just made a big mistake.

[smooth2222]

I took the top of my filter off to check my sand, since its been over 5 years. unfortunately the white tube moved up like 2 inches. no way to get it back down unless I remove all the sand and put it back in.

So should I just replace all my sand since I have to take it out?

or is there a way to get the laterals and tube back down into the bottom?



so what kind of sand should I replace it with?


this is the filter I have.

http://www.amazon.com/Pentair-Sta-Rite-145363-Cristal-Flo-Top-Mount/dp/B008GT5CMS

 

[jblizzle]

You are going to have to remove all the sand to put it back together, but you could just reuse the sand.

 

[Richard320]

Oh, phew! I thought you were going to confess that you'd taken a water sample to the pool store and handed them your credit card! That would be a big mistake. What you did was a learning experience.

It's your call whether to reuse or replace. Do you have some garden space to dispose of the old stuff? Do you have a tarp or someplace clean to scoop it to if you intend to reuse it?

A wet-n-dry shop vacuum will speed up the emptying.

 

[smooth2222]

Just got done shop vacuuming 350lbs of sand, wasn't to bad. The very bottom where the laterals screw in, there is nothing at the bottom that locks it into place, it just sits at the bottom. so when I was twisting it, it ended up rising.

Now the question is reuse the old sand, or buy 350lbs of new sand, what is this zeobrite? which is better to use?

 

[smooth2222]

Does anyone know what this is? was many of these clumped up in the sand? very soft white stuff.

 

[jblizzle]

Very mixed reviews on anything that is not just plain filter sand.

 

[JasonLion]

We don't recommend using zeo filter media. It gets rather high complaint rates, though the people who it works for tend to love it.

 

[smooth2222]

is the bottom of my laterals supposed to lock in at the bottom of the filter? mine doesn't, just wanna make sure if that is normal, just sits at the bottom.

ya looks like zoebrite is way to expensive, how much does the regular silica sand #20, for 50lb bag cost? looks like i'm gonna have to buy it from a pool store, lowes and home depot don't carry it.

back to the picture, tons of those clumps in my sand, is that my DE or cellose fiber building up in the filter?

 

[toofast]

All I gotta say is AVOID anything but good olde pool sand...RUN from alternative media, don't ask me why

 

[smooth2222]

been reading up on the forums with a search, i'm defiantly going with sand

 

[JVTrain]

I'm not overly familiar with that specific sand filter but my new sand filter, the stand pipe just rested on the bottom, no attachment.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[smooth2222]

any experience in the picture, tons of those clumps in my sand, is that my DE or cellose fiber building up in the filter? could also be those white flying cotton things?

ty everyone btw

 

[JVTrain]

I ordered my pool sand to come to my local Ace hardware store through the website. It wasn't exactly cheap, I think $11-12 for each 50 lb bag. I ordered 1 bag too few and didn't want to wait another week, so I hunted elsewhere locally. ie- anywhere but the pool store. Found some at local Menards store for $8 a bag. It was sort of hidden around with all the concrete/cement large bag products. I would check your local home depot/lowes in person. The staff may not even know they have it. Look amongst all the Quickcrete 50 lb bags area, usually in the back or building materials area. Just make sure it's labeled as pool sand.

It could indeed be those cotton things, or from just looking at them they look like oil/grease build up from lotions/suncreen. Is it waxy, pliable?