It varies from pool to pool depending on your pump size and filter model (filter size). A general rule is that after backwashing it should drop below 20 PSI. Sounds like you are making some progress - it takes longer for a sand filter pool to clear up vs other filter types. The dust is probably dead algae. Just vacuum it out in Waste Mode and you should be fine.
Just changed sand in our pool filter and pool is very green, so I can fairly confidently start cleaning it out now. Thanks for the excellent information!
Not sure if too many Sand filter owners will want to upgrade to a D.E. filter - but yeah they are way better. Very few sand filters down here in So Cal - they are mostly found back East and out of the country. I get a lot of people with them in Australia & South Africa where they are much more common.When I first started back in 1988 everyone had a D.E. Filter. Now it is 65% D.E., 34% Cartridge and 1% Sand Filter.
Hello, I'm in a bit of a pinch. So I opened my pool the Tuesday, it had a pretty gnarly algae growth (pool water was beyond green, it was brown). My pool uses salt cell for sanitation and we opened with your standard run of chems. However 4 days in my water is still cloudy. I've used a clarifier (natural chemistry clear) and I still have milky water after multiple backwashes and 48 hours of filter run time. Should I try an actual flocculant, or does it seem that there's an underlying issue. Thanks so much for your time. Your videos have been invaluable to me.
Good day! Should I turn off the eyeball jet and skimmer when vacuuming to waste? Same question for vacuuming in general. I'm at my sister's house with no one else to maintain the pool rn. Thanks!
we have a bunch of dirt which wouldnt pick up with old cheap intex cartridge filter, battery and also garden hose vac. But got a new sand filter and also have a shark vac that attaches to skimmer. Our dirt has a lot of clay in it. Do you know if that would be less than 30 microns?
beth om You can add a pool Floc that will clump the debris together and make them larger in micron size for a sand filter. But clay like dirt is probably is greater than 30 microns and should be trapped by the sand filter. You can always vacuum in "waste mode" now which bypasses the filter and shoots the water out of the filter as you vacuum like in this video.
I live in Nicaragua and have limited choice in chemicals here....I have used a similar method (vaccuming to waste) I have a sand filter. However the product I use requires a one hour pump time (to mix it through) then turn off pump and wait 12 hours (overnight) until the algae and everything settles to the bottom. It is called CLARIT PLUS. In the morning I vacuum to waste, then refill the pool and add chlorine. BUT there was a lot of rain last night which did not allow the algae to settle (apparently there is rain forecast for the next week), what do you suggest I do? I cant vacuum out the stuff because it hasn't settled and if it continues to rain like this it likely will not settle..Im not sure what to do....Normally in the morning the pool is blue and clear with only a film of yellow on the bottom that I vacuum to waste. This morning the water was cloudy and yellow still and if I wait another 12 hours for it to settle it will be night time and i cant vaccuum then ...it will probably rain at night too! Help!
+Lisa Cowan I would just add chlorine at this point and wait for the rain to stop. A good amount of chlorine - you can use bleach from your local store.
I followed all the steps in your video. When I vacuum the dirt on the bottom it’s definitely picking it up but also stirring up some and particles come up again making pool cloudy again. Have vacuumed twice now. Is it normal to have to vacuum several times after flocking the pool? Any help would be very appreciated.
Hi, great video, but I have a push pull valve on my pool sand filter for back wash, is it ok to set it on backwash whilst vacuuming my pool when I have a lot of dead algae settled on bottom, running through filter just reintroduces the dead algae back into my pool water. I realize I will lose water, and have filled the pool to adjust for the loss. Thank you.
You mentioned with a sand filter it may take a while to get water clear. I recently had a green pool now it's cloudy, used floc once and it didn't seem to do much after 36hours but I vacuumed anyway and still cloudy. Should I floc again or should I run filter, balance and floc later? Just making sure because I don't know where to proceed to now that I've used floc and the pool still seems so dirty and cloudy. Thanks for your help! Love your videos
+El Esco (MakeupAddict) JUst keep running it as long as you can each day and after a week if the chlorine level is high and the water flow is good you should start to see the water clearing. I've had pools that took well over a week to completely clear up.
how come like this? so long time to clean the water .really very low efficient .....anyway. u also can cosider contact me .im also a swimming pool equipment supplier.. really a good choice ..contact me if you need.
