Cartridge filter problem

[Scott2640]

Hello all,

I recently purchased a house last year with a 12x32 fiberglass inground pool. It's about 35 years old with a 3 foot shallow end sloping to a 6 foot deep end. I figure it holds about 13000 gallons of water. So I wont bore you with the details but before summer was out last year the intake line (buried under concrete patio) failed and I had "create" a solution. I used PVC pipe above ground as a work around. Pressure tested, worked fine. While I was at it I replaced the pump and filter.

I replaced the the filter after my brother in law gave me a new 1Hp high head jandy stealth pump. I went with a hayward star-clear plus 90 sq ft cartridge filter. worked fine all last year.

This year I got the bright idea to move the pump and filter back to it's original location inside a pump house. Pretty simple, just made some modifications to my above ground pipe work, again pressure tested, and was ready to go.

I swear to god this is driving me crazy but the filter gets clogged up within 2 hours and it barely moves any water. I'm cleaning it like everyday. I've used commercial cartridge cleaner from the pool store, power washed it and everything in between and nothing helps. I know I could get a new cartridge but this one is only a year old.

Another question would be, I can't seem to get the air out of my skimmer basket. prior to the filter clogging, it moves water fine but there is a large bubble in the pump basket that never goes away. As the filter gets dirtier the bubble gets bigger. (water level is fine, every threaded joint is teflon taped and no leaks in the pipe) My theory is that the pump is not powerful enough. Water has to run through nine (9) 45 degree elbows while it works it's way through 54 foot of 1 1/2 pipe.

So needless to say my pool water is cloudy as hell and I can't fix it. I'm about a hair's length away from filling this thing in and growing a vegetable garden.

I was thinking I should move my pump and filter closer to the pool and replace the cartridge. I would appreciate your advice and help. But I've also heard from the internet that a pump can be to powerful for a filter and cause it to clog quickly. So I don't know what to do.

FYI I took the cartridge completely out of the filter and ran it that way to see if I could get the air out of the pump basket with no luck. It was better, but not completely full of water.

Thanks