Exploring the Option of Deep Cleaning my Sand ...

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madyogi

madyogi

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Bronze Supporter
Jun 20, 2016
225
Little Rock, AR
So, I have had a heck of a time clearing my water this year, as you may have read in this meandering and at times informative thread, and I avoided the prospect of deep cleaning my sand because I would have to cut some pipe and make some unions, which I've never done before. Well now I'm roughly 48 hours from a soft deadline for clearing the pool, and I'm considering shutting everything off either this evening or tomorrow morning to do the deep clean and see if that doesn't improve the situation.

In order to do this, I need to get a plan together. Here's a shot of my current plumbing situation:

20180509_195924.jpg

That's the best shot I have access to right now. You can barely make out the pump at the bottom left. There is already a junction with a threaded collar there, so I can disassemble that bit as it is, and it's the top pipe on the MPV that runs over there. The bottom pipe from the MPV runs around the back of the filter and u-turns into the return lines, which you can kinda make out at the bottom right of the picture. Each return has it's own ball valve at that point, before heading underground to the pool.

That whole return section will require some sort of union because at this point it's all solid straight pipe. My plan would be to shut everything off, depressurize the system, then cut through a straight piece of that return pipe behind the filter. Then I can disconnect the backwash hose, and pull the MPV off to gain access to the inside of the filter. At that point I can follow the directions in the thread about deep cleaning the sand.

If I have all that right so far, here's where I need the most help: I'll then need to file down the ends I cut earlier, and install some sort of threaded union with PVC glue, correct? Can one obtain everything needed at Home Depot or Lowes?

Any help in getting my mind around everything that needs to happen here would be greatly appreciated! I can provide more detailed pics after I get back to the house if necessary.
 
Hey, I know you! :wave:
If I have all that right so far, here's where I need the most help: I'll then need to file down the ends I cut earlier, and install some sort of threaded union with PVC glue, correct? Can one obtain everything needed at Home Depot or Lowes?
Click to expand...
The local store may very well have all the fittings you need. Sometimes the unions can be a bit tricky to find depending on the size, so before you cut into any lines, make sure you have everything on-hand. That includes:
- Unions (maybe one extra as well)
- PVC pipe
- PVC glue
- For the MPV: Silicone, and if there's an O-ring or gasket at the neck where it joins, perhaps have a new one ready
- You should not need new sand "IF" you know no odd products were ever introduced to the sand previously (i.e. floc). But if you do have to replace the sand, make sure it's pool sand - #20 silica pool sand.

This is a job that sand owners really should do every couple seasons, some more or less than others depending on the local environment and amount of swimmer's load. At the same time, it is not something you want to rush. You mentioned having plans this weekend, so if time is of the essence, don't try to rush this and find yourself stuck next week. Allocate yourself basically a whole day to get this one - just in case you have to make more than one trip to the hardware/pool store or order something on-line.

As for routing the lines after the deep clean, you are the artist. There is no exact way to run the lines. Sure, we try to keep turns and things to a minimum, but depending on the location of your equipment you only have so much room to work with. Think it through, take your time, and you'll do fine. But no rushing! :poke:
 
Got it, Texas Splash. Thanks! As far as the weekend goes, I'll be around, but we potentially have people coming over Sunday afternoon, hence the rush to clear the pool if at all possible.

Just continuing to talk/think through all this myself, so please chime in to either confirm my plans are solid, or put me back on the right track:

  1. Get diameter of return pipe behind filter
  2. Get union like this and two male adapters like these to fit the return pipe, perhaps an extra set just in case (I'm a bit unsure if I should use a threaded union with those adapters on each side or just use a slip union and glue each side of that directly to the pipe)
  3. Get some silcon and an extra o-ring for the MPV valve
  4. Turn the system off
  5. Drain water from filter to relieve pressure and make room for fresh water to clean sand
  6. Cut PVC return pipe, remove backwash hose, and unscrew intake union at pump
  7. Remove collar on MPV valve
  8. Gently pull MPV valve with pipe sections off the filter
  9. Then go to work with the hose for an hour or two.
  10. Then put the MPV valve back on and glue adapters to cut sides of return pipe and install union.
  11. Screw everything back together and hit go.
How am I doing so far?
And for the record, I can only say I've never put anything off TFP script in there, but I can't speak for the previous owners :suspect:
 
You have a good plan ahead. A couple thoughts:
- For the unions, if the 2-part adapter/union works best for you, that's great. There are many options out there like THIS ONE or THIS ONE as an example. That 2nd link is to INYOpools, and they are very good over the phone if you need some extra help with parts.
(I'm a bit unsure if I should use a threaded union with those adapters on each side or just use a slip union and glue each side of that directly to the pipe)
Click to expand...
The slip-on (glued) are very popular.

