here's my procedure when i backwash the 20k Ultima II..

[moikoi]

right or wrong... i don't know

turn off the pump, put it on backwash cycle (turn pump on) backwash for about 3-4 minutes

turn off the pump, switch to waste cycle (turn pump on) for about 15 minutes to discharge enough water " my water exchange".

turn off the pump, switch to rinse cycle (turn pump on) rinse for about 3-4 minutes.

turn off the pump, switch back to filter cycle. turn pump back on.

i don't have a blower on this filter, but i can hear the media flying around inside when it's on backwash cycle. the pressure gauge never worked from day one. i have never seen any brown color water in the plastic len.

[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

[moikoi]

Mike
i don't know,but i'm not suppose to get any solids in the Ultima.the water is pump from a clear water chamber up to the Ultima which is the final stage of the filter system before returning water back into the pond.

now i'm all confuse everybody has their own method.

[jnorth]

Quote: Originally Posted by koiczar 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.

Just a thought but on most bead filters some nasty stuff tends to build up in that drain cock line. You might want to crack that line for a few seconds with the pump on just clear that stuff out before you turn the pump off. I imagine if you don't clear that line first then when you crack it open with the pump off the air will force all that nasty stuff up into the filter.

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by moikoi right or wrong... i don't know turn off the pump, put it on backwash cycle (turn pump on) backwash for about 3-4 minutes turn off the pump, switch to waste cycle (turn pump on) for about 15 minutes to discharge enough water " my water exchange". turn off the pump, switch to rinse cycle (turn pump on) rinse for about 3-4 minutes. turn off the pump, switch back to filter cycle. turn pump back on. i don't have a blower on this filter, but i can hear the media flying around inside when it's on backwash cycle. the pressure gauge never worked from day one. i have never seen any brown color water in the plastic len.

I would say this is a risky way to run your filter. Solids will build up in the media even if it is sucking clear water. I would do as Mike says and remove the head to make sure it isn't already clogged.

Then I would suggest as Mike says to repeatedly go between the backwash and rinse cylce.

[dizzyfish]

Quote: Originally Posted by koiczar 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

Mike this discussion has been helpful to me, so thanks for what you have contributed. I know I did something similar as far as getting the beads( media) in the wrong place, with an Optima II 4000. I somehow lifted up the center pipe and got beads under it, so it wouldn't go back down all the way. So anyway I had to take all the beads out and put them in buckets so I could get the pipe back in place. It wasn't terrible hard to do, but the Bio Wave Plus has a band/clamp about middle ways down so I guess it breaks down in two equal parts. How in the world would take one of these apart and then get it back together with all the stuff inside?
Mitch

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell Peters I would say this is a risky way to run your filter. Solids will build up in the media even if it is sucking clear water. I would do as Mike says and remove the head to make sure it isn't already clogged. Then I would suggest as Mike says to repeatedly go between the backwash and rinse cylce.

I have an Ultima 20,000 and we added a blower to it. I still perform my backwash as Mike described, except I use the blower first with pump off. Then I go through the same process as Mike described, If you are not getting a lot of crap out of your filter then it sounds like it is clogged. One of my ultima's is the 1st filter after settlement tank and the other is last filter after the 2 bio filters.

[KoiCop]

Quote: Originally Posted by moikoi now i'm all confuse everybody has their own method.

When in doubt, follow the factory instructions (which I just happen to have posted):

Do you turn your pump off when backflushing your filter.

That's 3 backwash/rinse cycles and turning the pump off before rotating the handle. Don

[moikoi]

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

do i need to turn the pump on and off between cycles ?

[koiczar]

Moikoi

You cerainly CAN turn the pump off between cycles. It won't hurt anything. I have just been able to do it quick enough (turn the handle) so I don't feel I need to.

Don

Yes, the manufacturer instructions say back and forth 3 times. I usually do it 4-6 times during the growing season. Just want to make sure I get all the junk out.

Nancy

I've given a lot of thought to adding a blower. I guess I'm just too cheap. But when taking the head off to validate the cleanliness of the media, I don't find any clumping and when I stir the media by hand, it doesn't seem to be accumulating more than normal detritus on top or bottom.

Jim

The drain cap I spoke of doesn't really have a line from the filter. It goes directly into a small sreen fitting at the bottom wall of the filter body. I would say it's about an inch and a half in total length. Don't know about other filter brands but you're probably right. If there's a line of any kind, I would open it with the pump running to clear it first. Just make sure you re-pressurize the filter before turning the pump off and start your backwashing routine. Also, I was only speaking of the drain cap on an Ultima II filter. I can't speak for how this part of my routine would work on any other brand.

Mike