return jet pressure keeps slowing down

[Liz70]

I'm hoping someone can help. We just got a new pool 5 days ago (Jacuzzi 21') with a new jacuzzi filter etc. The only thing that wasn't new was our pump which is a Hayward and only 1 season old. It seems to be working fine. I have a feeling its the filter that is causing the return jet water to repeatedly slow down (about twice a day) as it seems to go back up (jet pressure as opposed to water coming out of a hose) after a quick backwash. The pressure gauge was also reading slightly high (closer to 20) before I backwashed. Now its at about 14 again and the jet is good. I just cleaned the filter basket yesterday and other a few pollon tidbits, its quite clean and the flow is good. I don't want to keep having to backwash, obviously, and each time I do I lose treated water and have to put my hose with well water in it! I will contact the company since its brand new, but I wanted to get an idea from the experts first so I sound like I know what I'm talking about

 

[mknauss]

Filter plugging is nearly always algae in the water.
Can you post test results? Do you have your own test kit?

 

[Liz70]

There's no algae. The pool is crystal clear and in fact, we had it filled with municipal water which is very clean in my area (Ottawa). After doing all the treatments (we used an opening kit) and testing the water, the tests show PH slightly low but otherwise perfect.

 

[Liz70]

By the way, when the pool was finally filled we did what the installer recommended which was to run a backwash for about 2 minutes to clear out an dirt present in the sand, so....I'm irritated because I never had this problem with my old pool or filter!! Its brand new!

 

[aspiringnobody]

Was there a flocculant in the "opening kit" you used?

 

[Liz70]

Yes- I used SIMA's Calypso opening kit which is the one my local pool store sells. There was a clarifying agent "Blow up." Also something called a "crystal stick" which were little pucks encased in a tube mesh. That is supposed improve "filtration capacity" according to the box. I backwashed after crystal stick dissolved, as instructed.

 

[Texas Splash]

Unless they were carefully vacuumed directly to waste, flocs and clarifiers can gum-up filter media (sand) and render it unserviceable. Not sure if that happened to you, but if it did that could be the problem. I understand the pool and water appear to be new (5 days), so you wouldn't think algae should be an issue so quickly, but Marty (above) is correct in that those symptoms sure do mimmic that of algae. You mention "tests show perfect", but at some point you might want to list those results just so we can knock them off our checklist of items in an effort to eliminate all possibilties. The recommended chemicals available in your area vary I'm sure from what we use down here in the US, but we encourourage you to refer to our Recommended Levels - Trouble Free Pool page to see what items can apply to your local supliers.

 

[Liz70]

Merged threads - TFP Mod

I need help experts! I'm spending a fortune and nothing is working!!

We got a new pool after our old one collapsed 2 weeks ago and have already resolved at least 3 problems with it. Now, its that I cannot seem to keep chlorine no matter how much I use.

Here's the history in brief:
-Got pool and had it filled with municipal water. The water appeared teal green (yellow water, dark blue liner)
-Used an opening kit by SIMA. All cleared and was well except that Alkalinity was high and because of that so was PH
-Used PH- (muriatic acid) from pool store after testing and Alkalinity and PH went down to normal levels and have stayed there
-Was told at pool store that cyanuric acid was non existent so added stabilizer as directed for my pool.
-Since then, not only does the cyanuric acid still show low on my 3 different brand test strips, but I cannot keep chlorine in the pool, either FAC or TCI. Both show about the same values from 0-.5 or 1.

Have backwashed (window showing clear water) and rinsed just in case it was hidden algae and pool "looks" absolutely perfect. You'd never know there was no chlorine keeping it look so perfect!! Pool pump humming along at 15 as should be and I keep skimmer basket and pump basket clean. Nothing at all on bottom of pool, even before I backwashed. I also use a floater with 3 pucks in it, and a puck in the skimmer. But no chlorine!!

So, again, back at pool store for testing yesterday and though at home my 3 different test strip brands showed no CyA clerk at store said it was 30 and ok. But she told me to use two 1 lb shock (in Canada its called Sock it). Did so, at dusk, diluted in warm water and woke up at 7 am to very high levels of FAC and TCI but totally normal levels of the other values. As follows:
FAC: 10
TCI: 10
Alk: 120
PH: 7.8
CyA: less than 30

So, the really frustrating thing: By 11 am, warm, sunny day, I had .5 FAC and 1 TCI with all other levels normal, as above. Just tested again, and same. WHAT IS GOING ON??? Its obviously not chlorine lock as the levels show the same values within .5 of each other.

Should I shock again tonight? And if so, should I shock the heck out of it??? Or do I simply need to add stabilizer even though the value is within range according to store? I'm afraid of going in the other direction, chlorine lock, by adding too much. And why didn't it register when I put it in the first time??

I'd appreciate any help I can get on this. Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

1. Stop trusting pool store testing and test strips. Get one of the recommended test kits: Test Kits Compared
2. Post up all those test results.
3. You should be able to use PoolMath to calculate how my CYA you should be reading based on what you added. If it is too low, the sun will burn off the FC.
4. Try the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (requires the FAS-DPD chlorine test) and see if there is something in the water consuming the FC.
5. If there is, then follow the SLAM Process process

How much of Pool School have you read? Start with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Also note that there is no such thing as "chlorine lock" That is just a buzz word that pool stores use when they don't know what is going on or they have made you raise the CYA too high, but do not also tell you that you have to keep the correct FC level in the pool as a function of the CYA level as shown in the FC/CYA Levels

 

[woodyp]

You can't fix it with test strips. Not accurate enough to even point in the right direction as to what may be the problem. Get one of the recommended test kits and we'll help you fix it. 3 different test strip brands ( so far) is all the money you need to waste.

 

[Liz70]

I live in Canada, as I stated, so I can't just go and pick up one of these kits. I looked online and with shipping the costs are insane with exchange. As well, I'd have to wait days for them to ship even if I wanted to spend that kind of money. I am currently looking online for Canadian supply companies that sell similar kits, or at least ones that have FAS-DPD capacity so that I can at least do an overnight test. Our pool season up here is short- about 4 months at most and I don't want to spend all the available summer days figuring out chemistry instead of enjoying the pool.

 

[mknauss]

Your best option to get a proper test kit is to have it shipped to a mail drop at the nearest US border town and drive down and pick it up. Fill your gas tank when you are there and you nearly pay for the trip.

 

[Liz70]

Nice idea Mknauss but Burlington Vermont is the closest border city (4 hours away) and gas is actually cheaper here right now amazingly! I'll keep looking online. It does sound like I need a proper test kit and surely some Canadian company has one!!! Again, since our season is short I guess there isn't a lot of demand...

 

[mknauss]

Ogdensburg NY is 100 km south.

But up to you -- good luck.

 

[jblizzle]

There is only 1 company that sells the K-2006 up there as they have a monopoly agreement with Taylor. IIRC it is Lowery's ?
It is likely cheaper for you to drive to the US than to order from them.

 

[Chickinvic]

Nice idea Mknauss but Burlington Vermont is the closest border city (4 hours away) and gas is actually cheaper here right now amazingly! I'll keep looking online. It does sound like I need a proper test kit and surely some Canadian company has one!!! Again, since our season is short I guess there isn't a lot of demand...

Most in Ottawa get things shipped to a place in Ogdensburg, so only an hour or so away. I think they charge $5 per package.

We swim for at least 5 Months here in Ottawa (except this year since we were having our liner redone and repairs). Normally early May or so until mid-October. We're die hard swimmers though.