How To Clean De Pool Filter

Guide to Backwashing Your DE Pool Filter

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is made of pulverized plankton fossils (called diatoms) that glaze the filter element and acts as a filtration medium. This pulverisation works with a specific type of filter that pushes the pool h2o through a set of grids. The grids become caked with the pulverization that collects impurities to keep the water in your inground puddle or higher up-ground puddle crystal clear and to help maintain your filter's pressure.

Are y'all noticing cloudy or dirty pool h2o? Or are you lot seeing a pressure level approximate reading 10 psi higher than normal? These are strong indicators that information technology's time to "recharge" those grids by backwashing your DE filter to strip off the current power and replacing information technology with a new coat.

Backwashing a DE pool filter is the human activity of reversing the flow of water within your filter tank. By changing the direction of the water, you can knock off the caked-on DE powder that has accumulated impurities from your pool water and affluent it out. This will restore your filter to its highest efficiency to circulate your pool water and keep it healthy.

Did Y'all Know?

During backwash, you can await to replace well-nigh 4-half dozen pounds of DE powder. Make sure you take enough pulverization on mitt before you lot start the process. If you don't add plenty new powder, the grids won't be completely coated, and the clay in your filter will attach itself correct to the fabric on the grids and won't aftermath off. Yous'll know when you've added plenty new pulverisation by checking the reading on the air force per unit area judge. When the gauge hits its "normal" operational levels, finish adding powder.

How to backwash a DE Pool Filter

When to Backwash a DE Pool Filter

You should backwash your DE pool filter about once a month during pool season. In addition to the regular schedule, yous'll desire to perform boosted backwashing if:

You've been running your puddle filter for 48 hours straight. This can cause a pressure build-up, fifty-fifty if the filter grids look clean.
Higher-than-normal amounts of debris take entered your puddle h2o. A heavy summertime storm that washes sediment into your pool or a big potted institute that tips over into the pool tin can overtax the DE organisation.
Your pool has had a heavy swimmer load for an extended menstruation of fourth dimension. If you've had houseguests for several days or your kids had friends over every twenty-four hours of the week, yous'll need to clear out the remnants from all the actress sunscreen, beauty products, and even sweat that will clog up your DE filter.

Pro tip: At to the lowest degree in one case during each puddle season – and anytime your filter pressure remains high afterwards backwashing – take the grids out of your DE filter and clean them more thoroughly.

How to Backwash a DE Pool Filter

Following a handful of like shooting fish in a barrel steps for a standard iii-cycle backwash is normally effective in keeping your DE filter clean:

Pace 1: Plough off pool equipment.

Shut off the pump at the main power switch or, even better, at the excursion billow box. Don't change modes of operation on the valve with the pump on, or you can damage the spider gasket in the valve.

Step two: Rotate the valve to the "Backwash" position.

For slide valves, plow backwash handle and pull the valve piston directly up to the backwash position. Lock it into position so it doesn't slide upward during operation. For multiport valves, push the handle down and rotate valve to the backwash position. Be certain the handle is pressed down all the way as you rotate it.

Footstep 3: Plough equipment back on and run the first cycle.

Plough the pump "in reverse" and run information technology for one-3 minutes to strip the old DE powder and impurities off the filter grids. If you have a sight glass, yous will see the water change from cloudy to clear as it flushes out.

Stride 4: Turn the equipment off again.

Step v: Rotate the valve to the "Rinse" position.

Footstep 6: Turn equipment dorsum on and run the second cycle.

Switch the pump back on for almost 30 seconds to rinse the grids from the "normal" filter side. The water will menstruum in the aforementioned equally in "Filter" manner, except the h2o and any remaining impurities are purged out the waste line.

Step 7: Repeat steps i-half-dozen ii more times.

Decrease the amount of backwash time to 30 seconds, then to fifteen seconds. Repeating the cleaning cycle helps clear the really stubborn DE powder.

Step 8: Plough the equipment off again.

Step 9: Rotate the valve to the "Filter" position.

Footstep 10: Turn equipment dorsum on and add new DE pulverisation.

Add DE powder to the filter to replace the amount that was backwashed out. Uncover the skimmer closest to the pump and filter, and slowly pour the needed corporeality into the skimmer while the system is running. The pulverisation volition travel through the plumbing and effectively recharge the filter.