Pac Fab superflow 50 sand filter

Hi, I've recently changed sand in my filter guided by a video I found on Youtube. It said to fill tank with water prior to adding the new sand to prevent damaging the laterals which i did. Unfortunately after all is said & done, ive got sand coming out the backwash water as well as in the pool & now im prepping to take it all back apart & scoop out all the sand to inspect the laterals more closely. I'll probly just replace them regardless cuz i may as well. But i was wondering if anybody can tell me whether or not the water all by itself, no sand, should remain in the tank or if it should be draining slowly as i work? Also I've just got the basic push pull valve which is filter/back wash. Anyway i did the job right. Thoroughly cleaned the tank and the seal area along with the clamp etc, used the right sand & amount. I've been told the most common cause of sand in the pool is broken laterals however ive also been told that it could be the water rising too high during back wash. Also that after a sand change it is not uncommon. Thanks I would appreciate any feedback on the matter cuz if ots suppose to be holding water & isn't, i may need to be looking at the O rings further down beyond the laterals yeah?

Without knowing the model of your filter, and seeing the schematics, I can't do much more than guess.

But while broken laterals will cause the problems you describe, it's also common to see problems resulting from an overlooked or un-repaired air relief arrangement.

Most sand filters have some sort of arrangement -- usually involving small low-grade tubing which can get brittle -- that allows air caught below the sand to the top of the filter, without bubbling through the sand. Often, when sand is replaced, these tubes or gizmos will be broken or removed without even being noticed. When this happens an opening is created, somewhere below the sand but upstream of the lateral hub. You might want to consider if this might be your problem. If it is, air bypass is usually not essential, so you may be able to 'fix' things by plugging the hole, even if you can't replace the bypass with new bits.

Otherwise, a cracked hub or lateral is a good place to look. The ABS plastic used is easier to mold (I assume) than PVC, but deteriorates over time and can get so brittle it will crack if you just look at it wrong. For this reason, some pros will only 'repair' an old sand filter by gutting it, and installing all new internals.

Good luck.

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