Anyone using ZeoSand in a Hayward Sand Filter with Good Results?

[Chevydude057]

My sand filter isn't filtering well. When I run the filter and only when I run the filter, I get a lot of debris in the bottom of the pool. Mostly in the center. It's been recommended I try Zeosand. It sounds good, and could be a good path.

I bought a SlimeBag and I can run the filter all day and the pool is clear. Rinse out the slime bag, do it again. But then, why has a filter at all? I'm hoping if I swap out the sand for Zeosand it'll give me the same results and the slimebag can be shelved and used when I open the pool or after a storm, etc.

Ive been through the entire filter system. The multiport valve had a new spider gasket replaced. Didn't help. I replaced the multiport valve, no difference. Replaced the sand, no change. I've checked the fingers twice, and even brought them to the pool store figuring if they thought there was an issue they would happily sell me replacements, nothing. I've added DE to the system over and over with minimal at best results. If I run the filter and don't clean up the dirt and debris that collects, it never grows, it doesn't spread, and I can go a week without adding anything and the pool won't turn green or anything, nothing really changes.

This has been an ongoing problem every year, I have slammed multiple times, and the dirt doesn't change. I've collected samples, I've dumped liquid chlorine on them and left them, thinking if it's something organic it would change, it doesn't. It just gets a tiny bit darker when it's wet. It's almost clay like in texture when it's wet.

When I opened the pool I had discovered the cover was ripped and it was green. There was some green sludge at the bottom which was Algea. I took samples of that and put liquid chlorine on it and it changed, turned white and almost flakey. Just as a sanity check. Running the filter and a series of skimmer basket bags cleared up the green pool rather quickly.

Now my water is clear but at night if I shine a 1000+ lumen flashlight across the top of the water I can see little specs. When I run the slimebag there are significantly less of them. Which tells me when the filter is running I'm turning over these "floating" specs and they are ended up on the pool floor.

Sorry for the long post, I wanted to give all the information in case there is something I've assumed incorrectly or something I might have missed. It's either upgrade the sand to ZeoSand or I have to upgrade my filter to a cartridge style filter. I'm tired of the filter not catching anything smaller than a golf ball.

 

[PoolStored]

I am a Zeo user. One of the few here. I've done a fair amount of research.

Zeo comes from 4 mines. The size can vary. When you buy it, you don't know what you are getting. The result is zeo that is too small and will fill your pool with it. If you backwash a number of times, for at least 30 minutes total, you may get all the small particles out and be fine...but it is a Crud shoot.

I'm lucky, when I bought the house and was "pool stored" the guy said this is what to put in...what did I know, he at least knew to backwash, and apparently I got the big particle stuff. Since then, I've helped dozens of pools with Zeo problems.

I would recommend avoiding the zeo. If you want a clearer pool, bite the bullet and get a cartridge filter.

 

[Newdude]

I'm of mind that all 3 filters go well below the naked eyes abilities. If you're seeing floaties, light or no light, they recently blew in the pool and haven't found the filter or the floor yet. It may take days. And in the meantime, if it was breezy again, you're right back to square 1.

A properly rebuilt sand filter will do the job just fine (Which you did). Adding DE will push it further into microscopic territory, yet you can see it. Think that through.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Do you vacuum your pool floor of the debris?

 

[Chevydude057]

I am a Zeo user. One of the few here. I've done a fair amount of research.

Zeo comes from 4 mines. The size can vary. When you buy it, you don't know what you are getting. The result is zeo that is too small and will fill your pool with it. If you backwash a number of times, for at least 30 minutes total, you may get all the small particles out and be fine...but it is a Crud shoot.

I'm lucky, when I bought the house and was "pool stored" the guy said this is what to put in...what did I know, he at least knew to backwash, and apparently I got the big particle stuff. Since then, I've helped dozens of pools with Zeo problems.

I would recommend avoiding the zeo. If you want a clearer pool, bite the bullet and get a cartridge filter.

Thanks for the information. I have ready quite a few reviews from Zeo users about green dust in the pool, but I figured I would bucket wash it, then backwash it when it's in the filter, and I would run it for an hour or two with my slimebag just to be sure.