Is it safe to remove the basket from the pump before hand? I use this method too but all the large debris get caught in the basket before the filter. If I take out the basket will any larger debris get caught in the valve?
So after you vacuum on waste, you need to run it on backwash till clear, then to filter? Can you explain why the backwash is needed? I learned the hard way and after vacuuming on waste, I went straight back to filter mode and saw got to see green water shoot into my pool lol
Is that a kreepy krawly in the pool at the end of the video? I'm trying to determine how noisy it is before deciding which automatic cleaner to buy. I have neighbors, and I like to run my filter at night, especially when I add chlorine. I'm debating between the kreepy krawly and the warrior.
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 Thank you for the reply, I didn't think about the cement decking making a difference. To add to that, it is a vinyl lined in ground pool. Would the vinyl mitigate some of that noise?
hey, i bought my above ground pool like 2 months ago, is a 12x24x52 , since i bought it i just put the chlorine and the acid for these type of pools, now... i have never backwash or rinse my sand filter, my dad by mistake put it on waste mode for like 2 seconds and some dirty water came off to the pool, now the pool looks exactly how the first pool in this video looks, green, chlorine and acid and perfectly fine but it wont get clear. what should i do plzzzz
when you put it on Waste mode.... do you connect the vacum hose on the side of the pool or dose it still go in the basket hole area please help... thanks
i opened the pool and the filter(s) read 10 psi and two hours later it reached 13 psi last time i checked. i dumped an entire bottle clarifyer ( pool is green) what is the highest psi that u would see. i am thinking 30 as a max
Hello, i have a question. I have the same sand filter. My psi is at 40. When it turns off , it goes down to zero. Can you help or give any advise on what i should do. We had done the backwash method. This is our first pool so I’m very unfamiliar with this. Can you please assist me in any way! I was told to purchase a new pressure gauge but i want to seek more options before doing so. Thank you so much in advance !!
Hello , thank you so much. We purchased a new pressure gauge. The water was a bit cloudy. We also purchased a pool shock. Thank you so much. Any small pool hacks that you recommend or any advise that you have for me for the future. Sorry this is our first pool!
I hope you can help! We just bought a house and has a unground pool. Last night it rained a lot and the pool water has covered the entire skimmer and it’s not circulating. I have a Pentair sand filter with the multi something handle. So I closed the valve coming from the skimmer and left the main one open. I have another valve coming from the filter to waterfall and I’m not sure what to do with that one. Anyways once I turned the pump off and put filter in waste mode, my pump(Hayward eco star). Primes and the water started dripping from the filter where this clear knob thing is that screw out. I don’t have a hose but there is a pvc pipe from the backwash port going into the ground and I have no idea where it goes. I can email you pics if anyone can help me.
Hi, I been servicing pools for 5yrs n . I can tell u tht u can just bring ur water level down to normal which is middle line in to the skimmer, just by backwashing ur filter for a wile till u reach down water level. Also the pipe u see going in to the ground goes to the house clean out don't worry about tht. Just make sure u keep ur sand filter pressure to no more then 10-15 psi if it's higher it's time to backwash filter. Also the water fall valve it's just a pool feature nothing to be worried. Also u want to keep ur handle half n half to skimmer n main drain to have the best circulation 4 ur pool.
hi ive recently done all your steps to clear my pool of algae, all the dead algae has now settled to the bottom.the only problem i have now is the vacuum keeps interupting the dead algae on the bottom and seems to spread how am i suppose to vacuum when i have this problem?maybe im doing it wrong?
+Bill Vakacamena It depends on the vacuum head mainly. If it is a low priced light one it will be hard to keep it from stirring up the dead algae. Also suction needs to be good from the pump itself.
