Time to replace sand filter?

[Sigmabond]

Hi Everyone,

Finally got fed up with all the pool store issues after having to pay $450 to drain and refill my pool with 2/3 new water because of their recommendations. After my first SLAM pool went from Dark Green --> Minty Green --> Gray --> Blue. However I have been running my filter 24/7 for 6-7 days and haven't had a noticeable change to the clarity of the pool.

I can still barely make out the second step and I was thinking it would be at least a little better by now. Went out and added some D.E. to the filter using the 1 PSI method 3 days ago and still no change. I'm not sure what step to take next and I'm starting to get frustrated.
FC- 16
CC- 0.5
pH- 7.6
TA - 130
CH- 50
CYA - 55

Can you think of anything else I should do?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Are you brushing and vacuuming to waste? You probably have a lot of dead algae sitting on the floor of the pool.

How big is your pool and sand filter? Have you ever deep cleaned the sand filter? Sometimes sand is so gunky it needs a good wash to get all the schmutz out. Sand does *not* ever need replacement (unless you are converting from Bacqua to chlorine) so don't let the pool store make you think that needs doing.

What do you use to chlorinate your water, and have you put anything else in the pool? What kind of pool is it-vinyl, plaster or fiberglass??

Maddie

 

[borjis]

Your CC looks good.

Does it pass the overnight chlorine test now, but just won't clear up?

 

[Sigmabond]

Are you brushing and vacuuming to waste? You probably have a lot of dead algae sitting on the floor of the pool.

How big is your pool and sand filter? Have you ever deep cleaned the sand filter? Sometimes sand is so gunky it needs a good wash to get all the schmutz out. Sand does *not* ever need replacement (unless you are converting from Bacqua to chlorine) so don't let the pool store make you think that needs doing.

What do you use to chlorinate your water, and have you put anything else in the pool? What kind of pool is it-vinyl, plaster or fiberglass??

Maddie

1. Brushing every night after bleach.
2. 26k vinyl
3. Only thing ive added is a little dichlor when i firsg opened. Other than that only BBB and MA.
4. 10% chlorinating liquid since my intial dichlor treatment.
5. Haven't done a sand clean.

- - - Updated - - -

Your CC looks good.

Does it pass the overnight chlorine test now, but just won't clear up?

Yes and the FC is only losing 2-3 ppm even during the day. CYA is maybe 60 tops, can never tell with that stupid little dot.

 

[borjis]

It sounds like your sand filter needs a deep clean.

It very possibly has "channeled" to the point water is passing through
little tunnels in the sand instead of being passed through all the sand.

 

[Sigmabond]

It sounds like your sand filter needs a deep clean.

It very possibly has "channeled" to the point water is passing through
little tunnels in the sand instead of being passed through all the sand.

That's it! Did a deep clean yesterday and the water was so dark and cruddy. I'm filtering now and actually having to backwash every couple of hours and the pool got much better overnight. Went from not seeing the second step after 6 days to seeing the pattern on the shallow end after about 16 hrs. Thanks again!