Tank Owner’s Manual Pg. 18 of 23

9/26/05 Rev. D

APPENDIX C

Problem Possible Cause Solution

Source water not
sufficiently clear
1. Improperly tightened assembly
2. Dirt or contamination on sealing surface
3. Damaged part
2. Damaged effluent piping/lateral
5. Inadequate turnover rate
1. Water chemistry not in balance
With the pump off, isolate the tanks from the system and relieve the tank of any
pressure using the manual air relief valve. If leak has occurred in an area which is
below the water level in the tank, drain the tank until water line is below the leak
(see Maintenance section). Remove the assembly and inspect the sealing
surfaces for dirt and debris. Clean all sealing surfaces. If the assembly is still in
usable condition, replace the assembly and pressure test the system (see Start-up
and Operation section). If the assembly appears broken or defective, replace with
a new factory part (see Appendix X for part number). After replacement pressure
test the system before restoring it to normal filtration mode.
2. Impacted sand bed
Sometimes the sand media may become compressed, which inhibits the flow of
water throught it. If an impacted sand bed is suspected, the tanks should be
drained and the media should be loosened by turning over the top 6"-10" of sand.
After this, a backwash cycle should be run before returning the filter to filtration
mode.
High filtration pressure
differential
2. Incorrect media installed
1. Backwash flow rate is too high
If the flow rate is too great, it will force some of the sand media out through the
diverters and into the waste drain. Reduce the flowrate slightly to the filters when
performing a backwash.
Verify media size with media vendor. Consult Appendix B of this manual for proper
media sizing. If the media is the incorrect size, replace with proper media.
Excessive sand media
being lost to waste drain
Leak at manual air relief,
manway, or tank drain
port
The tank(s) must be drained of water (see Maintenance section) and all media
removed. Once this is done, an inspection of all internal piping should be
performed. If any laterals are broken, cracked, or missing, they should be
replaced. If the main effluent pipe in the tank is cracked, consult the manufacturer
for repairs.
Filtration media being
discharged into the filtered
body of water
1. Filter sytem not being backwashed properly
The tank(s) may not have been backwashed enough upon initial start-up,
backwashes may be too infrequent, or there may not be enough backwash flow.
Check the backwash flow rate on the waste pipe to verify that enough backwash
flow is present. A minimum of 15 GPM/ft2 of filtration area is recommended.
Verify media size with media vendor. Consult Appendix B of this manual for proper
media sizing. If the media is the incorrect size, replace with proper media.
1. Incorrect media installed
Verify media size with media vendor. Consult Appendix B of this manual for proper
media sizing. If the media is the incorrect size, replace with proper media.
The tank(s) may not have been backwashed enough upon initial start-up. Repeat
the backwash procedure for initial start-up (see Start-up and Operation section).
Backwash each tank twice to ensure that the media bed is clean and free of debris.
Adjust the flowrate throught the filters. These filters are designed to operate at a
maximum of 20 GPM/ft2. If flow rates are in excess of this, the media bed will not
perform as designed.
4. Rate of flow in excess of 20 GPM/ft2of filter
area
Maintain pool chemistry. Consult pool service technician
2. Incorrect media installed
3. Filter sytem not being backwashed properly
The turnover rate is the amount of time it takes the filters to pass the entire volume
of the pool through the filter system. Filtration systems for pools are typically
designed to operate at a turnover rate of 1-6 hours typically depending on the
application and appropriate codes. If the filter system is filtering the water too slow,
dirt and debris can build up faster than the water is cleaned. The flow through the
filters may need to be increased. Consult the manufacturer before changing the
filtration parameters.