+Bill Vakacamena A good vacuum head like the Pentair Pro Vac would be my choice. A one time investment that will last for many years. It is sealed so it won't stir up the pool. I have a video on it on my Channel - somewhere :0
holy crap! So my multivalve spider gasket isn't broken if I'm getting algae returning in my in-jet necesarily while vaccuming? Okay, so flocking agent.
my pool is green with alge put chemicals in it water turn blue my problem is when i go to circulte it rund good then it stops now if i flush it it runs good for a while and stops
D.E. is best but messier. Cartridge is much easier to clean but you may have to clean it more than a D.E. Filter and Sand would be on the bottom of my list. You can't see any difference in water clarity between a D.E. Filter and a Cartridge filter nowadays. I would go with a Cartridge filter.
It varies from pool to pool depending on your pump size and filter model (filter size). A general rule is that after backwashing it should drop below 20 PSI. Sounds like you are making some progress - it takes longer for a sand filter pool to clear up vs other filter types. The dust is probably dead algae. Just vacuum it out in Waste Mode and you should be fine.
Just changed sand in our pool filter and pool is very green, so I can fairly confidently start cleaning it out now. Thanks for the excellent information!
Not sure if too many Sand filter owners will want to upgrade to a D.E. filter - but yeah they are way better. Very few sand filters down here in So Cal - they are mostly found back East and out of the country. I get a lot of people with them in Australia & South Africa where they are much more common.When I first started back in 1988 everyone had a D.E. Filter. Now it is 65% D.E., 34% Cartridge and 1% Sand Filter.
sand rocks bro, out here in Texas we dont do it Cali style Lol
I live in Texas also an had a DE filter it honestly does better than the sand 1 I have now...but I am making it work
DE can be added to a sand filter to help with the smaller particulates. Not as good as a DE filter, but still helpful.
Will the floc product trap dirt also foat middle of pool?
It will sing just about everything to the bottom.
Hello, I'm in a bit of a pinch. So I opened my pool the Tuesday, it had a pretty gnarly algae growth (pool water was beyond green, it was brown). My pool uses salt cell for sanitation and we opened with your standard run of chems. However 4 days in my water is still cloudy. I've used a clarifier (natural chemistry clear) and I still have milky water after multiple backwashes and 48 hours of filter run time. Should I try an actual flocculant, or does it seem that there's an underlying issue. Thanks so much for your time. Your videos have been invaluable to me.
Flocculant will help. The sand filter can't filter out the particles at this point, the Floc will clump them up and you can vacuum the mout.
Vacuum them out.
Great!!😱😱
ALL the vacume. Pool videos no one said turn to waste.. Thank u
Good day! Should I turn off the eyeball jet and skimmer when vacuuming to waste? Same question for vacuuming in general. I'm at my sister's house with no one else to maintain the pool rn. Thanks!
No need to do anything special when you vacuum to waste.
When i vacuum, do i need to ope the drain valve as you do with back flushing.
we have a bunch of dirt which wouldnt pick up with old cheap intex cartridge filter, battery and also garden hose vac. But got a new sand filter and also have a shark vac that attaches to skimmer. Our dirt has a lot of clay in it. Do you know if that would be less than 30 microns?
beth om You can add a pool Floc that will clump the debris together and make them larger in micron size for a sand filter. But clay like dirt is probably is greater than 30 microns and should be trapped by the sand filter. You can always vacuum in "waste mode" now which bypasses the filter and shoots the water out of the filter as you vacuum like in this video.
I live in Nicaragua and have limited choice in chemicals here....I have used a similar method (vaccuming to waste) I have a sand filter. However the product I use requires a one hour pump time (to mix it through) then turn off pump and wait 12 hours (overnight) until the algae and everything settles to the bottom. It is called CLARIT PLUS. In the morning I vacuum to waste, then refill the pool and add chlorine. BUT there was a lot of rain last night which did not allow the algae to settle (apparently there is rain forecast for the next week), what do you suggest I do? I cant vacuum out the stuff because it hasn't settled and if it continues to rain like this it likely will not settle..Im not sure what to do....Normally in the morning the pool is blue and clear with only a film of yellow on the bottom that I vacuum to waste. This morning the water was cloudy and yellow still and if I wait another 12 hours for it to settle it will be night time and i cant vaccuum then ...it will probably rain at night too! Help!
