Quote:
Originally Posted by
koiczar 
Moi
Are you serious? In actuality, you're making a "one cycle" backwash. No wonder you don't get any colored water out. Also, if you're trusting that little jar they call a sightglass, it doesn't surprise me if you can't tell when the discharge is dirty or clean!
By accident, I happened upon a little "inclusion" I do when I perform a backwash on my Ultima 20000. First, I turn the pump off, open the drain cock at the bottom of the filter body. The filter is pressurized and therefore sucks air when you open that valve. I let it suck air for about 20-30 seconds. You should hear the beads really sloshing around. If you don't hear the sloshing action, your filter is definitely clogged. I then close the drain valve, move the handle to backwash and turn the pump back on. What this does is reduce the vacuum pressure within the tank and give the water a displacement factor that really stirs up the media. When the water begins to discharge, you really see the waste coming out. When it begins to clear, move the handle QUICKLY to RINSE not WASTE. This changes the directional flow within the filter and removes the heavier waste that has settled to the bottom. As this clears, return the handle to backwash. It will take a few seconds for it to get the media stirred up again as the rinse mode "resets" the media bed as it would be in the "filter" mode. I do this several times (back and forth between backwash and rinse). This also performs much of my water change without wasting that water by simply going to "waste" mode - that bypasses the filter. Why do that when that water could be used more efficiently to continue to clean your filter.
From what you have explained, this is my cautionary suggestion - FWIW
Turn off the pump, remove the head and check the cleanliness of your media. I have a feeling you may, by now, have some clogging. Just reach your arm in there and stir it up but first make sure you take enough water out to lower the level below the standpipe - otherwise you'll get beads in it and THAT AIN'T GOOD. It can cause your check valve to block up and backwash will no longer work right until you clear it. These are little nuances I've learned over the years from the school of hard knocks. If it helps and works for you, Aqua has another happy(ier) camper!!
Mike