Re-setup of AGP - Cleaning glass media and dissolving CYA

[TonyJr]

Hello - it has been a while since I posted on here, mainly because of what I did, but here we go...

Two years ago I decided to try adding some DE to my glass media filter via the suction line as I had read many people have done with success. What I did not realise was that there is pool grade DE which has been treated with high heat (?) and also food grade DE. Maybe you can guess what I put into it. Please do not do this yourself! Green/brown cloud of doom with an instant sunken heart feeling - all the effort put into my pride and joy had just been ruined.

It turned into a huge mess and the weather was getting cold so I drained everything, washed and dried the liner, and put it away.

I am due back from holiday on Wednesday and want to get it going again. I have a wet vac ready to go in the filter to remove the glass media, wash and rinse it by hand and put it back in. Would you recommend doing anything else with the filter bearing in mind what I put into it? I am going to check the delicate plastic parts at the bottom that I have forgotten the name of for any damage while it is open too.

Also, whilst rebuilding, would there be any reason not to put the powdered CYA on top of the glass filter media before I put the multi port valve back on for it to dissolve?

Any little tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated and I am really looking forward to getting it going again.


TonyJr


Edit: I had tried many different methods to try and remove the offending DE, without success, before draining. There could have possibly been channeling or a broken element to the bottom of the filter. The media was about two inches lower than when I first filled it, when I had a quick look inside after draining. Could it have settled or maybe could be an even bigger problem - we will see when I open it up on Wednesday, and post photos here.

 

[kimkats]

I would take the filter ALL the way apart. Take the glass out and rinse and re-rinse it to make sure it is clean. I would take the laterals and pipe out and use a stiff brush to make sure they are all clean. Also scrub the inside the filter body and all piping as well.

Have you thought about just moving back to sand? Something to think about.

I would not take a chance with the CYA in the filter. Put it in a sock and hang it over the side in front of the return once you get everything up and running.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[TonyJr]

I would take the filter ALL the way apart. Take the glass out and rinse and re-rinse it to make sure it is clean. I would take the laterals and pipe out and use a stiff brush to make sure they are all clean. Also scrub the inside the filter body and all piping as well.

Have you thought about just moving back to sand? Something to think about.

I would not take a chance with the CYA in the filter. Put it in a sock and hang it over the side in front of the return once you get everything up and running.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Thank you I appreciate your input. I will be giving everything a good scrub like you suggested. I am going to stick with the glass filter media for now as it worked flawlessly until I decided to put the powder of doom into the mix, although I have never tried sand. If I come across any hidden issues on the strip-down I may change my mind though.

CYA: I have an odd sock set aside for this so will take your advice and stick to what works.

Not long to go now and I will get some photos uploaded. If I find any of the water after I poured the powder in, I will also upload those.

TonyJr

 

[TonyJr]

Here are a few pictures from today - I had to stop rinsing the glass filter media half way through to get food, and by the time I hot back it was dark. I will finish off tomorrow morning, hoping to be up and running by late morning tomorrow.

I have tried to keep them in chronological order.

Once I worked out a way to rinse the glass media with what I had laying around and stopped dropping it everywhere having to re-hoover it back up, the process seemed quite easy.

All of the DE was around the outer shell of the filter media and in all of the bottom half inch. No evidence of channelling at all with the media.

I am going to add an extra two inches of filter media when refilling as when it has settled properly, it compacts down quite a bit.

More to follow.

 

[TonyJr]

The last photo shows how my pool water looked after I first added the wrong DE of doom.

 

[Costas > DownUnder]

Did you find it relatively easy to vacuum out the glass?

 

[kimkats]

ewwwwwwwwwwww I bet your heart dropped with you first saw that!!! Good job coming up with a way to get it cleaned up. You have skills! I got everything figured out except the green thing...looks like a bucket but what is it on. I would love to see the good set of pics showing how you did it!

Kim

 

[TonyJr]

Did you find it relatively easy to vacuum out the glass?