+Lisa Cowan I would just add chlorine at this point and wait for the rain to stop. A good amount of chlorine - you can use bleach from your local store.
I followed all the steps in your video. When I vacuum the dirt on the bottom it’s definitely picking it up but also stirring up some and particles come up again making pool cloudy again. Have vacuumed twice now. Is it normal to have to vacuum several times after flocking the pool? Any help would be very appreciated.
It can be. Maybe your vacuum is not sealing well on the pool bottom. I prefer pro vacuum heads like the Pentair Pro Vac
Hi, great video, but I have a push pull valve on my pool sand filter for back wash, is it ok to set it on backwash whilst vacuuming my pool when I have a lot of dead algae settled on bottom, running through filter just reintroduces the dead algae back into my pool water. I realize I will lose water, and have filled the pool to adjust for the loss. Thank you.
It is generally not a good idea because this puts extra pressure on the grids. The best option is to invest in a separate clean-up pump.
You mentioned with a sand filter it may take a while to get water clear. I recently had a green pool now it's cloudy, used floc once and it didn't seem to do much after 36hours but I vacuumed anyway and still cloudy. Should I floc again or should I run filter, balance and floc later? Just making sure because I don't know where to proceed to now that I've used floc and the pool still seems so dirty and cloudy. Thanks for your help! Love your videos
+El Esco (MakeupAddict) JUst keep running it as long as you can each day and after a week if the chlorine level is high and the water flow is good you should start to see the water clearing. I've had pools that took well over a week to completely clear up.
It took me 2 1/2 weeks before I was able to see the bottom of the pool. It takes time. phos free helps too to maintain and kill the algae out.
how come like this? so long time to clean the water .really very low efficient .....anyway. u also can cosider contact me .im also a swimming pool equipment supplier.. really a good choice ..contact me if you need.
Is it safe to remove the basket from the pump before hand?
I use this method too but all the large debris get caught in the basket before the filter. If I take out the basket will any larger debris get caught in the valve?
Not a good idea because then the impeller will get clogged up.
So after you vacuum on waste, you need to run it on backwash till clear, then to filter? Can you explain why the backwash is needed? I learned the hard way and after vacuuming on waste, I went straight back to filter mode and saw got to see green water shoot into my pool lol
It just clears the lines. Rinse is also a good setting before going back to filter mode.
Is that a kreepy krawly in the pool at the end of the video? I'm trying to determine how noisy it is before deciding which automatic cleaner to buy. I have neighbors, and I like to run my filter at night, especially when I add chlorine. I'm debating between the kreepy krawly and the warrior.
Very loud if you have cement decking all around. Go with the Warrior.
Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 Thank you for the reply, I didn't think about the cement decking making a difference. To add to that, it is a vinyl lined in ground pool. Would the vinyl mitigate some of that noise?
When I’m just vacuuming the leave and other debris can I vacuum it on the FILTER position,
Yes, that is fine.
hey, i bought my above ground pool like 2 months ago, is a 12x24x52 , since i bought it i just put the chlorine and the acid for these type of pools, now... i have never backwash or rinse my sand filter, my dad by mistake put it on waste mode for like 2 seconds and some dirty water came off to the pool, now the pool looks exactly how the first pool in this video looks, green, chlorine and acid and perfectly fine but it wont get clear. what should i do plzzzz
If that happened while the pool was running it could have damaged the multi-port valve. Was the pool off at the time or running?
it was running, i thought that it was the sand filter that pushed a little bit of dirt or sand into the pool, idk what to do
also i have never done a backwash or rinse the sand filter.and i have this pool for about 2 months and a half or 3 months
Fire ash is fine dust but is very rare in pools, what more common kinds of particles are too fine for a sand filter?
Algae Dust is another form of dust and just a lot of dirt at one time can overload a Sand filter too.
when you put it on Waste mode.... do you connect the vacum hose on the side of the pool or dose it still go in the basket hole area please help... thanks
You vacuum just like normal.
i opened the pool and the filter(s) read 10 psi and two hours later it reached 13 psi last time i checked. i dumped an entire bottle clarifyer ( pool is green) what is the highest psi that u would see. i am thinking 30 as a max
I cannot find videos or info on the position the two black levers need to be on for operating the pool filter and vacuum
Maybe email a photo of the valves and I will take a look.
