Replace or add sand?

[Jerry]

I opened my filter to clean the sand with a hose and the sand level was just over half way up.
There wasn't much in the sand to clean out....some milky/grey sediment came up from the bottom.
Should I add sand to bring it up to the normal level or replace it all?

Small sediment seems to go right through the filter and back into the pool...but I am fighting debris from several trees in my neighbors yard.

 

[Bama Rambler]

How old is the sand?
How do you know exactly what level it should be?

If it's more than a few years old I'd just replace it all. I know we don't normally recommend that but if it's not filtering well and it's fairly low it won't cost a lot more to buy a complete charge.

 

[Jerry]

How old is the sand?
How do you know exactly what level it should be?

If it's more than a few years old I'd just replace it all. I know we don't normally recommend that but if it's not filtering well and it's fairly low it won't cost a lot more to buy a complete charge.

I think it's 3 years old....when I put the 200 lbs as marked on the filter label, it was about 3/4 or more full.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I think that's going ot be a judgement call on your part then.

3 year old sand shouldn't be worn down enough to need changing. In that case I'd probably just add enought to get back to where it started and call it good. Maybe throw a little DE in it if you're still not happy with the filtering.

 

[duraleigh]

Jerry,

More than 3/4 full is very likely too much for a sand filter. "Freeboard" is about 1/3 for most filters, so that's 2/3 full of sand. I double check with the manufacturer. Too much sand is probably not a good thing.

If you think your filter is "spitting" debris back into the pool, put something like a nylon over the returns and see what you catch.

 

[Jerry]

I think that's going ot be a judgement call on your part then.

3 year old sand shouldn't be worn down enough to need changing. In that case I'd probably just add enought to get back to where it started and call it good. Maybe throw a little DE in it if you're still not happy with the filtering.

I searched for filter sand level and found my own post from last year!

You suggest throwing a little DE into the filter.
What would this accomplish and wouldn't it just be backwashed out?

 

[Butterfly]

Adding DE to a sand filter should improve the filtering; and yes, it will backwash out.
So, if you like the effect, you'd add it after each backwash.

Here's the article in Pool School on how to add DE: pool-school/add_de_to_a_sand_filter