Sand Filter expert help

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Poolidiot

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LifeTime Supporter
Mar 31, 2007
483
Texas
Ok I am in need of some expert help/advise;

1. When /how often do you need to change your sand? (I have had my pool for 8 years and never changed the sand)
2. My filter is a Ranger series sand filter and has a sticker on it with the different size on the sticker but none of them are marked so how do you know what size it is? (do you measure around the tank,measure how tall it is, etc)
3. What procedure/steps do you do to change the sand in the filter? (I have a little paper that came with the filter and it says something about using a "sand loading disc, but I do not have one)
4. Best way to get the old sand out?
5. Best way to keep the stand pipe centered?

Basicly I need a 1st graders step by step instructions on how to do this. Pictures would even help!!! :hammer:

I just do not want to start on this and not know how to do it and screw it up and then not have a filter system.
 
Re: Sanf Filter expert help

There are two schools of thought on sand. One group never changes their sand. The others like to change their sand ever five to seven years. Some of the sharp points on the sand wear off after five to seven years, so it does not filter quite as well after that. However, it does still filter fairly well, so there is no absolute need to change it.

The one time you have to change you sand is if it gets all clumped up into clumps that don't break apart easily.

2) Measuring around the outside should be enough to figure out which one you have.
3) Open up the filter, gently scoop or use a shop vac to vacuum out the sand. Take care not to damage the laterals, which are small pipes buried in the sand. Fill with 10-12" of water. Add the required amount of sand making sure it does not go into the vertical pipe. It is a good idea to make some kind of cover to protect the pipe if you don't have the original disk/cover thing.
4) Covered above.
5) Measure carefully when there is just enough sand to hold it in place, add some more sand very carefully, and it should then hold it's position fairly well. Again, you could make something out of cardboard to hold it in place if you want.
 
Re: Sanf Filter expert help

Now I used to thinks just as Jason says but my mind was completely altered when I saw a commercial sand cleaning operation. Sand has been around for millions of years and it does not get worn out anymore by the occasional backwash procedure.
That said there are occasions when it has to be changed for instance hard water calcium build up takes too long to clean up so it's not economic. Indeed it may not be economic to clean in terms of time compared to the relative low cost of replacement but it doesn't wear out.

I saw 10 year old sand from a commercial pool filter which was in poor condition. Once it had been cleaned I viewed it under a microscope against new sand and you couldn't tell the difference. I have used the same technique on a domestic filter and the crud we removed was amazing.

cleanedsand.jpg



newsand.jpg



Can you tell which one is the new sand and which is the cleaned?
 
Re: Sanf Filter expert help

RobbieH said:
Since I'm replacing the laterals in mine next week, and since the sand in mine is most likely circa 1986, is it not worth the expense of replacing my sand?
Click to expand...
If you're removing the sand anyway, then it's best to replace it.
 
Re: Sanf Filter expert help

As I see it sand filters are relatively cheap, and after 10-15 years the rubber and plastic parts tend to wear out, rather than going to the trouble of rebuilding them I think it is often a better option to simply replace the whole thing, sure it cost a little more, but it is a lot less labor, and for people like me that live in the middle of no where and have to order parts, it decreases the chance of being stuck without a working filter for a week because some part did not match the diagram.
 
Re: Sanf Filter expert help

I really don't want the hassle of DE. I have a friend with a DE pool and sand is SO much easier than what he deals with.

I am probably 10 miles from 100 pool stores (not really much of an exaggeration) and less than 2 miles from the Leslie's commercial supply and warehouse. Must be the Texas heat.
 

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Re: Sanf Filter expert help

teapot said:
Now I used to thinks just as Jason says but my mind was completely altered when I saw a commercial sand cleaning operation. Sand has been around for millions of years and it does not get worn out anymore by the occasional backwash procedure.
That said there are occasions when it has to be changed for instance hard water calcium build up takes too long to clean up so it's not economic. Indeed it may not be economic to clean in terms of time compared to the relative low cost of replacement but it doesn't wear out.

I saw 10 year old sand from a commercial pool filter which was in poor condition. Once it had been cleaned I viewed it under a microscope against new sand and you couldn't tell the difference. I have used the same technique on a domestic filter and the crud we removed was amazing.

cleanedsand.jpg



newsand.jpg



Can you tell which one is the new sand and which is the cleaned?
Click to expand...

The top photo looks like old used sand. There are large amounts of rounded and polished grains. The jelly bean looking grains.

The bottom photo looks like new sand showing to be more raw and rough.

I would not say that sand wears out, but as it ages with use in a sand filter it gets polished and rounded which causes it to grab and hold less dirt particles. Sure worn sand still filters, but again there are less sharp edges to catch fine particles the longer it is used IE older sand starts to loss filter area the longer it is used. And the more rounded the sand gets, the larger the gaps between grains become.

I switched to Zeosand and notice a huge difference in my larger pool. Its in both pool filters, but the larger pool for some reason showed the most difference. Maybe its because there is more water to filter or more pool surface area to collect dirt or both, but everybody notice and asked what was different as they didn't see any new or different equipment.
 
Unfortunately the lighting is different in the pictures so one looks brighter but the corners are still there all but the jelly bean in the middle. The sand in the filter doesn't move around when filtering. The water excerts a pressure onto the sand slightly conpressing it to form a filter cake in the top few inches (no movement) the sand grains are only moving and bumping into each other when on backwash. The dealers tell you it's new sand but it's probably a million years old when you get it and the once a month or even less that people backwash on domestic pools is not going to wear it by any margin. That sand was from a large commercial pool therefore backwashed far more frequently and it was 10 years old.

As to whether sand is all that great is another matter. Zeolitic material is full of holes so increasing the surface area by a huge magnitude but those holes are harder to clean out than somthing without holes (despite what the sellers tell you) because the surface area inc the holes is so large you do notice a difference as it unquestionably filters finer than sand but it will eventually take on board enough dirt/oils etc to clog those holes and dirt is trying to be oxidised by chlorine so the chlorine demand must rise.

I am using the AFM glass from Dryden aqua which definately filters finer than sand too, I noticed the difference in clarity after around 3 hours. A little of their poly floc from time to time to remove even smaller partcles which instead of keeping some of it in the filter as with zeolite, I rinse away with the backwash.

As Jason has said in a small domestic pool it doesn't really matter as the batherload is low compared to a heavily used commercial pool but it's good to experiment.
 
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