Faulty Sand Filter**? Need Advice

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Papacheeks

Active member
Jun 28, 2022
25
Michigan
Pool Size
8000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Good afternoon!

After countless searches for help to my issue I've come here in the hopes that maybe someone can help with my inquiry regarding my pool pump/filter combo.

We were having issues with mustard algae and such so we decided to bite the bullet and get a sand pump.
We decided to go with a XtremepowerUS 13" Sand Filter & 3/4HP Pump combo to replace cheap stock pump (.17 cartridge filter) that we bought online and made sure to put a 3 year warranty on due to lack of one on that comes with it.


That said - I have been noticing debris in our pool (turns out it was small bugs and cottonwood). I made sure to vacuum and get everything out of the pool, but then I'd come out a couple hours later to a clump of debris in our pool again.

Pool pressure seems steady, operates at about 3-4 psi after a backflush and we usually do this after it hits about 12-15 psi. (we've done a flush twice for various reasons).
We also made sure to use the recommended amount of sand for this filter size - 43lbs.

After getting frustrated about the cleanliness of debris I started experimenting to see where possibly this debris was coming from.

At first I tried the DE test that I saw (not sure if it was relevant but I think so) and the DE made it through the pump and made the water cloudy. Hmmmmm....

I then decided to put the little mesh sock over our ChemConnect (attaches to the return port) and waited to see if possibly stuff was making it through our pool pump.
** I waited 2 hours and checked and sure enough there was a good bit of cottonwood and bugs in my mesh bag/screen.

Now this has me thinking that maybe the pool pump will let some debris through? I don't know. I feel it shouldn't so thats whY i am here, to make sure my suspicions about the pump are correct. That and to maybe get some advice for things I could try.


I am not sure what to do and I don't want to mess with the pump and void the warranty, but also too, I want to see if maybe I am missing something since the instructions were shoddy.

I am hoping to not have to send this pump back for a replacement as I wil then have to try and source sand again, and also put that crappy cartridge filter back on.


Either way, sorry if I rambled. I hope someone can help though!
 
The pump just moves water and whatever is in the water into the filter, debris has to get through it.
If debris is getting through the filter, that is another issue. If you added a small amount of DE to the filter and it came through, you need to find out why, but that is not the pump.
Was enough of the proper sand installed into the filter?
 
1poolman1 said:
The pump just moves water and whatever is in the water into the filter, debris has to get through it.
If debris is getting through the filter, that is another issue. If you added a small amount of DE to the filter and it came through, you need to find out why, but that is not the pump.
Was enough of the proper sand installed into the filter?
Click to expand...


Poolman - I apologize for the cruddy description! I used the wrong term, I meant the Sand Filter.

I am rocking a 13" Sand Filter.
Sand: HTH Pool Filter Sand (purchased from meijer)


According to the product description we were to add 43lbs of sand - after we first started noticing the issue with the bugs and cottonwood we added the rest of the 7lbs. We have been in contact with the seller (amzn) but it seems as though they are not as worried - almost as though they are trying to delay us so that we don't resolve within the initial 30 days of purchase (so they aren't liable).
They replied, but their response was to make sure that the sand was 2" below the neck of the filter however everywhere I read I keep seeing that the filter only needs 2/3 fill of sand (which is where it reaches with 43lbs).

I used a scale because i was being anal about the filter, so I know for a fact I added exactly 43lbs of sand at first. I added the additional 7lbs to finish out the bag of sand, as instructed.

I put the sock back on the return port again to see if stuff is still making it through and unfortunatley it is.

Do i just need to add more sand?


All i know is, I really have to get this water filtration figured out because as of right now we are burning through those chlorine tabs. (currently adding CYA as it shows low even though we use the tabs).
 
Adding more sand is not going to solve the problem if the right amount was added at the beginning. You will take up the "freeboard," the area above the sand bed that is needed for, among other things, a good backwash. It should be noted that cottonwood can get through many filters.
As the filter gets a little dirty it will start to filter finer material. May need to give it a little time.
 
1poolman1 said:
Adding more sand is not going to solve the problem if the right amount was added at the beginning. You will take up the "freeboard," the area above the sand bed that is needed for, among other things, a good backwash. It should be noted that cottonwood can get through many filters.
As the filter gets a little dirty it will start to filter finer material. May need to give it a little time.
Click to expand...

Thanks poolman! Maybe I was expecting it to filter everything or dang near. Right now its not a terrible amount, i just had nothing to really base it off. We only get a minor amount of cottonwood and bugs (small mosquitos and gnats).

Right now we are working on getting our water chemicals down pat, and I currently struggle with the chlorine content. I use 1" tabs, that I just found out through this website (chlorinating section) also have CYA in them, which is strange because according to my pool kit my stabilizer/CYA is super low. So working on correcting that to see if i can keep a good chlorine content.

I was a little worried the extra debris in the pool was causing the chlorine to be depleted extra quick, and with pool chemicals costing like they do, I don't want to have to use more than necessary. Trying to limit my learning curve.
 
Could you possibly tell me if I undersized my filter?

I keep seeing that I need 3sqft of cleaning, but the filter says it is 13" and I don't see the sqft info on the website.
 
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