? about vacuuming to waste with a sand filter.

[Mesamav]

I have seen people on here say that they have vacuumed to waste.
I have to dump some water because my CYA is a bit high and my calcium is around 480 so when I vacuum, I was thinking about lowering the water level that way increments at a time instead of all at once. It will take a few times but it would work but my question is how does the sand filter backwash? In other words, if I'm vacuuming, does the dust and dirt that I'm sucking up just go to the bottom side of the sand only to be blown back into the pool when I put the valve back on "filtration" or does the dirt bypass the sand and go directly out the drain hose?
I just don't want the dirt to re-enter the pool.
Does that make sense? I hope I'm explaining that right. I guess what I'm wondering is how the sand is backwashed? Normal filtration means the water is directed downward thru the sand but when backwashing, does it just reverse and flow upward and therefore will hold the dirt I'm trying to filter only to blow back when I go to filtration again?
Sheesh! Hard to explain but you know what I mean....

Thanks.

 

[mpacheco72]

It bypasses the sand. Just make sure you rinse afterwards to get anything that might be left.

 

[Mesamav]

Mine doesn't have a "rinse" cycle. It's either filtration or backwash.
So if it bypasses the sand, how does it clean the sand?

 

[WestSidePool]

The Waste and Recirculate setting bypass the filter completely.
Waste heads right to your drain area, and recirculate sends it right back into the pool.

How multiport valves operate.
http://www.inyopools.com/HowToPage/how_ ... rates.aspx

Mine doesn't have a "rinse" cycle. It's either filtration or backwash.
So if it bypasses the sand, how does it clean the sand?

Since you posted this as I posted my response. What other settings does your valve have besides filter and backwash?

 

[Mesamav]

The Waste and Recirculate setting bypass the filter completely.
Waste heads right to your drain area, and recirculate sends it right back into the pool.

How multiport valves operate.
http://www.inyopools.com/HowToPage/how_ ... rates.aspx

Mine doesn't have a "rinse" cycle. It's either filtration or backwash.
So if it bypasses the sand, how does it clean the sand?

Since you posted this as I posted my response. What other settings does your valve have besides filter and backwash?

That's not the kind of valve I have. Mine is a push/pull kind of valve.
As far as I know, that's it. Filtration or backwash. That's all I got.

 

[WestSidePool]

I don't have that style but from what it sounds like, the water, dirt, are pushed through the sand to your drain line.
http://www.poolcenter.com/sand_de_filte ... h_page.htm

Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in on this.

 

[Bama Rambler]

You can't vac to waste with that type valve. Do you have a faucet or 3-way valve on the discharge of the pump between the pump and. Filter?

 

[Mesamav]

You can't vac to waste with that type valve. Do you have a faucet or 3-way valve on the discharge of the pump between the pump and. Filter?

Nope. The only other valve I have is the valve on the inlet to switch between the skimmer and the suction for the vacuum. It's not a big deal. I don't have to vacuum to waste. I can still use that line to lower the water level below the skimmer so I'm happy.

 

[ffmedicwife1997]

when we vacuum with our sand filter through waste we loose water out of the pool/filter even when we rinse the sand we loose water.

 

[Bama Rambler]

when we vacuum with our sand filter through waste we loose water out of the pool/filter even when we rinse the sand we loose water.

That's exactly what's supposed to happen.

 

[ffmedicwife1997]

when we vacuum with our sand filter through waste we loose water out of the pool/filter even when we rinse the sand we loose water.

That's exactly what's supposed to happen.

not anymore lol i bought the catfish vacuum today online..cant wait for it to get here. because everytime i would have to backwash or wasste i would loose watr like you sai but im the one also having the problems with my pool...He/or she may want to look into adiffternt vacuum system i got it for 72 on ebay...i coulnt afford much more so i haf to find a cheap one but had lots of good reviews

 

[poolmama67]

Even with the separate vacuum, you will still need to backwash your sand filter.

 

[ffmedicwife1997]

Even with the separate vacuum, you will still need to backwash your sand filter.

Oh yea I knew that I watch my dial on pump and the little glass tube off the side of it.. Sorry trying to still learn all the pool terms lol