Yes the glass was easy to vac out - I chucked in a kid’s sized bucket of water every now and then to get it all to level back out, making it easier to vacuum.

Cleanup from this is easy. All the spilled media I vacuumed up, even if some dirt got sucked up with it, I just rinsed it again and put it back into the filter.

 

[TonyJr]

ewwwwwwwwwwww I bet your heart dropped with you first saw that!!! Good job coming up with a way to get it cleaned up. You have skills! I got everything figured out except the green thing...looks like a bucket but what is it on. I would love to see the good set of pics showing how you did it!

Kim

Yes it certainly did! The green thing is the bucket part of the wet vac hoover. I alternated between rinsing in the large kid’s bucket and hoover bucket as I had ran out of space to keep all of the glass.

It is quite simple the procedure - ¾ fill the bucket with dirty media, and turn the water hose on and keep dipping it in to the bottom, allowing the water to move the filter media around. The water eventually clears and everything looks clean. A stick or kids shovel helped with the larger bucket to stir it. Because the glass media is heavy, it does not ever flow out of the bucket. I then poured and scooped it back into the filter, with the drain plug removed. The dirty water simply overflows the bucket so watch out where it goes.

I plan on backwashing and rinsing back into the pool itself initially as I have already added the salt to the fill water as I am impatient. It is only small so I am sure it will be OK and it is only to level the filter contents.

 

[TonyJr]

Nearly 1/3 there.

 

[TonyJr]

This is the offending DE.

 

[kimkats]

GEORGE!! I must have me a George!! That is just too cute!!!

That kid's bucket with the sprinkler hose is purrfect for that! Well done!

Now go throw that mess away, far, far, far away! LOL

Kim

 

[Costas > DownUnder]

Great job - look at the sparkling glass inside the filter now...!

 

[TonyJr]

GEORGE!! I must have me a George!! That is just too cute!!!

That kid's bucket with the sprinkler hose is purrfect for that! Well done!

Now go throw that mess away, far, far, far away! LOL

Kim

I would like to burn it!

 

[TonyJr]

Great job - look at the sparkling glass inside the filter now...!

I am quite surprised how quickly it cleaned. There are a few old bits of grass still in there, but I am not bothered by that - that is why I am hoping to do the first backwash and rinse into the pool, to get it the remainder out. I have just finished descaling the electrodes with vinegar, a McDonalds spoon and a store discount card and the water is almost at the suction port so i’ll have it going within the hour.

 

[kimkats]

You have skills to the max!!! Well done! Now go throw the kid in the pool so they will take a good nap today while YOU enjoy the pool!!!

Kim:kim;

 

[TonyJr]

As soon as the little one is home from pre-school she is going in! Here is a quick tip, not sure if it has been done before - put the end of the fill hose inside a length of the collapsable drain pipe and it will not fly out of the pool randomly.

 

[Costas > DownUnder]

Here is a quick tip, not sure if it has been done before - put the end of the fill hose inside a length of the collapsable drain pipe and it will not fly out of the pool randomly.

Or just buy a much larger/deeper pool next time...

I'm sure your little one will love it when she gets home...!


BTW - What is you current daily average temp over there?

 

[TonyJr]

Or just buy a much larger/deeper pool next time...

I'm sure your little one will love it when she gets home...!


BTW - What is you current daily average temp over there?

Yes a bigger pool is definitely on the cards for next year, sending this one and the original boxed pump to my parent’s house.

Current temperature... I hope this helps: http://www.metcheck.com/WEATHER/16days.asp?zipcode=SS17&locationID=60477&lat=51.5&lon=51.5

A lot warmer than usual for here.

It is now filled and on the boost program. I just have to vacuum the floor once everything has settled and when I can, get some testing done. CYA I will stick in this evening in ye olde sock.

Not much dirt left to be filtered now.

I really appreciate the help and pointers given here - many thanks!

 

[Costas > DownUnder]

Thanks for the link, I see it has been reaching 28 to 29C which would be great for you guys...! - Heatwave - sort of...

Looks like you have an excellent equipment setup for the pool - great stuff.