dirty water returning.

[rumztaeb]

I think eventually we are going to have to get a new pump or filter. If things don't improve I will probably call a pool professional myself. See, my dad who I live with has a 15 x 30 pool. We've had the thing for about 12 years now. This summer we replaced our liner, and filled it. I'm usually the one that cleans the pool, and noticed already all this sand in the bottom of the pool. Usually I am able to just vacuum it up, this time I was unable to vacuum. After about 5 minutes there would be no pressure.

what i would do to get pressure again, though this is not what I should be doing, though it seems like it works, was this: I found if I turned off the pump then back on (before backwashing) all this dirty water would return back in the pool, and the pressure would be strong again. If I repeat this procedure eventually the dirty water would just come out while I was vacuuming.

My dad is a very stubborn man, I would tell him what is wrong, but he thinks it is normal. Is it just me, or should no dirty water be returning back into the pool? Isn't that the purpose of the filter? It's almost as if it is backwashing itself, but back into the pool..lol He would just say it needs to be backwashed, and if alittle comes out its ok.

It's physically impossible for me to vacuum the pool by myself. I am unable to backwash it, though I know how because I cannot pull out the handle to do so. So have gotten around just turning the pump on and off until my dad comes home..though I don't do that all the time. I used to be able to just vacuum the pool, until It needed backwashing, backwash it, then start over. now I can't vacuum for more than 5 minutes without losing pressure.

But what could be the problem? Also if this helps, we are losing water too..something is leaking still.

The guy that replaced our liner said he could come and look at it. As my mom just ran into him again afterwards, but in the meantime I am curious.

The pool is just turning green, and it seems like nothing I do is able to clean the pool. could the leaking be causing the dirty water to return back into the pool, or is that a separate problem? could something be cracked? Would it be the pump or filter?

Alot of questions, but just going somewhere, and sounding intelligent to my father would greatly be of some help!

Thanks

[Daniel mc Daid]

Hey there

Now where do we start on this one. Ok the problem with your vacum sounds No 1 if you are doing your backwashing as you should be than check the filter basket in your pump if it is full then you will be loosing pressure in your vacum if this is the case you will also be loosing pressure in your main filters as well and putting a lot of strain on your pumps. No 2 you will also loose pressure if your not backwashing your filter to really check this you will need to do a back wash and if you have a sight glass on your waste pipe yuo will need to watch it untill the water runs clear then give your filters a good rinse as well till the water is running clear again.
you also said your pool is 12 years old do you know was your sand ever changed in this time well if not you may need to do this if you have done it recently it may take a time for it to settle that may be all that causing your sand at the bottom of your pool.
AS for your dad thinking it is normal for dirty waqter to return to the pool, its not and it should only be clean water returning to the pool although was i said before still applies.
and i see you think you have a leak now you need to watch this becasue if you have a leak and there is air getting into your filters you will also loose pressure as your filters will be full of air an no water will be able to get into them to get cleaned but you should have an air release valvel on top of your filter and this will solve this prob in the shourt run but you will need to keep your water level high to ensure no air is in your filter the level should be about 3 quarters of the way up your skimmer holes. To check if your filter tank is full of air give it a bank with something on its side if air is present you will hear a loud hallow sound of not it will be a quite thud. YOr green water is a form of algie easly slved with an algiecidie from your chemical store. and a leak will not send dirty water to your pool.
Now hope this helps if you need any more just mail me
danielmcdaid04(at)yahoo(dot)com