Anyone used "Zeosand" in place of regular sand?

[GreenLight]

We began selling the stuff last summer. Everyone seemed to like it and I had a few comments from people with lights that the water looked much better at night. The most important thing if you do get it is to backwash upon startup. If not, the pool will go cloudy and become very difficult to clear up.

Brad

Do you mean that one should backwash everytime they start up the pump / filter? Is that true only if one is using zeolite?

[KurtV]

I'm not sure exactly what Brad was saying, but you definitely don't need to backwash a sand filter, whether filled with sand or zeo, each time you start the pump; just when filter pressure rises by 8 or 10 PSI from normal.

[bdavis]

I'm sure Brad was talking about initial startup. As in, loading it for the first time. You need to backwash and rinse, wait, then do it again several times. When backwash and rinse water is clear, your good to go.
http://www.zeobrite.com/PDF/InstallationGuide.pdf

Cheers

[Waterworks]

Thanks BDavis, that's exactly what I meant. The very first time you start up the filter with the new zeolite sand you must backwash a number of times, otherwise you will have cloudy water problems.

Brad

[KurtV]

Thanks BDavis, that's exactly what I meant. The very first time you start up the filter with the new zeolite sand you must backwash a number of times, otherwise you will have cloudy water problems.

Brad

Brad, On re-reading that, what you wrote was perfectly clear. I must have been even slower than normal last night.

[bassadict69]

When I first opened my pool this year, the water was a little cloudy. I maintained my chem levels & filtered 24/7 for almost a week to no avail. I then decided to change my sand & switch to zeolite. After the switch, my water was crystal clear in less than 2 days.

The only drawback I see to it is that I was told not to add anything through the skimmer so everything will have to be dumped straight into the pool.

[Poconos]

Any explanation why not to add stuff to the skimmer? I guess I can understand acid but things like borax, baking soda, and 6% bleach are pretty benign I would think.
Al

[matt4x4]

I've been using Zeolite, and I do Add stuff through the skimmer, it has NEVER caused a problem.
I do understand why you'd have to backwash on first use, the zeobrite/lite is a mineral and during transport it actually grinds against itself creating a fine powder, this powder needs to be eliminated and not blown into your pool.
However, if it goes into your pool, just shut the pump off for a day or two, let it settle (even adding some floculant will help bind it with the rest of the foreign stuff), add some DE into the skimmer and vac it out - the DE will catch it and you can backwash it out.

[bassadict69]

No explanations other than that the zeolite is REAL temperamental about what goes through it & will need to be recharged (or something like that) more often.

[slater1182]

anyone useing Zeosand mixed with regular sand? is that ok? good/bad? thanks