Changing my sand after attempting deep clean

[basod]

I tried the deep clean procedure yesterday and after 30mins it was still all kinds of nasty.
Drained the filter and found a bunch of twig bits and pine needles.
As I shop vacuumed the heavy stuff off the top(wouldn't float with the hose on) it was evident how deep the debris went.

Realized what probably caused this mess.

Stopping and cleaning the suction basket after vacuuming and then switching to backwash pumps a very small amount of the stuff that doesn't get caught in the basket during removal into the bottom of the filter sand.
Multiply this by who knows 30yrs? and the sand is pretty much filthy.

$60 for 300lb of sand sounds like a better option that trying to sift it, plus I'll get to check the fingers.

Hindsight I kind of wish I'd have done an FC test off the filter drain after letting it sit overnight to see how much the organic material was sucking up. In all likely hood it was saturated with chlorine but who knows?

 

[basod]

Got it all cleaned after letting it drain overnight.
Found a rusted nail laying on top of three of the fingers.

Tapped lateral/fingers gently on concrete to knock any stuck sand particles out of them, nothing broken. Grabbing some sand when I go to town today.

 

[Richard320]

Got it all cleaned after letting it drain overnight.
Found a rusted nail laying on top of three of the fingers.

Tapped lateral/fingers gently on concrete to knock any stuck sand particles out of them, nothing broken. Grabbing some sand when I go to town today.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that you want to put some water in the bottom when you first install the standpipe and laterals before you start adding sand. It helps support the weight or something. And don't forget to run it on rinse when you fire it up the first time, otherwise all the dust will end up in your pool.

 

[Smykowski]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that you want to put some water in the bottom when you first install the standpipe and laterals before you start adding sand. It helps support the weight or something. And don't forget to run it on rinse when you fire it up the first time, otherwise all the dust will end up in your pool.

Yes. Filling with a little bit of water cushions the sand as it drops to the bottom of the filter. Prevents large clumps from free-falling onto the laterals and possibly breaking them during the filling process.

 

[JVTrain]

And be sure to put a plastic bag over the center stand pipe before adding sand! Rubber band around it to keep in on during filling.

 

[basod]

Everything mentioned above is correct.
Per instructions on the side of the filter:
Fill 1/2way, center riser pipe and cover it, fill with media sand, install cover, but then backwash for 2 minutes and then rinse for 1 min.

I guess from now on when I clean pump bask I'll run to filter first then, back wash/rinse. Should keep stuff from getting into the base of the sand bed