Need help on a swimming pool cleaner question..............

[hdivr]

I have an above ground pool (24' round) with a Polaris 65 cleaner. Pool looks great and water is crystal clear. However, every time I "unhook" the polaris from the pool wall outlet, there come a great "brown" cloud. This has been doing this all summer.

I have a sand filter and thought it may be broken internally, but it is only 1 year old and does filter the pool correctly. I have tried backwashing for 5 minutes past clear and then rinsing 5 minutes past clear. It doesn't seem to make a difference. Once backwashing and rinsing are done, I unhook the polaris and bingo....here comes the cloud.

I even added DE powder to my sand filter to see if it was just missing some "algae". No help. Looks like the same amount to me.

It seems that the polaris is somehow creating a stagnant water area in the top of my filter valving and it doesn't shoot out even though the polaris seems to be running strong. What would cause the brown cloud to not come through the polaris. It only comes out when unhooked. It is just annoying to have a "sparkling" pool and then see a huge cloud shot into the center of it.

[Dan Espen]

Not sure but are you emptying the basket at the pump? After vacuuming, leave everything attached, turn off the pump, empty the basket of the stuff the cleaner picked up then reattach everything and turn the filter back on.

A brown cloud coming out of the filter is usually a sign the filter hasn't been back washed. Shouldn't really happen with a clean pool.

I stopped using the pool cleaner years ago, more trouble than its worth.

[hdivr]

Yes. Everything is cleaned at one time. Something really weird must be going on. First I use polaris, then clean baskets, back wash, rinse until clear. Then decide to unhook polaris and this huge cloud comes out. Its like this stuff is so small that even the DE powder doesn't catch it. But for some reason doesn't leave when backwashing and rinsing....... Also the cloud won't come UNTIL the polaris is unhooked. It must be some kind of pressure problem that isn't allowing the dirt/algae to come out until it is unhooked. Could the sand filter somehow be "tunnelled"?? Would this cause something?

[Richard J Kinch]

If your sand filter is broken, sand will trickle out and collect in the strainer in the Polaris booster line where you disconnect. Water will still flow through the line past the sand (like it does in the filter), but disconnecting will flush out the sand into the pool. This "little sand filter" will also trap dirt. This would be consistent with your "brown cloud" description; you're sort of "backwashing" (flushing) this dirty little sand filter into your pool. Adding DE to the (regular) sand filter will not stop this sand leakage, as it is happening at the bottom, not the top, of the sand filter.

You could collect the "brown cloud" into a garbage bag and decant it for sand, to diagnose a sand leak. Or empty your sand filter and inspect the strainers.

[Dan Espen]

Forgot to comment about the DE in the sand filter. Never done that and I'm pretty sure that's a bad idea.

Don't know if it would cause the problem you see.

[Bob F]

Could you just disconnect the thing while you are filtering to waste. It sounds like the cleaner is restricting the water flow.

Bob

[hdivr]

Just took the filter apart and dumped the sand. The Sand was only 2 years old and seems to still have a lot of sharp edges. However, I did notice alot of greenish "clumps" of what I expect to be body oils or algae. It has a pasty consistency and had some brush bristles in them. Is it normal for these clumps to be there after only 2 years (about 7 months total use here in Missouri). Or is this a sign that my pump/filter is under or oversized since not being able to backwash these out? thanks for all the help.

[Dan Espen]

Those clumps are normal and you will see them after one year. I think they are oils as you suggest. They collect at the top and ideally will get backflushed but as you see some remain.

I usually open the filter in the spring, let the sand dry and scoop them out. I don't think they do any harm if you leave them.