Filter Problem???

[lorettasweet]

OK, my first question is what is DE?

Also, i guess I need to replace this, but my pressure gague broke last year and I never replaced it.

My sand filter calls for 175lbs of sand, my local pool store sold me 150lbs and told me that would be fine. Would being short 25lbs of sand cause a problem?

[Poconos]

Diatomacious Earth. Pulverized diatoms. A fine white powder used in DE filters specifically designed for it. Filters better than sand. Cheap. A 25 pound box will last many seasons and is at pool stores, Home Depot etc for $15 give or take. Also available in smaller quantities. A cup I'm referring to is a 16 oz. cup. Mix in a pail of water before pouring slowly in the skimmer. It will coat the top sand layer. Also...AVOID BREATHING THE DUST. Won't kill you and is inert but can cause silicosis when trapped in the lungs with prolonged inhalation.
Al
Just saw your other question. Being 25# short should not be any big deal. Also, gauges are cheap and you will need one that works. Under $10 at pool stores.

Also found this thread.
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=6744

[lorettasweet]

Great, I will get a new gauge and some DE tomorrow and try again.

Now, just wondering, but when my filter starts shooting the white algae back thru the return while I'm vacuuming, is it still catching the most of it, or am I completely wasting my time when it does this? I'd like to try to get more of it out tonight, but don't want to do so if I'm wasting my time.

[Poconos]

Can't really tell if it's worth the time. Can't easily tell how much is coming out versus what's going in.
Another question...what size pump do you have? Once the gauge is working that will tell a lot.
Al

[matt4x4]

One way to tell if you're catching anything is to backwash and see what kind of crud comes out of the filter.
I find that cleaning up that first load of fine dead algae dust is a legthy process, during the summer, when the pool's used, we tend to get on top of issues right away before they get big, but that spring cleanup tends to be big, you have a lot of inert dirt in your pool too, just hink, 6-8 months uncovered collecting all that dust that lands on it, during the summer, that dust is removed almost immediately because of filtration, during the winter, it just settles in/on the pool.
I let mine run with the barracuda for about 3-5 days straight, the water is milky looking the whole time and things don't look better, but my pressure guage just keeps rising and rising telling me it's building up a good layer of filth in there, I try not to backwash because a dirty filter works better than a clean one (poconos' DE trick is based on the same priciple). I use DE in the summer to "pre clog" my filter, but don't during spring cleanup because there's enough dirt to do the job instead of the DE.

I'm on year 5 now, still the same Zeobrite as year one, have no plans of changing it, I guess I'll have to if I ever lose a lateral, but aside form that, I doubt I'll ever change the media out.

[lorettasweet]

How do I replace the gauge? It looks like it just unscrews out, but I tried to force it and it's not budging. I want to make sure I'm not going to break anything else by trying to unscrew it out. Thanks

[lorettasweet]

Also, the pump is 1.5hp. 27ft round pool.