I'm of mind that all 3 filters go well below the naked eyes abilities. If you're seeing floaties, light or no light, they recently blew in the pool and haven't found the filter or the floor yet. It may take days. And in the meantime, if it was breezy again, you're right back to square 1.

A properly rebuilt sand filter will do the job just fine (Which you did). Adding DE will push it further into microscopic territory, yet you can see it. Think that through.

I agree with you, a sand filter should go well below the naked eye. But short of replacing the "Grenade" shaped unit and the pump, everything that can be replaced has been replaced. I shouldn't have to run an automated vacuum every day, every time the filter runs. If the Zeo could take up 50% of what the sand filter misses and collects on the bottom I would be happy. Zeo is said to go down to what the slime bag catches, and with the slime bag connected to the return jet, no particles!

Do you vacuum your pool floor of the debris?

Yes I do. I was vacuuming to waste but day after day, week after week I was loosing too much water. So now I usually vacuum through the slime bag. The problem is with the slime bag it's kind of hard to add chemicals, as the return jet doesn't blow the chlorine all around and circulate it. I don't know what else to do. The automatic robot will collect it, but it's just a pain to have to use it everyday. The filter should be able to collect the junk, IMO.

Maybe my expectations are too high, but the local people I know with pools and (albeit Cartridge and DE Filters) don't have this problem.

 

[PoolStored]

Now my water is clear but at night if I shine a 1000+ lumen flashlight across the top of the water I can see little specs.

If I turn on the pool light, or use a large flashlight, I see little specs too, even with the Zeo.

Maybe my expectations are too high, but the local people I know with pools and (albeit Cartridge and DE Filters) don't have this problem.

I think your expectations are too high.

 

[Newdude]

I shouldn't have to run an automated vacuum every day, every time the filter runs. If the Zeo could take up 50% of what the sand filter misses and collects on the bottom I would be happy

Heavier debris sinks. No filter is going to suck stuff up off the floor no matter how small the particles. It's your yard, not your filter. It's much worse in the spring and fall and it's not as noticeable in the mid season.

I had 80+ oaks at my old place and it was a never ending battle. One breezy day per week was all it took. I'd snorkel up to suspended particles and even with me disturbing the water around them, and the pump running, they'd just sit where they were and the water would move right past them.

A different filter or different media isn't going to stop crud from blowing in, or have it find the filter any faster, if it even gets there.

*assuming the filter is healthy, which it is.

 

[Chevydude057]

If I turn on the pool light, or use a large flashlight, I see little specs too, even with the Zeo.

I think your expectations are too high.

Okay fair enough. I have a genuine question if you don't mind . Why does the junk only settle when the filter is running? And why when using the SlimeBag does nothing settle on the bottom?

 

[Chevydude057]

Heavier debris sinks. No filter is going to suck stuff up off the floor no matter how small the particles. It's your yard, not your filter. It's much worse in the spring and fall and it's not as noticeable in the mid season.

I had 80+ oaks at my old place and it was a never ending battle. One breezy day per week was all it took. I'd snorkel up to suspended particles and even with me disturbing the water around them, and the pump running, they'd just sit where they were and the water would move right past them.

A different filter or different media isn't going to stop crud from blowing in, or have it find the filter any faster, if it even gets there.

*assuming the filter is healthy, which it is.

So I have to ask you the same question I asked PoolStored, why does the heavier debris only sink when the filter in running with a regular return eyeball, but it doesn't sink when I run the slimebag?
'
It's very possible I'm missing something, but the water is circulating either way, but with the slime bag it's clear on the bottom of the pool, with the return eyeball it collects junk. Doesn't that mean the junk is passing through the filter but not passing through the slimebag?

 

[Flying Tivo]

It seams you have a single speed pump. Zeo does not like fast speeds, you need low and slow from a Variable speed pump.

 

[Newdude]

why does the heavier debris only sink when the filter in running with a regular return eyeball, but it doesn't sink when I run the slimebag?

