What Kind Of Sand For Pool Filter

Efficient, inexpensive, low-maintenance pool filtering is always the goal. You lot don't want to spend all your time and money but making sure your filter does what information technology's supposed to. That's probably why yous accept a sand pool filter in the first place. They rarely clog, they're easy on your wallet and your back, and they work well. You get crystal clear pool water, and the virtually work you have to practice is swap out the sand once every few years.

How do you change pool filter sand, anyway? First by deciding which type of sand you'll use—you've got a few options. Larn how to tell when information technology'south time for a change, then yous won't accept to constantly battle dirty, cloudy water. When you lot're prepare to tackle it, modify your sand and get back to swimming in no fourth dimension.

What is Puddle Filter Sand?

Dead bugs. Bacteria. Algae. Your pool filter traps these things so they tin't hang effectually making the h2o cloudy or getting swimmers sick. The filter media is the stuff that grabs those contaminants. In this instance, sand is that media.

Sand is such splendid filtration media, it'southward used in other water condom applications such as wastewater treatment, septic systems, and even for drinking water.

To the untrained middle, most sand looks pretty much the same, so you might call back all sand is created equal, but that'due south not the instance. Don't be tempted by that bag of cheap play sand in your garage. It will destroy your filtration organisation. E'er brand sure to use 1 of three types of sand in your pool filter.

Silica Sand

The most commonly used puddle filter sand is #20 silica sand. It comes from ground quartz, which creates sharp silica grains with jagged edges fantabulous for trapping particulates from passing water.

Silica sand is mined, not manufactured.

Glass Sand

If you're looking for filter media with low environmental impact, glass sand is an effective culling to silica. It's made from 100% recycled glass and is smoothen to the bear on, but still captures particles as pocket-sized every bit two microns—that'south one millionth of a meter.

The glass grains are all different sizes, then it minimizes channeling, which occurs when puddle water cuts a path straight through the sand and slips through the filter almost unfiltered. Glass sand also has a negative charge, so information technology excels at capturing iron and manganese particles. This is particularly helpful if your pool is filled from a hard h2o source.

Zeolite Sand

Created from volcanic rock minerals called zeolites, this silica culling boasts 100 times greater surface surface area than standard filter sand because of its sponge-like honeycomb shape.

Zeolite chemically traps chloramines—the chlorine byproducts that sting swimmers' eyes—through a process called molecular sieving. That'south a fancy manner of saying chloramines get trapped inside the zeolite sand particles indefinitely.

If you're finding you lot need to stupor your pool frequently, zeolite sand could help go chloramines under control without having to use as many pool chemical additives.

Why Change Your Pool Filter Sand?

The pool pump pulls dirty h2o to the filter, where it passes through the sand, where contaminants get trapped. The make clean water flows dorsum into the pool. How exactly does the sand hold onto the icky stuff, while assuasive the cleaned water to laissez passer through?

Though it's much too small to see with the naked eye, all three types of sand take a rough surface where contaminants go caught as the water flows past.

Over time, the rushing water wears away the prickly surface of the sand, leaving it smooth and round. When y'all look at sand from beaches with intense waves under a microscope, it'south noticeably smoother than sand from calmer beaches. The same principle applies to pool filter sand, which has water flushed through it for several hours a day.

This smoothing is the outcome of a process chosen weathering. Ironically the same process that creates sand besides wears information technology down into dust, useless for filtering anything.

When puddle filter sand is weathered smooth, information technology doesn't have any jagged edges to grab and concur contaminants. Your puddle may start to wait cloudy or require more frequent shock treatment as the filter media nears the finish of its lifespan.

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When to Alter the Sand in Your Filter

Like fine vino, pool filter sand gets better with historic period, but and so it peaks and eventually declines. Its lifespan is rather curt—just three to five years. Over the class of a few years, contaminants build up in the sand.

For the offset couple of years, this actually enhances the filtering ability of the sand because in addition the sand's own rough edges, the contaminants edifice up also act as filtration for the water that passes through the filter.

But eventually, all that extra gunk builds upwards then much that it makes the filter prone to clogs. At the aforementioned time, weathering renders the sand incapable of collecting more contaminants. Your filter's efficiency drops, and your pools water quality suffers.

Two other things may happen when your sand is by its peak. Pressure level can build upward inside your filter as it becomes more than difficult for the h2o to laissez passer through gunked-upwards sand. Then the water may seek a path of least resistance and cut a channel through the sand, which may reduce some of the pressure, but will nigh eliminate filtering.

Can't I merely Make clean or Backwash my Sand Filter?

You lot'll need to backwash your sand filter whenever the pressure judge climbs to x pounds per square inch (psi) higher than the normal running pressure. You lot tin also backwash if the water is a bit cloudy, just the chemistry is okay.

Backwashing rinses the sand, flushing debris to waste matter. Information technology can be done as office of your routine pool maintenance, and you may demand to top off the puddle later.

If y'all want to give your sand a piffling extra cleaning, use sand filter cleaner annually. Think of this stuff as a degreaser for the sand. It helps wash out oils and other contaminants backwashing tin can't quite get rid of.

Both backwashing and filter cleaner aid with climbing pressure and water clarity, simply eventually the sand will wear down and need to exist replaced. If your sand is in the three- to five-year window, and pressure level and clarity are ongoing problems, it's probably time for new sand.

