How To Replace Pool Filter Sand

Why exercise I need to change my pool filter sand? Doesn't sand concluding forever? Well, the answer to that is yes and no. Aye, sand basically lasts forever but over time, it loses its potency as a filter media. To the naked eye, the sand used in sand filters look just similar any old regular sand out there. But nether closer inspection, you lot would find that the grains of sand are really rough and textured. This roughness is the component that provides the filtering component. The tiny $.25 of dirt, algae, dead bugs, and other contaminants gets snagged past the tiny burrs on the sand and clean water passes on through.

Over the years, this texture gets smoothed out due to the amount of water passing through. To illustrate this point, try walking down a beach or a stream, find how almost all of the pocket-sized rocks have smooth surfaces? This is chosen weathering. The surfaces of the rocks (and in our case sand) gets smoothed out over the years, and while you're left with nice smooth sand, it'due south useless every bit a filter media.

How often practise I need to change puddle filter sand?

Depending on the usage, pool filter sand can get for years without needing a alter. Here are MrPoolMan, we recommend that you absolutely modify your filter media sand at the very least iii years and at seven years at the latest. This will not only ensure that your pool water is filtered optimally, simply this keeps the stress on your unabridged pool system low every bit well. The best way to tell if your sand filter media is nearing the finish of its lifecycle is that your puddle may cloud up more than ofttimes and you'll detect that y'all're shocking your puddle more than often than normal.

Can I just use whatsoever old sand for my pool filter?

Admittedly not. Don't fifty-fifty attempt to use regular sand in your sand pool filters because at the very least, it won't filter your water, but what's most probable to happen is that it will destroy your entire filtration system.

Types of Sand Filter Media

In that location are basically iii different types of sand filter media that is bachelor out in that location depending on your needs. Here's a basic rundown of the dissimilar types of filter sand out in that location.

Silica Sand

This is the most commonly used sand filter media. It's affordable and it lasts for years. This is made from footing quartz that'southward effectually 0.45-0.55mm in size. The grinding process creates the silica sand grains with jagged edges that makes it the perfect filter media for trapping contaminants in your h2o. This is usually labelled as "Premium Filter Sand"

Drinking glass Sand

Drinking glass sand filter media comes in two grades, coarse and fine. The fibroid grade of drinking glass sand media is usually 1.7mm to three.4mm in size and is used to comprehend the nether drain and laterals of your sand filter and this grade commonly comprises of 30% of your glass sand filter media requirement. Fine course glass sand is then layered on top of the fibroid class drinking glass sand to consummate your setup. Glass sand, while more than expensive than your regular silica sand, works much improve. It requires less media (by weight) to fill up your sand filter, uses less water than backwashing, relieves force per unit area on your pumps by providing superior water menstruation, and it lasts much longer than your traditional silica sand.

Other Sand Media Alternatives

There are other newer sand media alternatives out there which claim to be amend than sand glass sand media but until nosotros come across real evidence (non just marketing hype) of the media being used for years, nosotros're holding our judgement and sticking to tried and true silica and glass sand media.

Glass Sand Media Ratios:

Unlike silica sand filter media where you lot just fill it up, glass sand has a ratio and then it's good to know how much of which grade to purchase depending on your filter size.

21" Sand Filter - 60kgs
25" Sand Filter - 100kgs
28" Sand Filter - 160kgs
32" Sand Filter - 280kgs
36" Sand Filter - 360kgs

Footstep-By-Step Guide to Changing Puddle Filter Sand

Now that you know virtually the unlike kinds of sand filter media, it'southward now time to go into the centre of the problem. Changing your pool filter sand.

Step One:

Plough off the filter and pump. This is of import every bit you don't want the pump to roar into life while you're in the middle of changing the sand in your media. To be totally condom, plow of the breaker for your pump and unplug everything totally.

Step Two:

Bleed the pool filter by removing the drain plug from the bottom of the filter tank and allow the h2o drain out naturally.

Step Three:

Remove the hoses or pipes that are attached to the multiport valve so y'all can access the tank itself. If you lot have unions installed, this should be straightforward. If the pipes are difficult-plumbed into the valve, you'll take no choice but to cut the pipes to remove the valve. If you're cutting off the pipes, information technology would be a groovy idea to install unions and so that the next time you replace your sand, information technology should be as easy as twisting off the union to remove the plumbing.

Once the plumbing is removed, give it a gentle twist and the multiport valve should come off quite easily.

Step Four:

Once the multiport is off, you should run into the standpipe in the middle. Embrace with some duct tape or textile fastened with string to prevent sand from entering information technology. If sand enters the standpipe and then it'southward going to go flushed into the puddle, wasting water in the process.

Footstep Five:

Carefully scoop out the sand with a plastic loving cup. Yep, this tin can take a long, long, time. Alternatively, y'all can use a shop vac or a wet and dry vacuum to suck out all of the sand. If you don't take a wet and dry out vacuum, bring a cold beer to a neighbor who has i. It'll salve you lot hours of backbreaking scooping labor. Some other pick to easily remove the sand from your pool is to use a Venturi Pump, a V-Pump can drain out all of the sand in no time at all (and salvage yous a beer and so you lot don't have to infringe a vacuum from your neighbor). Not only that, V-pumps don't need equally much cleaning every bit wet and dry out vacuums, merely rinse them out afterwards and you're done.

Step 6:

One time you're able to see the laterals sticking from the stand up pipe bottom, the sand should be all but gone. Give information technology a through rinse with a garden hose and the remaining sand should exit via the bleed plug yous removed earlier.

Stride Seven:

Visually insect the inside of the filter tank for any cracks and damages. If you observe whatever, patch them up or consider replacing the sand filter tank to avoid any emergencies downward the line. Once you're satisfied that everything is in full working club, reattach the bleed plug and fill the tank about halfway with water.

Stride Viii:

Once the puddle filter tank is half filled with water, you can now start filling it with sand. Remember to make certain that the cover nosotros attached in step 4 is tight and secure, yous don't want sand to get into the stand up pipage. The water is there and then that the falling sand will be cushioned by the water and laterals won't get damaged by the weight of the falling sand.

Note: Wear a mask and ask a mate to help to agree the stand piping in identify until the laterals are fully covered with sand.

Step Nine:

Once all of the sand is inside, fill up the tank with water and reassemble the connections to your puddle filter. Brand sure to remove the roofing from the standpipe before reattaching the multiport valve. Brand sure all of the fittings sit down affluent and secure to avoid any leaks and accidents from happening.

Step Ten:

Backwash and rinse the filter to get rid of whatever backlog sand in the system.

Step Xi:

In one case backwashing is done, run the filter and check the pressure valve. This is your puddle filter's normal / optimal running pressure. Write it down (I use a sharpie and some duct tape and stick it to the side of the filter) for hereafter reference. If you see that the pressure is about x PSI in a higher place the optimal running pressure and then that's a skillful sign that y'all need to aftermath the filter.

Conclusion

That's it! Yous've successfully changed you lot puddle filter sand! You won't need to supersede them for a few years once more with proper backwashing and maintenance. Be sure to bookmark this page and then that you'll take a handy guide the next time you need to change your pool filter sand.

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