When to change sand.

[filix]

I took the cover off my hayward s-200 and tried the hose thing to clean my sand. It took me 3 hours. the sand was very dirty and full od hemlock needles. I finally had to scoop out almost all the sand and put it in smaller buckets to clean it that way. I should have just replaced the sand. I think maybe next year I will. Filix.

 

[jblizzle]

There is rarely a requirement to change the sand (besides after Baq conversion) ... but in some cases it seems like it can be easier to change it than clean it.

Were you having a problem with the filter in the first place?

 

[filix]

No problems, but its an older system 1990. And I just wanted to do some preventative maintenance.

 

[RobbieH]

I replaced the sand in mine, but only because the filter was leaking sand into the pool. It was installed either in 89 or 91, so pretty much the same age as yours. There was nothing wrong with the sand though. Just easier to ditch it all at once.

 

[jblizzle]

Well ... 22 years is not too bad for sand that is millions of year old

But, if you were having problems with moving a hose through it due to clumping ... then changing it can't hurt.

 

[filix]

True! 22 years is not bad. Pool store says it should be changed every 6 to 8 years. They said the sand gets round and less affective. I'm sure it does. But they want to sell you stuff. 200 pounds of sand is not very exspensive. When I put the garden hose in my sand filter, and let the dirty water spill over the sides, it just kept comming. After about 45 minutes the water comming out was still very dirty. Thats when I decided to take it out and clean it a bucket at a time.