 31. Texas Splash - haven’t done a slam this year, removed cover everything looked great March 10th. Just added water to correct level and test good. My pool is cystal clear but don’t know about the coin test. I check that out we I get home. Thanks

 

[Dcookster]

Taxas Splash I got home early today. Throw a couple coins in and I can see them every easily on heads. My gauge did however budge. See picture compared to pic posted above. Should I just go ahead and slam just to be safe?

 

[JamesW]

With how black the fingers got, there's something in the water.

Maybe get some skimmer socks to see what they catch.

 

[Dcookster]

I was thinking it was just a bunch of small particles that got through both skimmer and pump baskets. Before having to do all the bumping every 3 days we had one heck of a wind and rain storm. When I got home from work my skimmer basket was full like never before to where my pump wasn’t getting much water. Pretty much clogged, I’m lucky my pump didn’t overheat although it was pretty warm to hot its all good.

 

[Jimrahbe]

D,

I would not rely on the "coin" test.. It is good to talk about, but there are too many factors, that can keep it from working, to depend on it.. It is more the concept that the water should be that clear.

Thanks,

Jim R.