looks like sand in pool...

[heatherc]

..its not yellow or brownish even, it looks like fine sand particles, maybe smaller than that in kids sandboxes.

[Poconos]

What make and model filter do you have? Is it possible somewhere along the way the wrong type of sand got in the filter? Play sand is too fine and will find its way to the pool. In any case, back to the original question. Depends on the style of the filter but usually the top, which is usually a multiport valve assembly, is removed and that exposes the inside. Once the filter is drained a shop vac is the best way to get the sand out safely. Going to be a slow process as you have to dump the vac many times. You don't want to tip the filter, assuming you could, as that may damage the laterals at the bottom. On my Hayward the laterals are on pivoting joints and fold up like an upside down umbrella and the whole assembly is then lifted through the top hole.
Al

[CarlD]

You could also use a kid's beach sand shovel, but work carefully and slowly so you don't damage the laterals. When they are all clear, you can fold them up and pull them out and then just dump the sand.

It's really important to use only filter sand, which is cheap enough--I've seen it as high as $12/50lb and as low as $5/50lb. But set up right and you never need to replace it--I'm on year 7, Poconos is on year 12, 13 or 14 (I forgot which, Al).

Or you can use the sand alternatives like Zeolite--they are expensive and you have to figure out how much is the equiv of 50lbs because it's much lighter for the volume.

Personally, I don't see the point--a little DE in the filter gives the same super-clear water and $10 of DE will last you several seasons, but some people swear by it.

[heatherc]

thanks...we have never changed the sand, and have been here 15 yrs...assume it is the proper sand for the filter. Does anyone know approx how much new lateral thingy costs?

[maryberrye]

16600 IG vinyl pool
FC 5.0
CC 0
PH 7.6
CYA 38
TA high at 200 but because it's vinyl we aren't worried about that
Sand filter

We also keep getting something in the pool. Even though the water was crystal clear we kept getting little blobs of something in the bottom, never anything on the sides, just the bottom. We were worried it was mustard algae so took the steps out of the pool, shocked the heck out of it, vacuumed to waste.

What we discovered after more than a week of experimenting was, whatever it is, it is coming out of the filter. If we don't run the filter the pool stays crystal clear with no little blobs. AFter reading this above posts and the description of pollen, I think that's probably what we have. We've always had to vacuum these blobs very slowly or they cloud up and disappear into the water.

Since our filter and sand are only four summers old, we really don't want to have to change the sand, and from reading, it sounds like it wouldn't matter anyway, because pollen will just keep going through the filter. I am intrigued by Carl's mention of adding DE to the filter thru the skimmer. I read the post that he's used only 5# of DE over the last 2 seasons and was wondering, for our size of pool, how much to start with?

I should also add, we live at the end of a cul-de-sac that acts like a wind tunnel blowing everything our way, and are in the heart of the San Joaquin valley in CA, so there's more than enough pollen blowing around to explain our funky phenomenom

Thank you in advance.

Mary

[aylad]

Carl and Poconos, when they use DE in their filters, only add enough to increase the pressure by 1.....I'm thinking they add about a cup, but I'll have to check on that. I would backwash the filter, notice your pressure reading, then add about 1/2 cup of DE and see what that does to your pressure. If you put too much in, you can always backwash it out.

Edit: Here's a link to CarlD's procedure. Hope it helps!
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthr...g+sand+filters

Janet

[CarlD]

Carl and Poconos, when they use DE in their filters, only add enough to increase the pressure by 1.....I'm thinking they add about a cup, but I'll have to check on that. I would backwash the filter, notice your pressure reading, then add about 1/2 cup of DE and see what that does to your pressure. If you put too much in, you can always backwash it out.

Edit: Here's a link to CarlD's procedure. Hope it helps!
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthr...g+sand+filters

Janet

Start with 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Wait 20-30 minutes after adding it and check the pressure. Enough to raise it 1 to 2 lbs, max. If you don't get a full lb increase, add a little more. I use about 1/2 cup myself.

If you use to much you'll see drain and return pressure will drop and the dial will go up. Simply backwash to clear it out.

You'll need to add more DE after you backwash--every time. But don't worry--I'm still on my first 10 lb box after 3-4 years!