The water will loosen any remaining sand that is under the laterals, etc., and allow you to vacuum all of it out, leaving none of the old sand behind. An avid craftsman and musician, Deziel began writing on home improvement topics in 2010. So how can it wear out. A DIYer by nature, Deziel regularly shares tips and tricks for a better home and garden at Hunker.com. Filter manufacturers and pool maintenance pros recommend changing it every five years to ensure you get the maximum performance from the filter. This fine mixture is great as an underlayment for paving stones as well as filler between the stones. and cartridge filters, sand filters … 5. The average pool filter contains the equivalent of about seven bags of sand, which is more than enough to keep your walkways and steps slip-resistant for one or two winters. By removing this plug, you can use your garden hose to wash out the sand from the tank onto the ground. If you can remove the cap from the sand filter you may be able to see these channels. If you have a top mounted multiport valve, there will be a standpipe directly in the center of the opening. Fiberglass. Larry Bugg NADA - … Rather than containing a whole host of minerals, as beach and play sands do, pool sand primarily consists of crushed silica quartz. Tape off the top of the filter pipe with duct tape so that sand will not be inserted in the laterals, clogging your filter. Step Nine: After all the sand has been removed reach in the filter and fold the laterals up into a 90 degree and remove the lateral assembly. If your filter is not the two-piece type but has the small opening at the top of either the multiport valve or cover, there are two ways to remove the sand. This will cushion the laterals when you put the new sand in. It Isn't Concrete Sand, Either: It isn't a good idea to incorporate used pool filter sand into a concrete or mortar mix because the material from which it's made weakens the concrete mix. How often should the sand in a swimming pool filter be changed? They could pose a health risk. Change sand every three to five years if using a biguanide sanitizer for the pool. This will flush out the dust from the sand and also allow the sand to settle completely around the laterals after backwashing. If your valve is side-mounted, you will have an overdrain which fills the opening at the top. To accomplish this water is directed through the pool filter by a valve (multiport, vertical, or other). Keeping Your Pool Filter Sand Clean. None of these applications expose you to the possibility of inhaling silica dust or pool contaminants. See more ideas about backyard, backyard landscaping, ponds backyard. I take a very easy approach with mine but one could go with higher light, Co2 and fert dosing and end up with a very nice planted tank. First, you will want to pull the drain plug to allow the water to drain out. There are some cases where the overdrain is glued to its pipe. Filters with the multiport valve mounted on top will generally require disconnecting the plumbing running to the valve. Also, it can be a symptom of old sand. The recycled glass filter media is manufactured to have the same size and quality of regular pool filter sand that is #20 and about 0.5 mm in size with a few added benefits. A leaking sand filter can happen if the filter was not fitted correctly. It felt like beach sand. And Zeo Sand is a gimmick. Because of the contaminants it contains, pool sand should never be left in a pile in the yard. Chris Deziel is a contractor, builder and general fix-it pro who has been active in the construction trades for 40 years. In this case, you will be able to remove the entire underdrain assembly in one piece. Put the cap away in a safe place until the next time you open the pool. A sand pool filter uses sand to trap particles in the pool water as it flows through the sand. It is important to use the right size sand for a sand pool filter. DE and Sand filters require periodic backwashing to remove debris from the filter. This would flush out most of the gunk it had accumulated. Most laterals will unscrew, allowing easy removal from the tank for cleaning and examining. You can do this by backwashing your filter. If you do not have unions on these pipes, you will need to cut them to remove the multiport valve (this would be a good time to install unions on these lines to facilitate future service on your filter). Do not try to push or pull this out of the way. Additionally, any dirty water remaining in the filter needs to be rinsed out, otherwise it could reenter the pool. While we have seen filters go 20 years or more without changing the sand and still do the job, they are not as efficient as they should be. The First Step in Changing Your Sand Is to Remove the Old Sand To remove the old sand from your swimming pool filter, you will need to open the filter: Filters with the multiport valve mounted on top will generally require disconnecting the plumbing running to the valve. Pool sand filter prices. You do not need to remove any sand from the filter. Just don't use it in sandboxes or other areas in which children or pets might play. If you can't find a use for it around the house and you don't want to truck it to a disposal site, the best way to deal with it is to dig a hole in the yard or garden and bury it. This is obviously not something in which you want your children to play. The hole at the top of the filter isn't large, so you have to use a … Change the sand in the sand filter every five to 10 years when using chlorine bleach to shock or sanitize the pool. Filter manufacturers and pool maintenance pros recommend changing it every five years to ensure you get the maximum performance from the filter. What makes this a back-aching project is that you have to continuously bend over and scoop out the dirty sand (and water) to empty the pool filter. Models may vary, but the general rule is 12 inches from the top of the sand bed to the bottom of the valve or top diffuser. Compared to D.E. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker. Placing a FREE ad in Craigslist will usually bring a lot of replies for a sand filter tank or pool slide that can be rebuilt. General Solution: Check your push-pull valve or multiport valve to ensure it’s firmly in the correct position. He has degrees in science and humanities and years of teaching experience. 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