Fliter Sand, HTS vs. Zeobrite??

[Watermom]

BTW (By the way) Digger --- you don't have to change your sand every 5 years. I have had the same sand now for 10 years and not a problem. Al has had his sand longer than that and I think Carl has had his same sand for quite awhile, too. There is no rule for needing to change the sand every 5 years. Likewise, don't let anybody sell you any "sand cleaner." No need for that either.

[CarlD]

Yup. This is my 8th year. Sand gets BETTER as it gets older and dirtier. It filters better. Only if you use some chemical that gums it up should you have to change it.

[waterbear]

Likewise, don't let anybody sell you any "sand cleaner." No need for that either.

True! Best way to clean your sand if it has channeled or is fouled is to open the top of the filter to expose the sand bed, stick a garden hose in the sand and turn it on. As the water loosens up the sand all kinds of junk will float to the top and flow out the filter. GENTLY break up any clumps with something like a broom handle (but be VERY CAREFUL not to damage the laterals!). Do this until the overflowing water is basically clean.
IMHO, this should be done every year here in FL where pools are open year 'round, Depending on the length of your pool season and your water conditons YMMV!

(YMMV= your mileage may vary)

[Digger]

Thank you everyone for all the good information. I think I figured out what IMHO is, in my humble opioion? Is that right? I am not used to all the abbrev., but figuring them out, smile! I should ask our deaf daughter she texts all the time. Wow, I can't believe the sand last that long!! I know when we first got our pool the sand wasn't changed for 6-7 years, and when we spent oddles of money on chemicals, and water was still cloudy, they said it was the sand. Than it was clean the fliter sand. Of course that was with Baq. We were instructed to do a filter clean, filter aid, floc it, man!! Now you are saying don't clean the filter with any cleaners? Hmm! Interesting! Makes sense though if you have to clean it, flush it out, when you add chemicals it would tend to just gum it up.!

[Digger]

Does anyone know where you can get cheaper filter sand. $10 for 50 lb. is the cheapest in our area. I have a 300 lb tank too, which will be 60 plus tax.

[waterbear]

That's about the going price in my area for filter sand. If you figure that the sand is good for 10 years (and many will say it lasts longer than that) it's only $6 a year.

BTW (by the way) I work with Deaf kids and they don't necessarily use the same TLAs (three letter acronyms, which often have more than three letters!) when they text. The ones whose native language is ASL tend to use ones that are a bit different than the HOH (Hard of hearing) or those that had oral instruction in English.

[CarlD]

In my area it can fluctuate wildly. I've bought it for $12/$13 a bag then seen it the next season for $5 or $6 a bag--50# bags.

I shouldn't laugh because a number of members of my family have hearing loss (my brother wears dual hearing aids) and I have a deaf cousin, and my own hearing could be better (with a lot of ambient noise I can no distinguish words of someone speaking very well)--but when you mentioned HOH, all I could think of was Garrett Morris on the original SNL with "English for the Hard of Hearing"--and the "Loud Family" skits (after the PBS series--the first reality show) and I LOL'd!

[Poconos]

There is a sticky at the top of this forum about adding DE to a sand filter. Only thing Carl forgot to mention you should mix the DE in a couple gallons of water then pour the mix in the skimmer slowly. With a 300# filter you can probably start at 1/2 cup. Also, don't inhale the dust. On the sand, mine is almost 13 years old and the only thing I should do is add some. I'm low and I know it and probably can throw another bag or so in the filter which I'll do next spring. You do lose a little each time you backwash. Not much but after 13 years it adds up. Also, if you add DE and are vacuuming dust or crud from the bottom of the pool, watch the pressure. Tends to climb and the flow may drop fast.
Enjoy the pool.
Al

[Digger]

Interesting, that you work with deaf students. Wondering what area you are in? Our daughter is 33 now, raised signing exact English and ASL later. She was mostly in hearing world until later in life and immersed herself into the deaf world. Went to MSSD at Gallaudet for part of 8th grade in D.C. Lisa signs and talks. She has a Severe to Profound loss, but does amazing. Her son has a mild to moderate and being a teenager refuses to wear his aid any more. Just wondering how much contact you have with deaf students, I am always interested as deafness is a big part of my life and world, since Lisa being diagnosed at 22 months. I know late, even after me questioning since 6 months old!

[waterbear]

Interesting, that you work with deaf students. Wondering what area you are in? Our daughter is 33 now, raised signing exact English and ASL later. She was mostly in hearing world until later in life and immersed herself into the deaf world. Went to MSSD at Gallaudet for part of 8th grade in D.C. Lisa signs and talks. She has a Severe to Profound loss, but does amazing. Her son has a mild to moderate and being a teenager refuses to wear his aid any more. Just wondering how much contact you have with deaf students, I am always interested as deafness is a big part of my life and world, since Lisa being diagnosed at 22 months. I know late, even after me questioning since 6 months old!

I work in the Independent Living Skills apartment program with Deaf (and also blind/VI) Seniors and continuing students at a Residential Deaf and Blind school. This past year I had two Deaf apartments for a total of 12 teenage boys, many of them special needs. Last year I worked with Blind/VI Seniors and continuing students so it does change for me from year to year. They do their own cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc so I work with them very closely on such skills as budgeting, food prep, cleaning, finding rec activities in the community, etc. We teach a curriculum on independent living with such diverse areas as marriage and raising children, personal safety, illness prevention, and vacation planning. I work with Deaf staff, hearing staff, and VI staff and I sign ASL (and also know grade 2 Literary Braille). Because of the work I do I am also part of the "Deaf Community". (and at this point in my life I am slightly HOH and wear a hearing aid (sometimes don't really need it at work!)...the results of playing guitar in a rock band when I was a teenager back in the 60s and 70s!)