My sand filter has 5 bags of zeolite in it and is only half full. It was originally about 3 quaters full with silica sand but zeolite is so expensive i didnt buy enough. Its been running for 6 months without issue but filtering is not quite as goid as i woukd like. Im thinking of topping up with a couple of bags of silica. Can you do that or does it have to be zeolite?
Mixing Zeolite and Silica Sand
- Thread starter stube40
- Start date
I suspect adding sand on top of zeo is only going to crush the zeo already in the filter and mess it up.
No matter which product you use you really should have it filled to the proper level (usually 3/4 filled).
*If* I was going to *try* this I'd have the #20 silica sand below the zeo. And Zeolite doesn't get many raves that I'd use it in the first place. Sand is cheaper and from reading experiences here, many zeolite users have switched back to sand.
FWIW...YMMV. If you do mix them let us know how it works.
Maddie
No matter which product you use you really should have it filled to the proper level (usually 3/4 filled).
*If* I was going to *try* this I'd have the #20 silica sand below the zeo. And Zeolite doesn't get many raves that I'd use it in the first place. Sand is cheaper and from reading experiences here, many zeolite users have switched back to sand.
FWIW...YMMV. If you do mix them let us know how it works.
Maddie
Last edited:
cfherrman
TFP Guide
Unhappy as is plugs fast, or is in not very clean
Clean can be solved with de powder
Clean can be solved with de powder
Usually, when changing from sand to Zeolite you use around 50% of the amount of sand
I see that on the Zeo installation sheet, but meant for his sand filter using sand, he's probably short. But you're right on the Zeo. It takes 50-60% weight. And that too should be at the proper weight which will raise in height once Zeo product is added to the water in the filter shell.
https://zeoinc.com//wp-content/uploads/2013/12/zs_appli.pdf
https://zeoinc.com//wp-content/uploads/2013/12/zs_appli.pdf
Flying Tivo
TFP Guide
- Jan 24, 2017
- 2,962
- Pool Size
- 7500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Zeo has its own peculiarities. It does not behave as sand, and many people trying to convert usually give up because they treat it like sand and give it a bad name. First and foremost Zeo is initially very dirty, and i dont mean it as having dirt, it is very fragile and can become very fine particles and clog the pores on the large zeo particles. Zeo makes claims that it has filtering capacity of up to 6 microns, this is important to understand.
So the first thing to do is to wash the Zeo, i recommend to do it on a large drum or on several buckets because if you want to do it by backwashing with the filter its going to take a lot of water and you will probably end up with a lot of Zeo on your pool. After washing the Zeo and the water no longer is dirty, let the zeo rest in water for at least 24 hours. After that you will wash several time again until water is clear. Then you can proceed to fill your filter with the Zeo, remembering that it only take 50% of the sand listed on the filter. Start with a backwash until clear, followed by rinse until clear. After all this is done you can start your pump in filter mode. Be advised that Zeo works by flow and not pressure so be careful not to exceed flow rates depending on filter size. If you exceed flow rates then all your dirt will start to flow between the Zeo and come out to the pool.
How I learned this?
Well it started by using vacuum to clean the pool, I always used high flows and the dirt would just pop out through the returns. As I started to lower flows the system stared working great. Now i only use the same flow as what my SWG needs to work and no longer use vacuum, thanks for robots. As for backwashing, I have yet to establish a timeline due to heavy rains and using backwash to drain pool.
Someone asked if you can mix and match sand/Zeo, it works if you dont backwash EVER! Since not backwashing is not an option, what will happen is that the Zeo and Sand will mix, and you will end up with the sand filtering qualities, and you would only have spent money.
So the important points are:
Zeo has to be cleaned before use
Flow, if you have a single speed pump or even a 2 speed pump and the flow is higher than what Zeo recommends it wont work.
Filter/Backwashing/Rinse all have to be with slow flow not at full speed like sand.
No mix and match.
The pressure Rule for cleaning the filter does not apply, but you can backwash as many times as you like(6 microns)not that they are needed
YMMV
Hope it helps understand Zeo a little more. I do still recommend Sand as great and gold standard of filtration.
Felipe
So the first thing to do is to wash the Zeo, i recommend to do it on a large drum or on several buckets because if you want to do it by backwashing with the filter its going to take a lot of water and you will probably end up with a lot of Zeo on your pool. After washing the Zeo and the water no longer is dirty, let the zeo rest in water for at least 24 hours. After that you will wash several time again until water is clear. Then you can proceed to fill your filter with the Zeo, remembering that it only take 50% of the sand listed on the filter. Start with a backwash until clear, followed by rinse until clear. After all this is done you can start your pump in filter mode. Be advised that Zeo works by flow and not pressure so be careful not to exceed flow rates depending on filter size. If you exceed flow rates then all your dirt will start to flow between the Zeo and come out to the pool.
How I learned this?
Well it started by using vacuum to clean the pool, I always used high flows and the dirt would just pop out through the returns. As I started to lower flows the system stared working great. Now i only use the same flow as what my SWG needs to work and no longer use vacuum, thanks for robots. As for backwashing, I have yet to establish a timeline due to heavy rains and using backwash to drain pool.
Someone asked if you can mix and match sand/Zeo, it works if you dont backwash EVER! Since not backwashing is not an option, what will happen is that the Zeo and Sand will mix, and you will end up with the sand filtering qualities, and you would only have spent money.
So the important points are:
Zeo has to be cleaned before use
Flow, if you have a single speed pump or even a 2 speed pump and the flow is higher than what Zeo recommends it wont work.
Filter/Backwashing/Rinse all have to be with slow flow not at full speed like sand.
No mix and match.
The pressure Rule for cleaning the filter does not apply, but you can backwash as many times as you like(6 microns)not that they are needed
YMMV
Hope it helps understand Zeo a little more. I do still recommend Sand as great and gold standard of filtration.
Felipe
Wow. Thanks everyone. If i had known how difficult Zeolite is im not sure i would ever have bothered with it.
Flying Tivo
TFP Guide
- Jan 24, 2017
- 2,962
- Pool Size
- 7500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Its not difficult, setting it up takes a little more time but worth the 6 micron filtering capacity. Filtering with sand takes place between sand particles, filtering with zeo is within the zeo particle.
Felipe
Felipe
For what it's worth I have been using Zeo for several years with no problems at all. Yes it was a workout washing all that dust out of it before putting it in the filter. I dumped in a bunch of clarifier before starting it up and it's doing what its supposed to do ever since. The only other thing I would say is I wouldn't add any DE to the filter like some people do with sand as I would be afraid it would clog the small pores in the Zeo.