Hello, i have a question. I have the same sand filter. My psi is at 40. When it turns off , it goes down to zero. Can you help or give any advise on what i should do. We had done the backwash method. This is our first pool so I’m very unfamiliar with this. Can you please assist me in any way! I was told to purchase a new pressure gauge but i want to seek more options before doing so. Thank you so much in advance !!
It might be the gauge or the filter could be very dirty from poor water quality. Is the pool water clear or cloudy?
Hello , thank you so much. We purchased a new pressure gauge. The water was a bit cloudy. We also purchased a pool shock. Thank you so much. Any small pool hacks that you recommend or any advise that you have for me for the future. Sorry this is our first pool!
what type of filter is better cartridge or sand
I hope you can help!
We just bought a house and has a unground pool. Last night it rained a lot and the pool water has covered the entire skimmer and it’s not circulating. I have a Pentair sand filter with the multi something handle. So I closed the valve coming from the skimmer and left the main one open. I have another valve coming from the filter to waterfall and I’m not sure what to do with that one.
Anyways once I turned the pump off and put filter in waste mode, my pump(Hayward eco star). Primes and the water started dripping from the filter where this clear knob thing is that screw out. I don’t have a hose but there is a pvc pipe from the backwash port going into the ground and I have no idea where it goes. I can email you pics if anyone can help me.
Water probably drains directly to the sewer in your case. I wouldn't be overly concerned with it.
Hi, I been servicing pools for 5yrs n . I can tell u tht u can just bring ur water level down to normal which is middle line in to the skimmer, just by backwashing ur filter for a wile till u reach down water level. Also the pipe u see going in to the ground goes to the house clean out don't worry about tht. Just make sure u keep ur sand filter pressure to no more then 10-15 psi if it's higher it's time to backwash filter. Also the water fall valve it's just a pool feature nothing to be worried. Also u want to keep ur handle half n half to skimmer n main drain to have the best circulation 4 ur pool.
hi ive recently done all your steps to clear my pool of algae, all the dead algae has now settled to the bottom.the only problem i have now is the vacuum keeps interupting the dead algae on the bottom and seems to spread how am i suppose to vacuum when i have this problem?maybe im doing it wrong?
+Bill Vakacamena It depends on the vacuum head mainly. If it is a low priced light one it will be hard to keep it from stirring up the dead algae. Also suction needs to be good from the pump itself.
+Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To -MrDgvb1 pool suction is as normal but my vacuum head is low priced might need to invest in a better one
+Bill Vakacamena A good vacuum head like the Pentair Pro Vac would be my choice. A one time investment that will last for many years. It is sealed so it won't stir up the pool. I have a video on it on my Channel - somewhere :0
what if i vacuumed my pool while the valve was on backwash. will this make the filter more dirty? and how to i fix this?
It might make the filter a dirty. Run it in filter mode and if the pressure seems higher backwash it.
@@SPL thank you so much for replying super helpful.
holy crap! So my multivalve spider gasket isn't broken if I'm getting algae returning in my in-jet necesarily while vaccuming? Okay, so flocking agent.
my pool is green with alge put chemicals in it water turn blue my problem is when i go to circulte it rund good then it stops now if i flush it it runs good for a while and stops
Yeah its done went to ruin, you gonna need a new system
My pool guy said it turn off the main drain before going to waste. You don’t show that. Why not?
Most drains are not on in California. Just the skimmer.
Super helpful, thanks!
great video! thanks
Thanks! 👍
D.E. is best but messier. Cartridge is much easier to clean but you may have to clean it more than a D.E. Filter and Sand would be on the bottom of my list. You can't see any difference in water clarity between a D.E. Filter and a Cartridge filter nowadays. I would go with a Cartridge filter.
Switch to cartridge filter best solution
No thank you.
My cousins live there
have u suggested them to get a cartridge filter lol ;)
good equipment always based on reasonable design and working theory ....not just add more equipment to make up the lack . am i right?
N