Tried everything but replace filter

[smelansonca]

Sigh...

The water in my pool has been cloudy for two seasons now. I've replaced the sand this year and make sure all my levels are where they need to be. I've drained a third of the water several times, added many different brands of flocculating agents, shocked the pool over and over.

When I vacuum the pool on waste it just shoots the crap back out the eye. I backwash my filter several times weekly and then rinse. Still no further ahead. I have a pantyhose over the Skimmer basket to collect the larger debris and I take care to ensure my pump is free of debris. My floor and walls are not slimy or slippery so it can't be algae, could it?

This past weekend we turned the pump off and just let the pool sit after four days the water was clear! I haven't seen past the second step of my ladder since the first year we had the pool. There was, however a large quantity of brown sediment on the bottom of the pool. Since vacuuming on the waste setting justputsthe crap back in the pool, I vacuumed on the backwash setting. Took about an hour, had to switch to rinse and then waste(which still shot crap back into the pool) and then back to backwash just to maintain some suction. Well I was quite pleased with myself, the water wasn't sparkling but at least I could see the bottom of my pool. I put the hose back in her and let it fill with water again, leaving the pump off. Water now at appropriate level, all my chem levels perfect, turn on the pump and an hour later...no bottom of pool again. But at least the water looks blue and not brown.

Sigh...

Added more flocculating agent, let it run several hours and shut the pump off. I'm now waiting to see what will settle.

I've tried that trick several times so far but I always end up back where I started.

We took the filter apart last week, removed all the sand, removed the assembly, checked for cracks and loose fittings everywhere, everything seems plumb. I rinsed the sand, picking spruce needles out by hand. Obviously that didn't help either.

The first year we had the pool up the water was clear. The last two have not. I am spending all my time trying to clear my pool and none of my time actually enjoying it. I have had my water tested a dozen different times by the local pool company and other than the occasional calcium level a bit too low, everything is perfect. When asking the professionals what I can do to clear my water, they only recommended shocking and adding flocculating agents.

Sigh.. anyone have any other suggestions?

At my Witt's end.

[TSH Tech]

Was there ever a time.... when you put the sand in your filter brand new out of the bags you went directly to "FIlter", rather than "Backwash" ? This is the biggest flag right here...

This past weekend we turned the pump off and just let the pool sit after four days the water was clear! I haven't seen past the second step of my ladder since the first year we had the pool. There was, however a large quantity of brown sediment on the bottom of the pool.

Brand new sand and especially that questionable Zeo-sand should always get the thorough backwash treatment before ever going to "Filter".

Since vacuuming on the waste setting justputsthe crap back in the pool,

Backwash valves shouldn't do that. Everything should just blow out the discharge pipe, but according to what you said here, you're getting bypass. You might have a bad spider seal (aka: multiport backwash valve seal) that will need replacing.

I'd suggest replacing the spider seal, which is not that expensive, turn your pump off for a while, let the crap settle back down, and then re-vacuum on "Waste".