Sand In My skimmer

[Angiebeth33]

Me and My Husband just got a new home with a built in pool our first in ground pool . It is an older pool but it has a sand filter on it.We backwashed it because it was turning green. But Now for Some Reason we have sand in the shallow end skimmer and he has backwashed it as the pool companies told us to do. we did it exactly the way we were told to , we turned the pump off, turned the valve to backwash and let it run for about 5 minutes , we then turned the pump off and turned the valve to rinse we rinsed for about 45 seconds to a minute, then we turned it back to the filter . yesterday we got in the pool and I noticed something felt like dirt when we checked the skimmers the one in the shallow end has sand under the basket. what is a reason it would have sand in it and how do we fix it ? And last but not least will it affect or mess up the pool or skimmer?

Angie

[PoolDoc]

Did you look under the skimmer basket BEFORE you back washed? If not, the sand may have already been there.

Just to make sure we are all talking about the same thing (since you are new to pools), here's a Hayward skimmer:
http://www.hayward-pool.com/images/pools/products/large/SkimMaster.jpg

I'm checking, because normally, you wouldn't notice sand in a pool skimmer, upon entering the pool. You might notice sand on the pool floor -- usually under a pool return like this Hayward unit on Amazon:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31lvj-YQvOL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Sand filters can leak sand after backwashing, if there is a crack in a "lateral", or if something is wrong with the air relief bypass assembly, or if the pump is too big for the filter (quite common, unfortunately!).

If you can take pictures of your pump, filter, & piping, and send them to poolforum@gmail.com, I'll post them, and we'll be able to help you better.

[Angiebeth33]

I should have been more clear I am sorry, I did notice the sand on the bottom of the pool yesterday while in the pool I felt it under my feet right under the jet next to the skimmer, But when we opened the skimmer this morning I saw that it had a lot of sand next to the hole that circulates the water in the bottom of the skimmer.

We had a bunch of leaks and someone came out and replaced almost all of the hoses and he replaced the housing that goes to the sand filter that you use to backwash the pool with. There could still be a problem with one of the hoses that he might have missed or maybe he did not install all of them correctly. I can take some pictures in the morning and email them to you so you know what kind of skimmers and sand filter I Have.

Angie

[PoolDoc]

No problems about being clear -- it's hard to be clear about something, when you are not experienced with it!

From what you describe, it definitely sounds like you've got a typical sand leak, that puts sand into the pool under the returns. Best way to check, is to vacuum it up so none is left, and then backwash again and see what happens.

If the filter IS leaking sand, the easy fix (depending on the filter) is to open the filter, examine the air bypass assembly, and correct any problems with that. The harder fix is required when the leak is in the "laterals" or "header" at the bottom of the filter. To fix that, you have to remove all the sand, and then replace the parts with cracks or damage . . . being very careful to not crack any of the others.

Sending some pictures of the piping and filter would DEFINITELY help us, help you. Send them to poolforum@gmail.com. Try to get some clear pictures of the filter as a whole, and also of the manufacturer's label on the filter. Don't worry about sending pictures that are too big -- I can shrink them, but if they're too small, I can't really make them bigger.