The wrong diatomaceous earth

[Canucklehead]

Out of desperation, due to cloudy pool water and inability to find "heat treated" or "pool grade" DE, I used the garden variety DE. And now, of course, it seems the pool is never going to clear. Is pool grade DE the answer?
Now I see an online source for the pool grade DE, but it's in a 50 pound sack! Enough for 50 lifetimes, I suspect.
Help please! Is there another way to clear the pool? Perlite? Replace the sand in the filter?
We've already been running the pump 24/7, for most of the past 3 weeks.

 

[mknauss]

Look for a fibrous additive. Some are cellulose based. Some members in areas that DE is not allowed to be dumped or are concerned with the DE dust use it.

Cellulose fiber in DE filter

Hi All, I have a few questions regarding Cellulose fiber replacement in a DE filter. I have a Pentair FNS+ 60 DE filter in which I'm using a Cellulose fiber replacement. Every 3 or so weeks my filter pressure runs high and backwashing becomes futile. As time goes on, backwashing seems to...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You should do as @mknauss stated but I would add that the sand filter needs to be cleaned out. Get what you can with the filter fiber (Jack’s Magic sells “Filter Fiber Stuff”) and then change the sand.

Also, you might try turning off the filter overnight and seeing what settles out to the bottom. Then, if you have the vacuum equipment, vacuum the bottom, VERY SLOWLY, to WASTE. You’re going use a lot of fill water but it’s all you can do at this point.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

WHen all is said and done, and you're ready to try again perhaps a friend or neighbor with a DE filter could give you a cup or so of it?

Maddie

 

[Canucklehead]

WHOA! Cellulose fiber replacement? Just when I thought TFP had given me some understanding of what I'm doing... and changing my sand? I guess it's time to call the pool shop again.
Call a friend? I don't even know someone else who has a pool!

 

[zea3]

You can try deep cleaning the sand. Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter
How much food grade DE did you add to your filter? Fiber Clear is a cellulose DE substitute. It works well and you don't need a ton of it.

Amazon.com : Fiber Clear 4009DC Cellulose Filter Media D.E. Alternative for Swimming Pools, 9-Ounce : Swimming Pool Clarifiers : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : Fiber Clear 4009DC Cellulose Filter Media D.E. Alternative for Swimming Pools, 9-Ounce : Swimming Pool Clarifiers : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

 

[Canucklehead]

It was about 1/2 cup of garden-variety DE. Thanks for the advice about Fiber Clear; that's very useful. Does it go in through the skimmer, like DE? And then get washed away in the backwashing?

 

[zea3]

Yes and yes.

 

[jtpipkin]

someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I wouldn't stress about a half cup of the wrong DE... just filter as usual and backwash once it hits 20/25% rise in pressure

 

[Canucklehead]

But the issue is that the pool water is still cloudy, after filtering as usual, 24/7, for weeks. I need something that will filter out the fine particles of Garden Variety DE, or whatever it is that is still suspended. And then decide if I need to replace the sand in the filter.
I have ordered "Fiber Magic Filter Aid" from Amazon, due to arrive Aug 17.

 

[zea3]

Let's check your test results and see if there is anything that stands out that may be contributing to the cloudiness. Do you have a current set of test results you can post?

 

[Canucklehead]

FC 12 - I just decided to SLAM after a small amount of green algae showed up, now gone. CC 0.
pH 7.5, TA 60, CYA 30. Temp 24°C, 75°F.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Did you turn off the filter to let the suspended solids try to settle?

 

[Canucklehead]

I did turn off the pump overnight. There was minimal settling. I did not vacuum to waste, but instead ordered the cellulose-based product from Amazon, as per previous advice. "Fiber Magic Filter Aid", since "Fibre Clear" does not ship to Canada.

 

[Canucklehead]

Groan!
Despite a FC reading of 7 (2 days ago and again today, whilst coming down from the most recent SLAM) we have green algae in the pool.
This happened while the summer cover was in place for 2 rainy days, following several weeks of sunshine and heat.
As well we have the cloudiness described above, which is waiting for that fiber supplement for the sand filter.
I guess I need to SLAM again, for the 3rd time in a few weeks.
Other readings:
cc 0.5
pH 7.6
TA 60
CYA 30
Any other advice will be appreciated. Thanks. Now setting out to brush and vacuum.

 

[Canucklehead]

Is there a connection between the unresolved cloudiness issue and the recurring algae? It seems the TFP routines were working well for us, until I screwed up by adding the wrong DE to the sand filter. SLAM x3 in the span of a month seems like it should have been unnecessary.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Is there a connection between the unresolved cloudiness issue and the recurring algae? It seems the TFP routines were working well for us, until I screwed up by adding the wrong DE to the sand filter. SLAM x3 in the span of a month seems like it should have been unnecessary.

Yes. Suspended solids scatter UV light, act locally to deplete chlorine and give biological contaminants like algae and bacteria places to attach to. It is well established in water treatment processing that turbidity reduction is the first step. You must clear the water first if you ever hope to chemically treat it without crating lots of hazardous byproducts.

You need to clear your water.

 

[Flying Tivo]

Now you will have to keep at SLAM level until water clears. No matter if its DE or Algae.

 

[Canucklehead]

Thanks both of you, for the edification! I could not fathom why algae would occur, when FC is 7 or higher.
The "Fiber Magic Filter Aid" is due in a week. Hopefully that's the answer to our woes.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Have you tried stopping the pump due a day to see if the DE will settle out ?