All-n-all, your thought process is very good. Now once you start the deep clean, be careful pushing and poking the hose into the sand. It's not unusual for owners to bump a lateral too hard thereby causing a repair scenario. Now when you open that thing up, if you feel the previous owners may have done something to the sand and you chose to replace it, that's fine. If that happens, you'll want a wheelbarrow or tarp nearby to collect the sand as you remove it. Perhaps start with some scooping at first until you get to a point where maybe you can use a ShopVac. If you don't have the owners manual or get to it on-line, the sand should be refilled about 2/3rds - 3/4 the way up. Before adding the sand, make sure to add about 6 inches of water or so to help cushion the blow of the sand landing on the laterals inside. Many people have snapped or dislodged a lateral after all that work just from adding the new sand, then have to empty it all out again to fix the damage. Speaking of laterals, when you go to pull-out the assembly, go slow & careful. You'll probably grab the center standpipe and lift straight up, but the lateral arms can fold or stick out and get caught on their way out, so be careful.

Hopefully the deep clean will be enough, but if you don't like what you see once it's open and decide to change the sand to be safe, hopefully those tips will help.
 
The sand should be like at your favorite beach - gritty, fluffy perhaps (when dry), and moves around relatively easily. If it appears stained, clumped, almost gel-coated or contaminated, it probably had something added to it before. The concept of the deep clean is to help push any settled junk from down below up to the to where you can remove it. At the same time, it helps the sand to breath and become less compacted or channeled from years of use. Water should be able to settle all throughout the sand as the sand "sifts out" any impurities. If the sand looks like it's not reacting favorably to the deep clean to do that, new sand may be the only option. But your gut will tell you once you're in there.
 
Okay, thanks for the extra info. Let's say I'm just going to plan to replace my sand, according to the manual my S244T has a media capacity of 300 lbs.

How much sand should I plan to have on hand in order to get it swapped out?

Also, any recommendations on sand? I found this Quikrete stuff at Home Depot and the price is certainly right, though some say it didn't work for them. There is also this page, which seems to be broken in my browser, but there is a review by a guy saying he used it with my exact filter model with great success.
 
I have heard of quick Crete brand being dirty, so above average gets rinsed out when you turn it on. Ace hardware has a better rep with their #20 sand.

Idk I would buy a bag or two, it's easier to return than make two trips. Cut your pipe and reinstall with your unions so if you need something and also need sand you can make one trip, then do the deep clean
 

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That filter requires 300 pounds of sand. I have same filter, and replaced my sand yesterday. Quikrete Pool sand in stock at Home Depot, $5.85 for 50 lbs. HTH pool sand at Ace Hardware, 3 day delivery, $12.99 for 50 lbs. IF you decide to change your sand, open the bottom drain, and use a shop vac to expedite the process of removing water and sand. DO NOT wait until shop vac is full before emptying it. Ask me how I know this. Wet sand is darn heavy.
 
Okay, opened everything up today and did a light cleaning for about 40 minutes with my hose. Also added the union and put everything back together to get the pump running again. Everything went well, but when I got in there, I realized only about half the tank, perhaps a little less, was filled with sand.

Didn't have enough time to deal with replacing the sand today, but I did go purchase the 300 lbs of fresh sand at a locally owned pool store for $10 a bag. I figured that was a good compromise between going cheap at a big box store and overspending anywhere else. I like the folks at this store, they actually recommend things like muriatic acid and sodium bicarbonate, etc.

So I have the sand, and I'm planning to get back into the filter tomorrow morning. I have a couple tarps and a wheel barrow at my disposal, but I do not have a shop vac. What should I expect, and what would y'all recommend in terms of removing the old sand, and get the new sand in?

Also, I noticed a bit of sand in my new Polaris bag after running it overnight last night. It's maybe a tablespoon or two. I did notice sand in the Polaris bag last year, but I never really noticed it in the pool, and none showed up in my Duda Diesel bags I filtered with off two of my returns earlier this year, so it doesn't seem like a significant issue. That said, what should I look for on the laterals to determine if there's a crack, and how critical is it that I order THAT part for THIS season, seeing as how I don't have it on hand, and I really just need to get my pool clear and swimmable by next weekend.

Thanks for any help y'all can provide!

Oh and here are some pictures:

20180519_124853.jpg
20180519_124553.jpg
 
All old sand is unloaded, and I've inspected the laterals and can't find anything that would qualify as a crack. Is there anything I should do to clean out the laterals/standpipe before putting it back in? Also, do I just eyeball it to get it in the middle, like there's not a slot or mount or anything in there, right?

Plan now is to put the standpipe and lateral assembly back in, plug the filter, and fill with enough water to soften the sand going in, then put in the fresh sand. Should I cover the top of the standpipe with something to avoid getting sand in it while pouring it in?
 
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