System Issues

[mikemurph6]

So I just bought a house and opened for the first time the inground pool. There is a pool shed, 1hp hayward super pump, hayward ec65a filter, and heater. The 25,000 gallon pool has a main drain and one skimmer. Output is split in two, one is going to two jets near the stairs and the other is going to two other jets in the pool.

Right off the bat when I opened the pool the output to the jets near the stairs has a crack, water quickly accumulated under the shed. There is a valve so I just switched the flow to the other pipe and the leak stopped. So I am assuming this pipe is intact which heads to two jets in the pool.

I have been running the pool for about 10 days now mostly through the skimmer and haven’t noticed any loss of water. However the pressure on my filter is now 25psi (I did not check what it was when I opened). Also now there seems to be air in the pump and a small amount of water under the shed again. The jets are also very weak and in fact the jet on the far side of the pool is barely even moving water.

I plan on digging up the pipes to see what’s going on there but does anyone else have any thoughts or ideas to diagnose the problem??

 

[Texas Splash]

Gee Mike, you're having a rough start this season. Well, it sounds like we have to keep two things in mind - physical problems such as possible leaks or damaged equipment; and then chemistry which would be algae - even if it's somewhat clear to this point. At the very least we need to ensure you have no algae brewing while we look to give you options for physical damage control. Algae can really hinder water flow and make that pressure gauge go up quickly. Any chance you can post a full set of test results with a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C.

Later you might consider posting a pic of your poll and equipment pad area so we can see what you have to work with. By the way, welcome to the forum.

 

[mikemurph6]

Gee Mike, you're having a rough start this season. Well, it sounds like we have to keep two things in mind - physical problems such as possible leaks or damaged equipment; and then chemistry which would be algae - even if it's somewhat clear to this point. At the very least we need to ensure you have no algae brewing while we look to give you options for physical damage control. Algae can really hinder water flow and make that pressure gauge go up quickly. Any chance you can post a full set of test results with a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C.

Later you might consider posting a pic of your poll and equipment pad area so we can see what you have to work with. By the way, welcome to the forum.

Thank you! Just ran a water test,
FC: 2.5
CC: 1.5
pH: 7.8
TA: 210
CYA: 0? clearly can see the dot all the way filled.

 

[Texas Splash]

Great pics. That helps. The air under the basket's clear lid is indicative of a suction side air leak. You should not experience water leakage from the suction side if there is a crack somewhere while the system is on. Instead it would pull air into the line. But before assuming the worse, make sure to check the easy/common things that contribute to air in the system like the lid O-ring gasket (condition & lubed), as well as the pump's drain plug. The valve(s) before the pump might have a bad O-ring as well. Lastly, make sure the skimmer weir door flap isn't stuck closed slowing-down water flow.

For your chemistry, I suspect you're right on the edge of an algae bloom. Remember organics begin clear, so the signs we look for are increased filter pressure, haziness of water, and an elevated CC reading with low FC. For your chemistry, here's what I would do:
1. Increase CYA so you know for sure you have at least 30.
2. Lower the pH to about 7.2-7.4
3. Increase the FC to 10 for a day or two. Watch the water, filter pressure, and both FC & CC readings. You need sun to burn-off the CCs, so that comes into play as well. Also keep in mind that a DE filter clogs quickly, so you'll want to backwash as needed. Next chance you get, I would do two quick checks:
- Turn-off the pump to see if the pressure gauge goes to zero. If not, it's bad and should be replaced
- Backwash and record your clean filter PSI so you have a baseline to go on. That way when it increases by about 25% you know when to backwash.

Any potential plumbing issues you might have on the pressure side will simply need to be resolved systematically. Hopefully you have none, or if there is a problem, it's easy to get to. Hope that helps.

 

[mikemurph6]

Great pics. That helps. The air under the basket's clear lid is indicative of a suction side air leak. You should not experience water leakage from the suction side if there is a crack somewhere while the system is on. Instead it would pull air into the line. But before assuming the worse, make sure to check the easy/common things that contribute to air in the system like the lid O-ring gasket (condition & lubed), as well as the pump's drain plug. The valve(s) before the pump might have a bad O-ring as well. Lastly, make sure the skimmer weir door flap isn't stuck closed slowing-down water flow.

For your chemistry, I suspect you're right on the edge of an algae bloom. Remember organics begin clear, so the signs we look for are increased filter pressure, haziness of water, and an elevated CC reading with low FC. For your chemistry, here's what I would do:
1. Increase CYA so you know for sure you have at least 30.
2. Lower the pH to about 7.2-7.4
3. Increase the FC to 10 for a day or two. Watch the water, filter pressure, and both FC & CC readings. You need sun to burn-off the CCs, so that comes into play as well. Also keep in mind that a DE filter clogs quickly, so you'll want to backwash as needed. Next chance you get, I would do two quick checks:
- Turn-off the pump to see if the pressure gauge goes to zero. If not, it's bad and should be replaced
- Backwash and record your clean filter PSI so you have a baseline to go on. That way when it increases by about 25% you know when to backwash.

Any potential plumbing issues you might have on the pressure side will simply need to be resolved systematically. Hopefully you have none, or if there is a problem, it's easy to get to. Hope that helps.

That helps a lot, thanks so much!