teapot said:
Where does it say whole grain crystaline silica = glass? that could just as easily be a description of silica sand.
It was the salesperson in the first store I went to who implied that the re-cycled glass is sand. I had asked for Grade #20 silica sand, and she said that is what it is, although she didn't know what grade it was.
Nothing I could see on the site stated "recycled" glass or even glass unless I missed something
The Warwick stuff I purchased from the other store is graded pool silica sand. The store owner confirmed it is Grade #20. He didn't try and put me off the glass stuff at all. He said it does perform well and lasts longer - just doesn't sell it and uses the Warwick sand in all of his installations. He also had Zeobrite if I wanted, but explained that it did require re-conditioning every year to avoid clumping. Up front.
Zeolites because of their ion exchange properties should be recharged each year with salt water, if you are using it with a salt pool you aren't getting ion exchange. Clumping, shows the zeolite structure is breaking down because the zeolite isn't hard enough, It doesn't happen with Werris Creek zeolite.
My only point is that when people go into a pool store asking for pool filter sand, they should be told what they are being sold - sand or glass.
Totally agree, ordinary chrushed glass doesn't have the properties of AFM treated glass so won't last as long and may clump easier because it is lighter than sand thereby giving glass media a bad rap. AFM is not the same as other glass media, hence the cost.
As a case in point, I went to a third store today (looking for a fitting not available at the others). Out of interest, I inquired what pool sand they had. They showed me the same glass media. I asked if it was sand. Yes, it's 100% natural silica. They were selling it for 6.95 $CAN.
I still don't believe that is glass media.
Had I not had this 'got to find Grade #20 pool sand, because that's what the filter manual says'. I probably would have bought it. Just glad I was told that the sand I had taken out was too small, as I was tempted to put it back in, rinse it through and top up with some fresh sand......or glass.......or silica
As I said earlier there is this myth than millions of years old sand (it's not freshly made :lol: ) wears out in 5 years in your sand filter, It doesn't. It gets dirty and sticky so needs cleaning. in some areas with hard water it also gets covered with limescale so that is a requirement to change.
Just thinking, if the glass stuff does backwash faster, would there be any advantage or problem layering it over sand?
why would you do that? You just get 50% of the properties of each, half done job
Out of interest, what do people do with 'old filter sand'. Is it safe to just chuck out on the ground. I have a few boggy-clay patches in my yard that could do with some sand. I think I'd be a bit hesitant about doing the same with crushed glass and the wife would definitely freak out. What then? Get rid of it (gradually) in the municipal garbage bin, to be taken somewhere else and dumped? Kind of defeats the eco initiative. Hey, we can use some of this re-cycled glass for pool filter media, but the end-user dumps it anyway :? I vote that all pool stores selling this stuff offer re-cycling points for used media.
