My current pool is an Intex AG. The original pump that came with the pool is dying a slow and painful death after 5 seasons. I have a pump and sand filter for the much larger AG pool that I will set up next spring. It is 3ish weeks till Labor Day, I usually take the pool down around then. What would I need to do to the sand filter to get it online and hooked to this pool? I am trying to decide if it is worth only using it for 3 weeks.
How Much Work To Get A Sand Filter Online?
- Thread starter crokett
- Start date
Is the sand filter you have an Intex sand filter if so they come with adapters and you could have it up and running in an hour or so.
Nope. The pump is a Hayward. I forget the model number. I was just wondering how complicated the plumbing is or can I just more or less set the thing up in place of the old pump, connect it and go? Obviously I would have to find adapters, etc. The filter has been sitting for a while - do I need to backwash or anything?
It should be easy to set up, but if you plan on moving it you'll have to take all the sand out of it and I don't know if you want to go to that much trouble for three weeks.
I am not being a smart-***, why do I need to take the sand out? If it is because of weight I moved it to my house when I bought it with the sand in it, so I expect I can move it across the yard with the sand still in it. If it is because the sand needs to be repacked or something, then you are correct.
I'm not being a smart Rear either but let's hope you moved it VERY carefully. There are alot of delicate parts within the filter that the sifting of hundreds of pounds of sand can damage. IF you got lucky and it works to be safe it is recommend to remove the sand when transporting in the future.
Hmm... well I put it in the back of a truck, then took it out again. I didn't drop it, but I also didn't exactly handle it with kid gloves. I don't know what the previous owner did with it. I thought the filter was just a big plastic container with sand in it. What is the best way to open it and check it?
Sounds like you transported it fine. What the prior owner did???? Most damage to laterals (interal componets) occur when people try to roll the plastic jug across a yard. This will likely crack the laterals. Best way to see if it works is to get it online. I would try to get it up this season so you will know if it needs repairs. Also try to find a online manual for it so you can educate yourself about it.
It's the breaking of the internals that is the concern. Those things are delicate and they sit in sand so a shift will break laterals, break stand pipe, and possibly break the neck of the multiport valve. Do you feel lucky? 
Ok I will hook it up and test it. As far as the manual goes, the pump motor is a hayward, I can find the model # on it. I don't recall seeing a label on the filter. Would the pump and filter have been sold as a unit?
Also, when hooking up the non intex pump you will have to find a way to adapt the 1.25 inch fitting to 1.5 inch. I would recommend ditching the intex intake/return and installing standard Hayward fittings. Then hard plumb or use flex pvc. This will give you a real pump filter without the problems associated with intex.
I actually have the intake and return to the pool plumbed through PVC ball valves so I can isolate the pump. I should be able to hook those to the new pump without too much trouble.
Only other issue would be the age of the sand. If you think it might be have been used for more than five years I would get new sand, about $10 for 50 LBS. New sand will have sharper edges and filter better.
That's the conventional wisdom but it really doesn't pan out. There have been a couple of posts where people have put old sand and new sand under a microscope and you can't tell which is which. They look the same.
Well I am gonna pick up a replacement small pump tomorrow. Found one for 20 bucks and I was informed there was swimming with friends planned for Saturday. I won't have time to get the bigger pump up and running before Sunday or Monday so....
thanks anyway, there is some good info here for whenever I do get the big pump hooked up.
thanks anyway, there is some good info here for whenever I do get the big pump hooked up.
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