Cleaning sand in filter

[Helene.Prince]

How often should you clean the sand in your filter? What products should be used to clean the sand in your filter if you are using the BBB method?

I closed my pool today and noticed when I drained the filter that the water coming out was lime green. I backwashed thoroughly before closing and shocked the pool earlier this week and kept the FC levels up for a few days to make sure that all the algae was gone, so I'm not sure why I had all the green water in the filter. The sand was changed last year mid season.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[duraleigh]

You could open the filter and inspect the sand but the problem you are experiencing is almost surely lack of chlorine.

Green is algae and chlorine kills algae if you keep it constantly high enough in your pool.

 

[tasper]

hi im new to this site and was wondering how to clean sand in my triton TR-60 or should i just replace it thanks

 

[duraleigh]

I would suggest only cleaning it. Sand doesn't wear out so, if you remove the top on your filter and clean up the insides (being careful not to damage the buried laterals within) you should be good as new. :lol:

 

[Puffin]

Here is a link where waterbear goes over the procedure to clean the sand. http://www.troublefreepool.com/my-sand-is-channeled-how-to-fix-it-t7626.html

Why do you think it needs to be replaced/cleaned? Unless it channeling or you had some serious problem with calcium scaling, you shouldn't really need to replace it. I had a damaged stand pipe last year that needed to be replaced. After the fix was done, I took a look at the sand that came out of the filter. It looked pretty much exactly like what was put in. No scaling, caking or strange debris. If it wasn't more work to put it back in, I'd probably reuse it next time.

 

[tasper]

we thought it needed replaced because our heater wouldnt stay on but after i backflused it its fine now, on top of my filter there is a clear bubble with a pressure valve on it when i look inside the bubble there is a silver tube with something on the end just floating in there, is that supose to be like that, also what happenes to all that and the water when i take the bubble off to clean sand thanks

 

[Puffin]

Here is a link to the manual http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/TritonIIOM.pdf It sounds like the floating thing is part of the diffuser assembly or automatic air vent, but I'm not sure. Do you have a picture you could post of it?

As far as the water in the filter, if you close the multi-port valve first it should just sit in there, otherwise prime will break and some of the water will drain back to the pool. Be careful when opening the filter, it may be under pressure (there should be some procedures in the manual on opening the cap)

 

[tasper]

i found out the tube thing is the tube air relief. but i can post a pic but i dnt see on here how to do it. how do i close the multi port. i went to edit my post and tried to attach photos but it says there invalid????

 

[tasper]

ok after 3 days of running my pool is going good now heat is working filter is good but now that its clean i notice some what looks like sand in the bottom of pool we vaccumed it out last night kept pump running and now today there is some more not alot but its still there, what could be causing this the only thing we did so far, is replace the pressure switch on heater the capacitor on motor, and a pool guy told me to run pump on cirrcur for a couple mins when we couldnt figure out why heater wasnt working, could that of been it please help.

 

[tasper]

after a closer inspection im not sure if its sand at the botoom when i brush it away it looks like a white powder and makes a cloud and seems to disapear until it settles again and it kinda looks grey,

 

[Bama Rambler]

You'd do yourself a favor by running the OCLT and reporting a full set of test results. Sounds like you have other issues than the filter.