tried to clean my sand yesterday for the first time

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whodat?2

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Apr 8, 2014
51
Louisiana
Not backwash/rinse

My pool had become pretty stagnant, I had some blockage at the impeller and the pooll is full of particles. I decided that i would open up the filter and try to clean some of the sand which i'm pretty sure has never been done before.

I am pretty sure this is the exact model i have
http://www.aquapoolstore.com/filters/Hayward-Sand-Filters-operation.htm


It didn't quite go as i expected:
- I unscrewed the top spinner and heard the pressure rushing out
- i removed the cap and two pieces inside
- what i saw was a drain pipe and water which looked pretty dirty
- so i put the hose in on a low setting and starting running water
- I was unsure about what i should set the filter to. I left it on 'filter'
- it took a really long time for water to come over the top as some was going down the drain
- eventually, i found it more useful to put a couple inches above the drain pipe, stick my hand in and stir up debris then switch the pump to 'drain' and remove the hose. This would cause trash to go down the drain.
- I felt like i got nowhere near having 'clean' water and the sun was going down.

Can someone offer more adivce on how to do this?
i was thinking about putting water in and using my wet vac to suck the water out, the whole draining process takes a long time and just trying to let the trash overflow out of the top was taking even longer.
Does it sound like i have unusually dirty sand?
 
- I unscrewed the top spinner and heard the pressure rushing out
1. This is not pertinent to cleaning your sand but there should be no pressure....sounds like you have a suction side air leak

- I was unsure about what i should set the filter to. I left it on 'filter'
2. There will be little water moving through your multiport, but I would set it on "waste"....no big deal either way

- it took a really long time for water to come over the top as some was going down the drain
3. find a way to plug the drain. Personally, I don't overflow. I just scoop out the solids with a small aquarium net.

- eventually, i found it more useful to put a couple inches above the drain pipe, stick my hand in and stir up debris then switch the pump to 'drain' and remove the hose. This would cause trash to go down the drain.
4. What are your settings other than drain?

- I felt like i got nowhere near having 'clean' water and the sun was going down.
5. You are not trying to get the water "clean", you are trying to remove solids from your filter and make sure the sand bed has no clumps.
 
1. not pertinent to cleaning your sand but there should be no pressure....sounds like you have a suction side air leak
How bad is this? is that something i need to try and remedy right away?

4. What are your settings other than drain?
Sorry, i dont know why i worded it like that. I meant 'waste'. i have filter, waste, rinse, backwash and (not sure about this one but 'close' maybe)

5. You are not trying to get the water "clean", you are trying to remove solids from your filter and make sure the sand bed has no clumps.
how big are the solids i should be conderned about? i mean there were little bits of this and that floating in there but nothing bigger than like grass stalks. I didnt have anyhting like the size of marble for instance. The sand didnt seem clumped at all.

So i'm getting the idea that this may not be necessary. No?
 
Treat your suction side leak later.....let's get your filter cleaned.

Thanks...."waste" is what I was looking for.....not "drain"

So i'm getting the idea that this may not be necessary. No?
Click to expand...
Not at all but, remember, this is an inspection as well as a potential cleaning. Every two years, I perform this procedure. One time it was pretty messy and I had a lot to scoop out.....other times it was almost colean enough to leave alone.

Get out the big debris....the filter will catch the "dirt" and eventually backwash it. Sounds like yours is clean enough! :goodjob:
 
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