White Powder In The Cartridge Filter..Swimming Pool Problems

by Don Pretlow
(Cocoa Florida)

I have a regular cartridge filter but have been getting lots of a white powdery substance collecting in the filter.

Thanks for your question Don

I would first check the pool cartridge filters to be sure there are no tears or rips in the pleats.

I would ask if you're using calcium hypochlorite (granules) as your pool chlorine. By using too much the calcium will collect in the pleats of the cartridge filter.

How much sodium bicarb., soda ash, calcium chloride, or are you using Diatomaceous Earth(DE) to supplement the filtering? What kind, if any, algaecides do you use? Are you using any kind of powder, even something that looks like powder, in the pool?

If you're using soda ash or bicarb., are you putting it in the skimmer or broadcasting it directly into the pool?

Pool filter cartridges do a great job in filtering pool water. It's uncommon to all of a sudden have a white powder substance coating the cartridge without some kind of outside influence.

How about some kids that are messing with you? It does happen. There have been pools that have been clean, then the owner goes outside one morning and pool is full of bubbles. Kids dumped an entire bottle of laundry detergent in the pool.

Could it be kids throwing DE or flour into the pool?

If none of these work, you might be able to take it into your local pool store to have it analyzed. They might be able to pin-point what it is.

Hope this helps and let me know how this turns out for you

Robert