Getting serious about water testing finally

[aylad]

Usually there's no such thing as "bad" sand, unless you've been through a Baq conversion or used some sort of additive that gummed it up--there are many folks on the forum that have used their sand for several years--I think Watermom is on her 7 or 8th season with hers, and the other two mods are over 10 years with theirs, if memory serves. However, if you're having sand blowing back into the pool and if that's been happening for some time, you might need to replace the sand that has blown out.

I'll let Pooldoc or one of the other equipment experts answer your filter question, but I'm thinking that 1.5 hp pump is too strong for your filter. I have a 1 hp pump on a 325# sand filter.....

One reason for sand blowback is too big a pump for the filter, but another might be broken laterals in the filter. Just something to think about...

Janet

[Watermom]

I think Watermom is on her 7 or 8th season with hers

I'm actually on my 12th season with my same sand. I did top off my sand filter this year, but that is the first time I have done so since I bought this filter 12 seasons ago.

[Vtattebury]

Yes, I've heard sand lasts a long time. Just wondering (before I take off my valve!) how do I top it off? Is there something like a fill line I bring it up to? I've also been reading the threads about adding a little DE, and that seems like a great idea as well.

K2006 is finally on a UPS truck heading my way.

[Watermom]

Your manual should tell you how high to fill it.

[aylad]

Just make sure that after you fill it with new sand, you start the pump back up with the filter handle in "backwash" mode, let it backwash for a minute or two, then turn pump off, turn to rinse, let it rinse for a minute or so, THEN back to filter. If you don't, then all the dust from the sand will blow back into your pool, and create another week's worth of work to clean up--been there, done that!!

Janet