Water movement will let less crud sink, but heavy crud still sinks. Or the lighter stuff floats around long enough to get waterlogged and sink anyway. For example, toss a handful of sand in the pool and it's on the bottom whether the pump is on or off.

, with the return eyeball it collects junk. Doesn't that mean the junk is passing through the filter but not passing through the slimebag?

Possibly. Or the reduced flow through the slimbag makes less circulation to deposit piles in spots. It all might still be in there, just not swept together in a handful of places.

Without having gone through the filter we'd probably assume something was gummed up or out of alignment but you ensured it was all good.

Is there a chance you used the wrong sand ? This would be a scenario that glass/zeo would appear to solve it when it was the actual sand and not traditional sand wasn't capable.

 

[Chevydude057]

Water movement will let less crud sink, but heavy crud still sinks. Or the lighter stuff floats around long enough to get waterlogged and sink anyway. For example, toss a handful of sand in the pool and it's on the bottom whether the pump is on or off.

Possibly. Or the reduced flow through the slimbag makes less circulation to deposit piles in spots. It all might still be in there, just not swept together in a handful of places.

Without having gone through the filter we'd probably assume something was gummed up or out of alignment but you ensured it was all good.

Is there a chance you used the wrong sand ? This would be a scenario that glass/zeo would appear to solve it when it was the actual sand and not traditional sand wasn't capable.

Thanks for the idea! That makes sense, there definitely would be less circulation with the slimebag.

I've had the filter apart a few times, I've personally replaced the sand twice. I don't know what sand was in the filter when I bought the house, but I replaced the sand back in 2017 or so once with sand from the pool store, and a second 3 years ago, I think from Ollies. It was mystic White Pool Filter Sand. Walmart, Lowe's, and other places sell the same sand, it seems to have perfectly fine reviews from what I can see. I've had the same problem regardless of the sand I've used.
This is the sand I've most recently been using:

Robot or human?

It seams you have a single speed pump. Zeo does not like fast speeds, you need low and slow from a Variable speed pump.

Interesting, this I did not know. Thanks!

 

[Chevydude057]

Heavier debris sinks. No filter is going to suck stuff up off the floor no matter how small the particles. It's your yard, not your filter. It's much worse in the spring and fall and it's not as noticeable in the mid season.

I had 80+ oaks at my old place and it was a never ending battle. One breezy day per week was all it took. I'd snorkel up to suspended particles and even with me disturbing the water around them, and the pump running, they'd just sit where they were and the water would move right past them.

A different filter or different media isn't going to stop crud from blowing in, or have it find the filter any faster, if it even gets there.

*assuming the filter is healthy, which it is.

With 80+ oaks, did you have to run your pool vacuum (assuming you have an automatic one) everyday? I was kind of hoping to avoid that with changing out the sand, to be honest.

 

[Newdude]

With 80+ oaks, did you have to run your pool vacuum (assuming you have an automatic one) everyday?

In heavier times I could manually vac everyday, not that I did. Lol.

I was kind of hoping to avoid that with changing out the sand, to be honest.

I'm sure. But again, nothing says the crud in the water finds the filter before the floor. The pollen strands found the skimmers almost aways being such good floaters, but the tea they created on the way there made plenty of mess on the floor.

This is the sand I've most recently been using

#20 is the good stuff. Sometimes folks get fooled with other sized sand, or even playground/paver sand.

Your filter should be working to it's abilities.

 

[Newdude]

*keep in mind a hardcore cart guy is defending plain old sand. While I'd never use it, fair is fair and it would do the job if I did.

If I had any shred of an inkling against sand from reading a bazillion members posts, I'd use that to convince you to go to carts.

And I'm still defending sand.

 

[Chevydude057]

In heavier times I could manually vac everyday, not that I did. Lol.

I'm sure. But again, nothing says the crud in the water finds the filter before the floor. The pollen strands found the skimmers almost only being such good floaters, but the tea they created on the way there made plenty of mess on the floor.


#20 is the good stuff. Sometimes folks get fooled with other sized sand, or even playground/paver sand.

