If you have any questions about what kind of sand you need, check with your local pool retailer. Sand … Once all of the sand is inside, fill the tank with water and reassemble the connections to your pool filter. Discover our range of LED Pool Lights, Transformers, Packages & more at Mr Pool Man. If your filter was not installed with union connections, you will have to cut the piping to your filter. A telltale sign that your filter may need new sand is when it becomes more difficult to clean than before. Carefully scoop out the sand with a plastic cup. With time, the sand will break down and you will have to eventually replace it. Continue to pour the sand until the filter is filled to the height indicated in the filter manufacturer's instructions. For the correct procedure for your filter, refer to the owners manual that came with your filter. It can't. But for some cheap summer fun- can't be beat! There … Over the years, this texture gets smoothed out due to the amount of water passing through. If you have a sand filter, it could take a week or more for the pool to completely clear.That's even if it's a working sand filter. For ease of use and sanity, we do upgrade a few of its features I.e the cover and filter to other options from the local pool store. A sand filter pushes your pool water through layers of sand, which functions as the filtration medium in the filter tank. Write it down (I use a sharpie and some duct tape and stick it to the side of the filter) for future reference. How to change your pool filter sand. If the pipes are hard-plumbed into the valve, you’ll have no choice but to cut the pipes to remove the valve. It’ll save you hours of backbreaking scooping labor. For exceptional filtration fineness, the diatomaceous earth filter is a good choice. We’ve broken the process up into small steps, but it’s overall a fairly simple task. Now that you know about the different kinds of sand filter media, it’s now time to get into the heart of the problem. Yanking too hard will likely break the lateral pipes at the bottom of the tank. Once you’re satisfied that everything is in full working order, reattach the drain plug and fill the tank about halfway with water. Level the sand as you pour to ensure even sand distribution for effective filtration and water circulation. We are your one stop pool & supply shop. Good luck and feel free to shoot me any pool related questions you might have. Unscrew the bolts that separate the clamp, and pull deliberately and consistently to lift the valve off the pipe. The filters are filled with sand, which acts as a natural filtering agent. Glass sand filter media comes in two grades, coarse and fine. Why do I need to change my pool filter sand? All Rights Reserved. In most cases, we do not recommend changing sand just because your filter is a few years old. Secure the valve clamps around the tank and tighten them into place. Pool supplies & pool parts is our business. As soon as you disconnect the pipe from the multiport valve, tape the end of the pipe closed to prevent sand from entering it and clogging the laterals. Cartridge pool filters do not require that you backwash dirt from the system and removes smaller particles than a sand pool filter. Have Questions? Also remember that there are different tipes of sand filters on the market and top mount filters will definitely be a bit more difficult to clean. Once you’re able to see the laterals sticking from the stand pipe bottom, the sand should be all but gone. Fine grade glass sand is then layered on top of the coarse grade glass sand to complete your setup. book now Call … I Shocked My Pool, So Why Is It Still Cloudy? Changing your pool filter sand. This is made from ground quartz that’s around 0.45-0.55mm in size. Find pool maintenance at Lowe's today. Switch the multiport valve to “Rinse,” then turn the pump back on. Generally, residential filters are filled to a height of between 30 to … Replacing the sand in your swimming pool filter should be an easy task. Good luck with your next sand change. The good news is that a sand filter can go almost a long time without needing fresh sand. In summary, change pool filter sand when your pool is no longer staying clean. A sand filter is basically a large tank filled with pool-grade sand, which is coarser than regular play sand. steps for changing the sand in a sand pool filter: Remove the old sand from the pool filter - You need to remove all of the old sand that is in the tank. To properly clean a cartridge you’ll want to first remove any large dirt and debris particles and then soak it in a pool filter cartridge cleaning solution to remove built up oils and scum. My brother brought out his trusted shop vacuum to suck u… If you have unions installed, this should be straightforward. (If your filter doesn’t have unions, glue the pipes back together with straight couplers.). This is usually labelled as “Premium Filter Sand”. You won’t be able to push it back down without rotating the laterals up, and upward-facing laterals will prevent proper filtering. To narrow down the field, the 3 most popular are gunite (plaster/concrete), vinyl-lined, and fiberglass pools and they each have their pros and cons. Too little or too much sand can and will negatively affect the filter performance and potentially compromise your pool’s … If the pump is on and you are hearing a humming noise, it could be a bad capacitor. A little debris can actually aid in filtration. There are other newer sand media alternatives out there which claim to be better than sand glass sand media but until we see real evidence (not just marketing hype) of the media being used for years, we’re holding our judgement and sticking to tried and true silica and glass sand media. If the granules are too big, you’ll see less filtering efficiency; if the granules are too small, you risk clogging the filter quickly. After you tape off the pipe, empty out all the existing sand. How to Clean a Pool Filter Cartridge. Sand can last 5-7 years or longer, on a large size sand filter (large in relation to pool size). Cartridge filters: Clean it e very three to four weeks, unless you see algae in the pool, in which case you should clean more often. Skip to content. Traditionally sand filters used -1 grade sand which has very large particles. Change sand every three to five years if using a biguanide sanitizer for the pool. Turn off the pool pump and timer (if you have one). If you need to drain the filter, unscrew the drain cap at the bottom of the sand filter, and drain the filter for at least 12 hours, otherwise the sand will be very wet and difficult to remove. Out his trusted shop vacuum to suck u… if you have one ), coarse and fine owners that. 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