Pool Filter sand Affect PH

[Siegfried]

Hi, quick question here.
Can different makes/types of Pool Filter Sand affect the PH?
Personnaly I don't think so but I was asked about this on an Aquarium forum.
It is just silica sand I believe. I couldn't find any MSDS sheets on this from the manufacturers.
thanks

 

[JohnT]

I really doubt it. The volume of sand is small compared to the pool, and it would have to dissolve into the water to change the pH. While a little dust probably mixes with the water when the sand is new, there is no significant erosion of the sand into the water.

 

[all your parts]

i dont think it does
but the weather now that changes things

 

[Guest]

Pool sand is silica so it is inert. However, different susbstrates are used in aquaria and some of them do have an impact on pH such as peat or crushed coral and dolomite (the first lowers pH while the second two can raise it.)
However if there are any impurities in the sand it could have an impact, which is why any substrate for an aquarium needs to be well rinsed first.
As an aside, there ARE sand filters made for large aquaira that are identical to the ones made for pools. In fact, Pentair makes them! (The make a lot of aquarium equpment.) I have actually built slow sand filters for aquariua and regular filter sand is all that is ever used, along with pea gravel.