Installing new filter

[aylad]

Am also wondering if there are special tools needed that only a pool construction/repair person might have and not the average Joe?

I very much doubt it--my husband and a friend installed our last one, and neither of them is especially handy, and wouldn't have had any specialty tools...

[jv4nu]

Husband got the old filter disassembled and we ordered a new one. Found one for $423, local store in town wanted $700. This may seem like a dumb question, but while waiting for it to arrive, can I vacuum to waste? I have had valve on recirculate and been adding bleach to keep chlorine levels where I want them, but pool bottom is getting dirty.

[Watermom]

Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I don't see why not. On waste, it bypasses the filter anyways. Having said that, I also will say --- don't worry about a dirty pool floor right now. You can clean it up quickly once you are ready to get operational again.