The Changing of the Sand

Once you've adamant your filter is the reason for your cloudy water, get your gear together for sand changing. You'll be amazed how like shooting fish in a barrel this is.

Yous'll Demand:

• Hacksaw (if pipe needs to be cut)
• Store-Vac
• Screwdriver
• Garden hose
• Flashlight
• pool filter sand or filter sand substitute (check your filter's manual for the amount)
• Duct tape or Condom plug
• Utility knife
• Mask
• Backwash hose
• Diatomaceous earth (D.E.) powder (optional)

1.Plow Off the Pump and Bleed the Filter

Turn off the filter and pump. Be sure the timer isn't set to plow on presently, and so the pump won't kick on while everything is asunder. If the pumps kicks on while dry, it may burn down out.

Remove the bleed plug from the bottom of the filter tank, and permit all the water drain out.

Tip: Draining the filter tank may take a while, so you could do this step in the morning, then come back in the libation evening air to end the rest.

two. Remove the Multiport Valve

Remove the hoses or pipes that are continued to the multiport valve. If your valve is hard plumbed with PVC pipe, you lot'll have to cutting the pipage. If you're uncomfortable doing this, consider hiring a pro.

After the pipes have been cut, you (or a pro) tin install marriage fittings then next fourth dimension effectually, you'll only have to unscrew a pipe fitting—no hacksaw required.

Utilize your screwdriver to remove the clamp or neckband securing the valve to the tank.

Gently twist then pull up on the multiport valve to remove it.

Tip: The pipe fastened to the valve has laterals (like tree roots) branching out into the sand. The combination of weight from sand and twisting can intermission the laterals, so have it easy.

3. Cover the Standpipe

Inside the tank is an open up pipe where the valve was just removed. Cover it with duct record to prevent sand from getting within. If it does, that sand will go flushed right into your pool when you lot start up the pump once more.

4. Remove the Sand

Use the Store-Vac to suck out all the one-time sand. If you don't have a Shop-Vac (or you're a big fan of dorsum pain), you can scoop the old sand out by manus with a plastic loving cup. This will take forever and ever.

Brand friends with someone who has a Shop-Vac you can borrow, or just invest in one. It will have less time, and they come in handy for a lot of other jobs.

v. Rinse Out the Tank and Laterals

With most of the sand gone, you'll exist able to see the arms branching out of the standpipe. Utilize your garden hose to rinse any remaining sand out of the bleed pigsty.

Use the flashlight to carefully inspect the standpipe and laterals for harm. Any cracks could let sand into your pool, so make necessary repairs earlier adding fresh sand.

six. Fill the Tank Halfway with H2o

Supercede the drain plug in the tank. Stick the hose down into the tank and start filling. Center the standpipe and laterals, and agree them in place while the tank fills nearly halfway.

Adding some h2o prior to the replacement sand creates a cushion to protect the laterals from the weight of falling sand.

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7. Add the New Sand

Put your mask on to avoid breathing in dust. Cheque the duct tape on the standpipe and add more if necessary.

Holding the bag with a corner extending over the opening of the tank, slice it open with the utility knife. Relax, savour the Zen moment watching the sand bleed into the tank. Just don't relax also much—you're holding a fifty lb. bag of sand.

Add one purse of sand at a time, letting information technology slowly pour into the tank so it won't spill everywhere.

Of import: Just use puddle filter sand or filter sand substitute. Annihilation else can ruin your filter.

Tip: You can farther increase the filtering efficiency of sand by adding a few cups of D.E. powder along with the fresh sand.

Pool Filter Sand

Coarse filter media for pool sand filters.

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8. Fill the Tank and Reassemble the Connections

When all the sand is in the tank, fill it to the top with water. Supersede the multiport valve, collar, and pipes or hoses. Make sure all the fittings are snug and secure.

9. Backwash and Rinse the Filter

Attach the backwash hose and turn the multiport valve to backwash. Prime number the pump, and turn it on. Backwash the filter for at to the lowest degree two minutes or until the filter's sight glass is running clear. This helps get out all of the sand dust and actress debris from the new sand.

Shut the pump off, set the multiport valve to rinse, and turn the pump back on. Rinse the filter for one minute.

10. Run the Filter

Shut the pump off, turn the valve to filter, and turn the pump back on. At present check the pressure gauge. This is your filter'south normal running pressure. Remember it or write it down somewhere handy.

Check the judge when yous do your normal puddle maintenance. When the pressure is 10 psi to a higher place normal, aftermath the filter. Using the pressure approximate as a backwash indicator prevents you from over-backwashing and removing the clay and droppings your sand filter needs to part properly.

Sand-sational Chore!

Choosing which type of pool filter sand to use is the most complicated part of this procedure, and you tin can't actually make a wrong choice. It's but a matter of choosing the ane that will work best for your puddle, depending on factors such as whether you have hard water, or chloramines are an issue.

Once the new sand is in and the pump is upward and running, all you need to exercise continue an heart on things and so your filter will run at optimal efficiency until the adjacent fourth dimension yous have to alter the sand. With just that petty bit of care, you can relax and swim with peace of mind for nigh another five years.

Happy Swimming!

Matt Giovanisci is the founder of Swim Academy® and has been in the pool and spa industry since 1995. Since then, his mission is to make pool and hot tub care easy for anybody. And each year, he continues to aid more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting.

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