Trouble keeping dirt from getting into pool

[Jfwhit]

Hello everyone. Awesome forum that has saved me so much time and money. I am enjoying my pool again.

My current issue. 11 yr old 33 ft above ground pool. 400 lb sand filter with Zeosand. The water is crystal clear. Dark "dirt" will be in the small crevices along the bottom. I vacuum it trough the filter. Backwash. If i leave the pump off (lets say overnight. Doesn't matter), the water looks crystal clear, bottom is spotless (perceived by me and the wife). turn the filter system on, come back in an hour and dirt is accumulating in the crevices again.

So I'm troubleshooting and eliminating theories. The Zeosand is three seasons old and a green color. So I'm trying to eliminate bad laterals. Since I'm not using sand, it's not sand in the pool?? I live in Oklahoma City where it can get very windy. A new development is going in behind me. A twelve foot brick wall behind me. So i cannot see whats going on, but dozing of dirt and homes being built. Could it just be blowing dirt? Seems excessive and not too much mess on the deck and glass table. Should I clean the Zeosand? Replace the Zeosand? The problem was here last season, but didn't seem to be an issue before that. I've started using the pool cleaning methods on this site three seasons ago (this is my third).

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[smitty195]

Hi there....
You could try a small amount of DE powder and put it in your skimmer... that will trap the very fine particals of dust that your sand filter won't catch... keep an ey e on your pressure though... as it will rise a bit once you put it in.. if it rises to high... do a back wash and then put a little less DE powder in.... again keeping an eye on the pressure...
Hope this helps.

 

[Jamison04]

I feel your pain. In Oklahoma as well out east in Tecumseh and it is a battle to get that fine reddish brown sediment to stay out for long. Not 100% sure if adding DE as suggested above works the same with zeosand as it does with sand but it's worth an shot.
Try adding a small amount of pool grade DE powder to the skimmer. I premix it with water and pour it in the skimmer. Remove the skimmer sock first if you use one or it will capture all the DE. You want just enough to raise the filter pressure around 1psi. It's is trial and error at first. It takes just shy of 1/4cup of DE for my 24" sand filter.

Once you finally figure out the right amount to add it's as simple as adding the DE and hooking up the vacuum and going to town sucking up the sediment off the bottom. Backwash immediately when finished and that's it. Clean bottom, well until the next dry windy day, which is everyday in Okla. Lol

 

[Richard320]

Go look at windowsills, patio furniture, parked cars, etc. and see how much dust buildup they have on them. If they do, so does the pool. With the currents in the pool from the returns, you end up with the fine layer of dust shifting into drifts in the dead areas.