too much DE??

[jj]

I broke down my Pentair FNS Plus Vertical Grid DE Filter and cleaned all the grids 100%. The pool and filter is about one year old.

35,000 gallons and a 60 sf filter. I followed the instructions in the filter's owner's manual and added 12 "coffee cans" (1 lb. each) of DE into the skimmer.

The problem now is that three days later I still have too much DE powder in the pool and spa. Apparantly significant portions of the DE continues to pass through the grids back into the pool and spa.

I have run the filter almost 24/7 and have vacuumed 2-3 times per day, but the DE keeps coming back.

Any advice?????

[Guest]

Try backwashing to get rid of the excess. Vacuum up the portion that settles in the pool.

[Eric]

I have the same issue as mentioned above (my pool is less than 1-year old), there appears to be a fine layer of DE dust all over the pool and spa. I've backwashed at least 6 times in the last 72 hours (after vacuuming), but the DE appears to just pass right through and back in to the pool. I’ve lessened the issue somewhat by shutting off all return lines back in to the pool and pumping everything in the spa, then I have to actually completely drain and vacuum the spa.

I called Pentair’s CS line and they told me that I need to make it into a slurry mixture, but they couldn’t tell me what the mixture should be…just make it into a slurry. What really constitutes a “slurry” mixture? If the DE/water mixture is too thin, could this be the cause? Is there a formula, i.e. 1 gallon of water to 6lbs of DE?

Also, after backwashing should I really add another 6lbs of DE back into the system? It seems to be exasperating the problem. As an FYI - when I backwash, I do it 3 times and then rinse 3 times to be sure that I’m getting everything out.

This seems to be an endless cycle…PLEASE HELP!!!!!!

[rockpirate]

I just got this filter today and was reading the owners manual. It describes "slurry" as a milky texture. So basically, it should be mixed with water to a milk like substance.

The owners manual is on the pentair website in PDF format.

Bryan