No Flow & Filter Cleanings

After backwashing the filter, is the water still moving very slowly?

• Check both skimmer baskets and the pump basket; if they are clogged, the obstruction could be preventing water from moving efficiently.
• Take into consideration the condition of the water the filter is trying to clean.  If your pool was/is very dirty, cloudy, or green the filter might need to be taken apart and cleaned. 

• For Cartridge and DE Filters – Sometimes just hosing the element down will remove clogs backwashing won’t dislodge for you.  Otherwise there can be enough particulate matter embedded in the element that the help of a chemical cleaner is needed.
  • BioGuard’s StripKwik can be used to chemically remove what hosing off will not. After hosing off excess debris, soak filter elements in a container other than the filter tank with 1 quart of StripKwik for 1-2 hours and hose off very well. If there is residue left on the filter, it can lead to foaming.
  • For larger cartridges, soak half and then flip the cartridge over to soak the other half.
• For Sand Filters – Robarb’s Backwash can be poured into the while the filter’s multiport valve is in the backwash mode. The cleaner is a distinguishable color and once the color is seen in the filter valve’s site glass, turn the pool off overnight. The next day, backwash the chemical along with all of the build-up out of the sand.

• BioGuard’s StripKwik is an excellent product for removing build-up, bather waste, and clogged DE, but if your problems are combined with high calcium (very hard water) or copper and iron use Kleen It in addition to the StripKwik.  BioGuard’s saying is that you have to strip kwik before you kleen it!  Metals and scale cannot be removed through layers of oil and algae.  Soak the nest in the Strip Kwik solution and hose down. Soak again in a Kleen It solution of the same concentration overnight.  Hose down completely before using again.
• Remember filters last approximately 8-10 seasons.  If your filter will not respond to chemical cleaning it might be time to consider replacement. 

If you’d like one of our techs to take care of it for you, feel free to drop your filter off in-store!