Swimming pools need some help
 

Ok I bought a used 18' above ground pool with a cartridge filter. I have got the pool up and running but the water is cloudy but blue (dead algae) . The cartridge filter isnt cutting it and have been tossing the idea around of using a 10 gallon container with a inlet and oulet filled with lava rock. Ive seen this done on natural ponds and seems to filter the water quite well. How do you think this would work for a swimming pool?

Re: Swimming pools need some help
 

Lava rock? Uh....forget it.
Bite a few bullets & get a Hayward 3/4 HP D.E. filter.

Ron.

Re: Swimming pools need some help
 

It may filter the algae, but it wont filter the bacteria. Plus you'll have to often take out and clean/scrub the lava rock or replace it. Replacing the rocks would be easier and cleaner then just trying to clean it though because the lava rock is so porous.

I'd say stick with the cartridge. Maybe get something more powerful?

You may just have to get a fresh cartridge and completely change the water a few times to get all the "left overs" out of the used system.

Re: Swimming pools need some help
 

Re: Swimming pools need some help
 

Try putting in some shock. I know my pool was cloudy for a while untill I changed the sand in the filter.

Re: Swimming pools need some help
 

Last time I checked bacteria wasn't growing beyond the smallest filtering source DE which will filter out 2 microns. That's why you use Cl or Bromine.:D This coming from someone who maintains about a million gallons of pool water each day. I really dislike pools.:lol:

If the cartridge filter is sized right it should be fine. What is your free and combined cl, ph, Alk and calicum hardness at? Thse are the important things first

If your Cl isn't at least above 5.0 free Cl then your not gonna get it through the system and kill it off.

Re: Swimming pools need some help
 

Well I was meaning if he just went with lava rock as his only filter method and no clor