Cloudy Water

[PoolDoc]

Regarding your pump, please take a few pictures and send them to [email protected] -- one of us can probably ID it that way.

This is DE filter powder -- it's $30 for 25# delivered from Amazon. But it may be cheaper locally.

Diatomaceous Earth Pool Filter D.E. 25 LBS.


DE is used as the filter media on a DE filter, where the support for the DE powder is sailcloth membranes on plastic grids. But, in a sand filter, DE can do TWO things:

1. You can use it to test if a filter is leaking: if you add DE, and it shoots back into the pool . . . your filter needs sand, or repairs, or both.

2. You can use it as temporary polishing agent, to catch things the filter would otherwise miss. But, in this application, it may stop the filter up very quickly. A better choice for that purpose would be polyaluminum chloride, set up on a slow drip into the skimmer. You can do this with an old plastic cleaned plastic bottle, 2 boards, some duct tape and a bottle of PAC. Cut a hole in the bottle, and then cover it with duct take. Take a sharp pencil and pierce the duct take with a small hole. Remove the skimmer lid, put the board across the skimmer, and place the bottle so it sits on both boards, straddling a gap between them. Put a couple of cups of PAC in to the bottle, and let it drip into the skimmer as the pump runs.

This is identical to very old school sand filter operation, with an alum (aluminum sulfate) feed, but with a better material. PAC is available from Amazon, in this product:
Blue Wave Super Floc 4 x 1 qt.

Unfortunately, you have to buy a whole gallon, which is several years worth. I'm sure it's available under other brands and labels, but this is the ONLY product I've been able to ID that is pure PAC. If you purchase it, do NOT operate on the "if some is good, more is better" basis -- you'll make a BIG mess. In fact, if you want to use, ask me first.

[joserq]

Thanks Ben and Aylad for your responses. Just want to make sure that I'm understanding this correctly. My filter is a cartridge type. Do I still run the DE test and if necessary do the setup for polishing with PAC? Don't want to do something that will make matters worse. If you confirm that this applies to cartridge filters also, I will proceed with your instructions and let you know how it turns out. Thanks again for the help.

[PoolDoc]

You are NOT ready to use the PAC, yet. (If you'd like to try it ANOTHER way, and don't mind possibly not getting much value out of $30, go ahead and order. I can help you do a "jar test" -- you'll need a large glass jar, like a big pickle jar. But we can test, and see if it will 'floc' your pool gunk. If it will, you can go ahead and use it, and then vacuum up the floc, to waste. But you'll have to have a hand vacuum, the valves allowing you to vacuum to waste (on the ground) and the time to do it.)

You CAN use the DE, both to test your filter, and to filter gunk. It actually works better on cartridge filter, than on a sand filter, for that purpose.

Is this the filter you have?


If so, check out this manual to confirm it:
http://www.hayward-pool.com/pdf/manuals/Manual135.pdf

Once you've confirmed, you probably should get THIS cartridge:
Unicel C-8610 Replacement Filter Cartridge for 100 Square Foot Hayward CX1100RE @ Amazon

You can get it elsewhere, but make sure you are getting a Unicel, Filbur or Hayward OEM and NOT a Pleatco cartridge. I had to troll through Amazon's list very careful to make sure -- Pleatco markets their filters on an as-if identical basis, when they are not, and some of the descriptions are VERY misleading.

Also, go through the pumps, here, and see if you can find yours:
http://www.hayward-pool.com/ctg/In-G...-1_14002_I.htm

But, we need to ID your pump, we need pictures of your pump and filter -- so I can see your valving -- and we need to make sure your pump and filter are working properly together, before moving to next steps. By the way, do you have a pressure gage on your filter? If not, you need one that works, and we need to know what your pressure is before and after cleaning the cartridge.

Here's a gauge, like you need, if you don't have one:
Super Pro Pool Filter 0-60 Pressure Gauge 1/4" Fitting @ Amazon

You probably can get these locally, and you'll need some Teflon tape for the threads, but a dab of silicone caulk will also work.

[joserq]

Got it. Will gather the information and photos requested and will post again. Thanks.

[joserq]

Will email pictures after I upload them from camera but wanted to give you information I found upon closer inspection (and finding out that I was not answering correctly).

1. The cartiridge filter is a Hayward C-1100. It is not on the manual that you provided the link for because it is a Star Clear filter and the manual only listed Star Clear Plus filters. I did a search on the internet and at Hayward's site and couldn't find a manual for Star Clear. Could it be that it is a discontinued model?
2. The pump is a Sta-Rite pump coupled to an AO Smith electric motor (part I wasn't answering correctly). Same issue as with filter. Internet Search and the OEMs web sites do not have these models listed any more (AO Smith has a # of 3/4 horse power motors but none that has the same exact specs as the one that I have).
3. To answer your question, yes the filter does have a relatively new pressure gauge (I used teflon tape when installing) and I will clean filter and give you before and after readings.

Thanks.

[PoolDoc]

Sorry, didn't actually look at the manual, after I grabbed it from Hayward's site -- they have the SAME manual for both the Star Clear and Star Clear Plus lines, even though they are different filters. The parts diagrams are different, however.

Pictures are our only way to help, here.

[joserq]

Here are the cartridge filter readings before cleaning (12 psi) and after cleaning (about 4.5 psi) the cartridge. Also, the PVC piping to and from the pump and filter is 1.5 inches. Tks.

[PoolDoc]

If you are dropping 8# pressure, from cleaning, then you are gathering quite a bit of stuff on your filter. Will it clear the pool? Dunno.

If your dirty filter pressure is only 12 psi, your pump is not badly over sized for your filter. I'd still recommend a new cartridge - it may not work better than the old one, but if not, you still end up with a spare, so while one's cleaning the other can be filtering. And, if it DOES filter the fine cloudy stuff better . . . well, there you go!

[joserq]

Sent the requested pictures to the email provided. Thanks for the help and support.

[PoolDoc]

I'll try to get them up, today.