Looking to dump sand filter due to well water

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stryfer33

0
Jul 7, 2016
55
Londonderry/NH
Moved to a new home a couple weeks ago (updated info in sig) and it came with a 20x40 Inground pool (AWESOME!)
Unfortunately, the pool was not opened before my arrival, so I had the honor. GREEN SWAMP. BLEHH!!! I've been slamming since I opened and chlorine levels are finally stabilizing while water is getting slightly clearer day by day. I can see further into the deep end every day.

However, my problem is more with my filter. This new house is on well water. My concern is the constant back washing/rinsing is lowering my water level to less than I am comfortable with.
I'm new to the well water game and don't want to drain my well trying to constantly top off my pool. Also, it has been incredibly hot and dry the past week plus. My question is two-fold:
1.) What do people on wells do for top offs?
2.) If I were to switch to a cartridge system, how do I know what size to get. I'm finding conflicting information on the web. Seems to be either a 325sq ft, or 425sq ft are my best options??? (Help would be appreciated) Also, would my 1HP pump be enough to handle.

I have been a quiet member since I had a pool installed at my previous home back in 2016 and I am familiar with the ups/downs of cartridges as that was what i previously had (on a 15,000 gal pool it was a 150sq ft)

Thank you guys/gals.
 
I run a sand filter and I am on a well also. I am very conscious about draining it. I set a timer for 1 hour when I need to top off. I get about a 3/4” pool level rise for each hour. If I need more, I wait until the next day to add more. I don’t go crazy when backflushing. I have a sight glass on my multi port valve. I simply backflush until it goes clear. That normally takes about a minute. A 15 to 30 second rinse and I am good to go. That lowers my level about 1/2 inch.

A piece of advice. Test your well’s Ph, TA, and CH, so you will know what additions are going to do to your balance.
 
I try to make my backwashes and rinses as quick as possible too. It usually brings me right back down to my starting pressure of 10 PSIG. The amount has backed off to once a day now while I'm still SLAMing. But earlier in the week it was a couple times a day.
I try to run the well water during times of low use in my house, but I just don't know how much there is (and I don't want to find out).
 
Dura, I don't have that information on hand. I will have to look into that. Everyone in my area is on well water. I just don't want to deplete the ground source. I could be crazy and never come close, but adding 2-3 inches of water multiple times has me worried
 
My well in NC was 2 gpm and I could not fill my pool from it. My well in Florida is 80+gpm and I can fill many, many, many pools with it.

You do not have to worry about depleting your or your neighbors source water but you have to find the gpm to see if it's an issue.
 
duraleigh said:
My well in NC was 2 gpm and I could not fill my pool from it. My well in Florida is 80+gpm and I can fill many, many, many pools with it.

You do not have to worry about depleting your or your neighbors source water but you have to find the gpm to see if it's an issue.
Click to expand...

I am fortunate in that my well is about 50’ deep by 3’ in diameter. It contains about 2200 gallons of water so, I don’t have to worry much about using too much water under most situations. That is except if I have to add water to my pool. I limit my fills to 1 hour per day. The reason for this is that not all well casings go all the way to the bottom. In most locations, the casing only goes to about 18’ below grade unless they hit bed rock. The main reason for a casing is to prevent surface contaminants from entering the well. For those wells with casings that do not go to the bottom, the lower sides of a well rely on the static water pressure to maintain their integrity. You can lower the water level to the point where the sides of the well may cave in. Where I use to work we had 2 wells fail because the sides caved in. That is the main worry with wells.
 
Dave and Steve, still not sure about me well information. One day, I will find out that info. I have a water truck coming to top me off in a few days. That will get me settled. My backwashing isn't as often anymore, once every couple days.

Keith-during the early process of the slam i was back-washing and rinsing often. I was also vacuuming to waste. Add that with the insane heat wave we had last week, I've been losing a good amount of water. The last couple of days. I've been running the well for 45 minutes a day. sometimes my wife will run it again after everything that needs water in the house is done for the night.

On a side note: just talked to a fellow employee at work who is trying to convince me to use a clarifier. His words "Dump the whole bottle in and that will clear up in no time". I told him I follow TFP and only use bleach. :D He thinks I'm crazy. I suggested he try the same method since he constantly "shocks" his pool weekly. I tried to help, but you know how that goes.

I appreciate all the info. Thanks all.
 
"Clarifier" works by floculating dead algae/other cr_p in your pool and making the particles bigger so that they are more easily filtered. In the process, it plugs up the filter (by design). It won't reduce your need to backwash the filter any, it may just speed up the process. Personally, I wouldn't pay the money.
 

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I've flocked and not flocked. It's never created a problem, but the flocked particles usually settle to the bottom and should be vacuumed to waste (which will hurt your water usage). I'd really recommend doing a filter "deep clean" (search the forum). I'm amazed at how much better my sand filter is operating since I did that. I'm also amazed at how much better my sand filter is operating since I got a variable speed pump. I think my old pump must have been too big and pushed a lot of dirt through the filter.
 
I am fortunate to have a well in addition to a city water supply. I use the well to irrigate and top off the pool. One extremely helpful thing I found on here is to add disposable hair nets such as these https://www.amazon.com/Disposable-Hair-Spun-Bonded-Polypropylene-White/dp/B002XK2FS0 to the skimmer basket. Since adding these, I may have to backwash once occasionally twice during our long swim season of April-November.
 
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