Urgent help please!!

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steveb21

steveb21

0
Mar 6, 2017
265
United Kingdom, England.
Used the vacuum suction to clean the pool floor which was a little dirty but nothing too bad.

Did my normal routine ...

Filter set on 'Filter mode' and my 'Sump' and 'Skimmer' valves turned OFF, 'Vacuum' valve turned 'ON'

I cleaned for floor for approx 15 mins and then Backwashed filter!

Then Filter set on 'Filter mode' and my 'Sump' and 'Skimmer' valves turned ON, 'Vacuum' valve turned 'OFF'

This is where the problem started, the return in the pool returned green water?!!!

Switched off, backwashed for a good few mins, then rinsed. Turned back on and i think the water is coming clear now but its dark so not too sure. The pool has gone a tint of green though!!

I have added above my normal dose of chlorine and left the filter running on 'FILTER'

What happened?
 
Well - it would sound like your pool had algae on the floor. Which went into the filter, which then got pushed into the pool as it was too small to stay in the filter.

Just my thoughts ----

What are your test results?
 
Probably not enough. I do not have any experience with sand filters other than what I have learned here!

Take care.
 
Thanks for your thoughts.

I think im leaning towards not backwashing & rinsing long enough before i set back to filter mode.

Hopefully i will get some more input from the other members on here.

Test results:

FC = 11
CC = 0
PH = 8.0+ (i will add some acid to lower this tomorrow morning).

Its dark now so i cannot see what is going on. I have left filter running......
 
Morning all,

My OCLT read
FC = 12
CC = 0

So either i made a mistake on one of my tests, or i didnt wait long enough after adding the chlorine.

Pool is blue but cloudy now.

Question is;
My PH.
Should i wait till my FC drops down to normal level - between 5-9 for my pool and then lower the PH? Or can i do it now? I know PH is not accurate when FC is on the high side, but my last test a few days ago showed it as high, i was waiting on some acid delivery to lower it.
 
steveb21 said:
Any one offer some kind advice?
Click to expand...

Steve,

I'm assuming you normally test regularly so your pH is normally controlled at acceptable levels. So a few days at higher pH won't hurt and it is very likely the pH reading is off due to the high FC level. The green return is probably due to insufficient backwash... one of several reasons I prefer the new large cartridge filters.

Chris
 
I would lower pH when you get your acid. FC of 10 isn't a cliff where pH testing validity vanishes, it's just a point at which the results begin to become unreliable.

Do you have a sight glass on your valve, or are you watching the waste water, or are you just guessing on the duration of your backwashing and rinsing? It does sound like you stopped too soon... I run the stopwatch on my iPhone during the process to establish a baseline. The waste water is the better indicator however. It's also possible that your filter is due for a deep cleaning, but the fact that what returned to the pool is green suggests to me that it's more recent debris and therefore more of an issue with your backwashing routine.

Your description of blue and cloudy water is a call for... DE! Have you ever added that to your filter? I only have experience with cartridge filters in a spa when I was a teen-ager and my current sand filter, but I think a sand filter with DE is the best of all worlds. It can be "tuned" to your current needs, it's low maintenance and low cost. Here's more detail: Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter
 
setsailsoon said:
Steve,

I'm assuming you normally test regularly so your pH is normally controlled at acceptable levels. So a few days at higher pH won't hurt and it is very likely the pH reading is off due to the high FC level. The green return is probably due to insufficient backwash... one of several reasons I prefer the new large cartridge filters.

Chris
Click to expand...

Hi Chris,

The pH level I would say is 8.0+ , i tested a week ago and had been waiting for my pH minus to arrive before i could adjust back down to correct levels.

Will test my FC when i get back home later, is it OK to go ahead and adjust pH whilst still in the FC 9-10 figures? or should i just let the FC drop a little first then adjust the pH?
 

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I do have the glass indicator, i am pretty sure now that I made a mistake and didn't run the backwash for long enough (usually 30 secs is ok however the pool was a little more on the dirty side yesterday - dusty dirt).

Prior to what happened the pool had looked crystal clear for months and i had been maintaining correct levels. Should i just let the filter carry on and do its thing? or would DE speed things up? I did a 45 day day SLAM earlier this year - that was without DE.
 
DE will speed things up. Note: the last time I flushed DE out of the filter the water ran dirty for several minutes - like 3! Just a guess, but I'd generally say that 30 seconds is either not long enough for a dirty filter, or long enough for a filter that didn't need to be backwashed in the first place.
 
As i was too busy vacuuming i didn't look at the pressure gauge but when i backwash it was pretty higher than usual, a 25% increase was more than likely.
Glad its my fault and not a issue with the system itself. I will put it down as a learning curve.

Are there any negative points to adding DE? I guess it can be backwashed out at anytime?
Is all DE the same? or should i be looking for a certain type?

This any good?...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1Kg-Diato...382088&hash=item2581a42494:g:oZ8AAOxyhXRTLu0B
 
Nope - it must be pool grade / heat treated. yes, you can backwash it out at any time.

Negatives include that pool DE is considered hazardous and it's usually only sold in quantities that can never be fully consumed by the owner of a sand filter. If you know anyone with a DE filter, ask them for some instead of buying your own. In a dirty pool, it can cause pressure to spike quickly.
 
steveb21 said:
Are there any negative points to adding DE? I guess it can be backwashed out at anytime?
Is all DE the same? or should i be looking for a certain type?

This any good?...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1Kg-Diato...382088&hash=item2581a42494:g:oZ8AAOxyhXRTLu0B
Click to expand...
You are looking for pool DE, not food grade.

You can also look at Cellulose Fiber DE replacement powder, that is what I use.

Not sure if it availabel on your side of the pond, but here is the one I use when I need to "polish" the water (over a year now). Pro Guard 23793BPG Cellulose Fiber Replaces D.E. Filter Media for Swimming Pools
 

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