Your filter should be working to it's abilities.

Maybe this is what I'm fighting. Changing sand or adding DE all it did was mildy change the color of the junk. When I added 2-3 cups of DE the junk got a little lighter.

The Mystic white says its 20#-24#. I don't think that would matter. After all, the filter is apparently getting out the things I can't see, but not the things I can't lol.



Doesn't matter what my FC is at. I've had it North of 25 (I got frustrated and kind of said F it, what do I have to lose) and it didn't change, it just collected at the bottom laughing at my futile attempt.

*keep in mind a hardcore cart guy is defending plain old sand. While I'd never use it, fair is fair and it would do the job if I did.

If I had any shred of an inkling against sand from reading a bazillion members posts, I'd use that to convince you to go to carts.

And I'm still defending sand.

I appreciate that. It's hard for me to accept the filter is filters out the small particles, but all of the big ones (that I don't see in the pool when the water is still) are the ones making their way to the bottom day after day.

Maybe I'll pick up a different brand used automatic pool bot used on marketplace or something just to try it out. I suppose that would be the lesser of two evils.

 

[Newdude]

Maybe I'll pick up a different brand used automatic pool bot used on marketplace or something just to try it out. I suppose that would be the lesser of two evils

Make sure you can get fine filters for it if you fond one. Many models regular filters will just stir up the dust, but most will get the bigger stuff like grains of sand and up.

 

[sonnaps]

I bought a SlimeBag and I can run the filter all day and the pool is clear. Rinse out the slime bag, do it again. But then, why has a filter at all?

I am having this same exact issue. I am wondering what your schedule is for the slime bag use. Do you run with it for a long time? Do you take it off and clean it every day?

 

[Chevydude057]

Make sure you can get fine filters for it if you fond one. Many models regular filters will just stir up the dust, but most will get the bigger stuff like grains of sand and up.

Thanks! I liked my old Aquabot, it had a nice cloth filter bag, that really worked well. But the controller seems to have burnt out because it reverses direction every 10 seconds, and the new control units with a built in timer don't work on my unit. The new ones seems to have a "filter" with the same consistency of a cheap reusable coffee filter. That being said, I'm not interested in spending $1000 plus dollars for a vacuum I'm going to use 3 months a year.

I am having this same exact issue. I am wondering what your schedule is for the slime bag use. Do you run with it for a long time? Do you take it off and clean it every day?

You've got to be kind of careful with the slimebag, in my opinion. I ignore the pressure of the filter, and I use the bag until the bag starts to feel "hard". Hard is a very relative term, but when it's no longer light a fluffy, it's getting time to rinse it out. When I rinse it out, I start from the outside of the bag, flip it over multiple times, and then remove the connector and rinse the inside. I also have the XL bag for vacuuming, because I initially bought the 'Polishing' Bag and it blew out in a couple of hours (pressure on the filter never changed) so this is why I now ignore the pressure reading on the filter when using the slimebag, and use a squeeze test on the bag. Be careful though, because when you squeeze the bag some of the junk does float out. It's hard to tell if its not green or brown or another color. But that's a small price to pay for the amount of stuff it actually collects. Unfortunately the pool doesn't circulate nearly as well when the slimebag istalled.

I have rinsed it out multiple times a day before when I was getting the green out from the Zeosand. Now I can confidently run it overnight without worrying. But my pool is crystal clear (I can read heads or tails on a coin from 10'. I'm 6', the pool is 48" deep, and I'm standing on the desk around the pool.

So I guess most of the debris I'm getting out of the pool is stuff I can't see. But I've been running skimmer basket socks too, which do collect a fair amount of junk, that I can't see in the pool.

 

[Darin]

Keep in mind that the sand filter will work and is all you need. Vac and backwash are needed when the conditions are a mess. My pool is 40 foot from a hay field on one side and 150 foot from corn on the other. Along with a few close trees that drop a copious amount of leaves during storms. So yes your sand will get your water clear without the DE or zeo or slimebag or cartridge upgrade.
filter 24/7 with skimmers working properly.