Help - I pulled the wrong plug

[blondemarcello]

I pulled the wrong plug off the filter and all of this sand came gushing out. Quick figured out it was a two-part plug and got the plug kind of back on and got the smaller plug off to drain the filter for winter.

Questions:
1. I lost about a gallon of sand. Do I need to replenish this in the spring before start up or can it run with a little bit less sand?
2. How do I get the big plug back on tight without sand in the threads? I'm thinking now that there's no water pressure on it, maybe it won't come gushing out :?: I'm concerned about using a wrench and brute force to finish tightening the plug because it's made out of plastic. My husband has been surprised more than once at what I can break when I'm determined that something should do what it shouldn't really do

Thanks.

 

[X-PertPool]

yeah, wait until it's done draining and it shouldn't really gush out anymore. Clean the threads of sand and then tighten it back up. If your port valve is easy you take off you can put the sand back in but if it's going to be a pain i doubt a few hand fulls of sand is going to hurt.

 

[happyheathen]

There is an old plumber's trick to deal with low volume water: bread.

If the sand still trickles out, take a slice of bread and wad up a bit and shove it up the hole. Once the trickle is stopped, clean the threads completely and then re-assemble.

Once the water comes back, the bread will dissolve, and you need not worry about trying to remove it.

 

[blondemarcello]

Dave and Kevin,
Thank you so much for your replies. Hardly any water dripped out, I shoved some bread up there so I could keep my fingers dry, got the plug back in the way it is suppose to be, and some rv antifreeze in the pump/filter. Now just to finish draining the pool down far enough.

All ready for winter as soon as I get the solar cover cleaned and stored.

Lissa in MN