Sand passing into the pool
- Thread starter romdos11
- Start date
I have sand shooting out of the returns, so I have ordered new laterals. While waiting for those to arrive, I decided to go ahead and get the sand out of the filter and take out the old laterals. My sand is totally green - like copper that has a patina.
And there's insect carcasses, little pieces of plastic, what appears to be vegetable matter, etc. I'm thinking I should just replace the sand. In the attached image, the sand doesn't appear nearly as blue-green as it does in real life. The actual sand color is closer to that little turquoise piece of plastic you see sitting on the sand.
And there's insect carcasses, little pieces of plastic, what appears to be vegetable matter, etc. I'm thinking I should just replace the sand. In the attached image, the sand doesn't appear nearly as blue-green as it does in real life. The actual sand color is closer to that little turquoise piece of plastic you see sitting on the sand.
Before you change anything, I would figure out what turned the color of your sand. The most likely suspect is copper in the water. Have you had your water tested for copper?
There's no point spending money if the issue repeats itself.
There's no point spending money if the issue repeats itself.
Thanks for the replies.
I don't really know the history of the pool. I had to replace the pump the first year, and it's been running ok since then (two years).
My wife came up with an interesting theory about the blue color after I made this post. It seems that someone along the way painted the pool. Every time we get in it and knees or elbows rub the sides or bottoms, it turns them the same blue-green color. Copper? Never thought of that...great idea- I'll test for that.
I hate to admit that I didn't check here first, but everyone is wanting to get in the pool and I went to the local pool supply store for a quick answer and they told me hands down if you have sand shooting out of the returns, it has to be the sand filter. They said probably one of the laterals was defective or a crack somewhere. One of the laterals basically fell off when I took it out, and there appears to be a crack in the body of the filter where that lateral was attached.
What other things could cause the sand discharge? Spider gasket?
I don't really know the history of the pool. I had to replace the pump the first year, and it's been running ok since then (two years).
My wife came up with an interesting theory about the blue color after I made this post. It seems that someone along the way painted the pool. Every time we get in it and knees or elbows rub the sides or bottoms, it turns them the same blue-green color. Copper? Never thought of that...great idea- I'll test for that.
I hate to admit that I didn't check here first, but everyone is wanting to get in the pool and I went to the local pool supply store for a quick answer and they told me hands down if you have sand shooting out of the returns, it has to be the sand filter. They said probably one of the laterals was defective or a crack somewhere. One of the laterals basically fell off when I took it out, and there appears to be a crack in the body of the filter where that lateral was attached.
What other things could cause the sand discharge? Spider gasket?
Are you assuming it's sand or have you physically captured it and held it between your finger and thumb.....proving to yourself that it is gritty and looks just like the sand in your filter.
I agree with your wife that the paint is the culprit and there's nothing you can do about that.
I agree with your wife that the paint is the culprit and there's nothing you can do about that.
I haven't gotten in and tried to scrape some up from the bottom yet. The stuff I got from the steps (which are not near the returns) didn't seem gritty at all. That could just be residue from the stuff that falls in it on a daily basis.
I guess I'll have to get in and check what's on the bottom.
What else are you thinking it could it be? Not that it matters much now since I've taken it all apart.
I'm gonna be bummed and clueless if it happens again after I get the new parts in.
I backwashed the heck out of it multiple times the first few days until it ran clear in the glass and then rinsed each time as well. After it sat for a few hours with the pump off a big plume would shoot out of the returns as soon as I turned the pump on.
I guess I'll have to get in and check what's on the bottom.
What else are you thinking it could it be? Not that it matters much now since I've taken it all apart.
I'm gonna be bummed and clueless if it happens again after I get the new parts in. I backwashed the heck out of it multiple times the first few days until it ran clear in the glass and then rinsed each time as well. After it sat for a few hours with the pump off a big plume would shoot out of the returns as soon as I turned the pump on.
BTW you should have seen the look on my wife's face when I told her the pool guru agreed with her assessment as to the cause of the green sand.
I did take it all apart. I was hoping to quickly figure out what was wrong, and then fix it that day and have everyone swimming that afternoon like a hero. Instead I found the loose lateral, and cracked the flange on the elbow when I removed it (which was bonded to the elbow) and now I sit here waiting for parts.
I'm glad I at least removed the sand because it was uniformly filthy and I don't think any amount of backwashing would have cleaned that up. I don't think even washing with a hose would have helped it.
So I'm out about $100 for parts, and hopefully this will fix it.
I don't know if I should start another thread for this question but I'll ask it here first: Are the elbows supposed to be bonded to the upper diffuser and lateral assemblies? My upper elbow and diffuser just pulled apart easily, but the lateral assembly was bonded to the lower elbow and the flange ( aka bulkhead fitting according to the manual). I ended up having to put the lower elbow in the vise and use a 2x4 to twist the lateral assembly off of it. It seems like it wouldn't need to have glue since it has 500# of sand sitting on it and even backwashing probably wouldn't make it move. Correct me if I'm wrong because it didn't make sense to me that one part would be glued and the other wasn't.
Just wanted to update anyone who might be interested...
I should have posted because duraleigh's instincts were right. AFTER I disassembled the laterals, I actually checked the sediment in the pool and it was not sand. I went ahead and replaced the lateral assembly because when I removed the old one, one arm literally was just sitting there and fell off when lifted it out. Once the laterals were replaced and new sand was put in, I turned on the filter and everything seemed ok.
I let it run for awhile since it had been days. I came back to check on it a few hours later and the pool was all cloudy and there were air bubbles coming out of the returns. The skimmer was sucking for air and my water level was barely up to the skimmer. I went to the filter and checked the backwash hose and there wasn't really water flowing out, but the ground around it was soaking wet. Then I noticed that it was intermittently squirting some water.
Turned everything off, and disassembled the valve. I have included before and after photos of the gasket sealant and contact cement it was filled with. There was also sand stuck to it. This was the work of the pool company that "took care" of the pool the first year we lived here - before I found you awesome people here at TFP.
After cleaning and order parts to rebuild the valve - O-ring, spring, etc. I used some lube on everything and now the valve opens and turns sooo easily. Been running filter for a few hours now and so far no problems.
Just want to thank everyone, especially duraleigh who got me on the right track with this. Hit me up if you have any questions about the valve rebuild.
I should have posted because duraleigh's instincts were right. AFTER I disassembled the laterals, I actually checked the sediment in the pool and it was not sand. I went ahead and replaced the lateral assembly because when I removed the old one, one arm literally was just sitting there and fell off when lifted it out. Once the laterals were replaced and new sand was put in, I turned on the filter and everything seemed ok.
I let it run for awhile since it had been days. I came back to check on it a few hours later and the pool was all cloudy and there were air bubbles coming out of the returns. The skimmer was sucking for air and my water level was barely up to the skimmer. I went to the filter and checked the backwash hose and there wasn't really water flowing out, but the ground around it was soaking wet. Then I noticed that it was intermittently squirting some water.
Turned everything off, and disassembled the valve. I have included before and after photos of the gasket sealant and contact cement it was filled with. There was also sand stuck to it. This was the work of the pool company that "took care" of the pool the first year we lived here - before I found you awesome people here at TFP.
After cleaning and order parts to rebuild the valve - O-ring, spring, etc. I used some lube on everything and now the valve opens and turns sooo easily. Been running filter for a few hours now and so far no problems.
Just want to thank everyone, especially duraleigh who got me on the right track with this. Hit me up if you have any questions about the valve rebuild.
