Filter "multimedia" change

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FrankM

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May 12, 2010
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New Jersey
I have a multimedia filter (the pool store get's upset if I call it a "sand" filter) and it's due to be changed. Never done this
before and want to know if anyone has any advice before I change the multimedia. I've been told to use a wet/dry vacuum.
Is this acceptable? Is there anything besides the piping to be wary of? Thanks.
Frank
 
Welcome to TFP!

Many people here never change their sand. There is some debate if changing the sand makes any difference at all.

A shop vac is a good approach. Some people like to scoop with a disposable plastic cup (ie something soft) until they get close to the laterals, and then switch to a shop vac. The laterals are buried in the sand and are a little delicate.

When filling it back up, make sure to put 12" of water in the filter before starting to add sand, which will help protect the laterals, and don't pour any sand down the vertical pipe.

Some sand filters have a sand drain at the bottom that allows you to wash the sand out with water.
 
The video is for a top mount valve sand filter, which are some of the most difficult ones to work with. They skip pretty quickly over vacuuming the sand out in that video, but otherwise it is fairly good. Just keep in mind that filters where the whole top half comes off are much easier to work with.
 
Thanks for the welcome to TFP.

I take it the laterals you speak of are near the bottom of the filter.

My builder said to change the media every five to seven years, this is year nine for me.
They gave me five 50lb bags of media, one 50lb bag of pea gravel for the base.
Said they started to use pea gravel in new installs and recommended I do it also.
Any thoughts on that?

My filter has a side mounted valve and I believe the top half does not come off, just the lid.
 
The laterals are quite near the bottom, but not quite all the way down there.

Pea gravel on the bottom is good for the larger sand filters. There is more debate about it for smaller filters. I take it you have a 300 lb sand filter, at which size I would say pea gravel is great, but not everyone agrees. By 600 lbs just about everyone agrees that pea gravel is good.

The small opening on the top is nearly as bad as the multi-port on top, but not quite because the center pipe is covered on top.
 
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