Question: removing tons of DE from my pool

[Alcibiades]

Well, I learned something new the other morning . . .

After backwashing and flushing out my filter, I got ready to add replacement DE through the skimmers. What I didn't realize was that the automatic pool cleaner started up its morning routine while I was getting the 6 lbs of DE. Evidently, something changes with the water flow when the pool cleaner is running, because the DE I was happily adding to the skimmer was flowing out the returns into the pool and the connected spa. I now have a very nice, white layer of DE coating my stairs and large portions of the floor of the pool.

I guess I have a few questions:

1. Is there anything potentially harmful about having free-flowing (or free-floating) DE in the pool? I'm assuming not, but maybe there's some potential for eye irritation if it gets kicked up.
2. How would you go about getting this stuff out of the pool? It's so fine and easily disturbed that vacuuming really isn't doing as much as I'd hoped.
3. Am I right that the issue was the flow of water from the skimmers while the pool cleaner was running?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mknauss]

Vacuum and brush many, many times.
No harm though I would personally not swim in it until you get most of it out. I would be concerned on eye irritation.

You would have to post some pictures for us to know what is up with the valving.

 

[1poolman1]

Well, I learned something new the other morning . . .

After backwashing and flushing out my filter, I got ready to add replacement DE through the skimmers. What I didn't realize was that the automatic pool cleaner started up its morning routine while I was getting the 6 lbs of DE. Evidently, something changes with the water flow when the pool cleaner is running, because the DE I was happily adding to the skimmer was flowing out the returns into the pool and the connected spa. I now have a very nice, white layer of DE coating my stairs and large portions of the floor of the pool.

I guess I have a few questions:

1. Is there anything potentially harmful about having free-flowing (or free-floating) DE in the pool? I'm assuming not, but maybe there's some potential for eye irritation if it gets kicked up.
2. How would you go about getting this stuff out of the pool? It's so fine and easily disturbed that vacuuming really isn't doing as much as I'd hoped.
3. Am I right that the issue was the flow of water from the skimmers while the pool cleaner was running?

Thanks in advance!

Did you open the filter to clean it? Was it reassembled correctly. Unless there was hole in a grid, missing air-relief screen, improperly assembled grid cluster, DE should not be able to go to the pool with the valve in filter position, even if the cleaner is running.

 

[wireform]

We need pictures of the equipment pad. I'm thinking an incorrectly placed plumbing T used to feed the booster pump being plumbed in after the pump but before the filter could cause the DE to get sucked directly through the booster pump into the pool.