Filter balls

[JackRussell]

Hello, I am new here so this is my first post.

I have an inground pool, 40 cubic metres, with sand filtration system and I use chlorine tablets.

The time has come to replace the sand in the filter and I have been reading about filtration balls which seem to have only come to market in the past few years. From the reviews I have read they seem to be far better than sand but I was wondering if anyone here had switched to them and what their experience was.

In particular, how they interact with flocculants or clarifiers. I did read on one of the sites that sell them they they are not compatible with such products which seems a little strange to me. So again, any experience would be of use.

Thank you.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Sand never needs to be changed unless floc and clarifier have been regularly used.
A sand filter should use, sand.

Sand Filter Use and Care - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[JackRussell]

Hi, thanks. It is an outdoor pool so we regularly use flocculants and the existing sand is several years old and I think that it would benefit from a change.

I have read on other threads and forums that although filter balls seem great and they work well initially, after a while they get clogged up and no longer work so I am erring back to using sand again.

 

[mknauss]

Have a read through Pool School. Floc is never needed. And sand never needs to be changed unless you add things to clump it up.
Take care.

 

[Telkin]

As someone who just gave filter balls a shot because I had trouble finding sand in stock near by. I will have to say please don’t use them, after 3 weeks of fighting the end result is simply that the balls don’t release the stuff they trap creating a filter tank that looked like a stagnant pond inside. I slammed for weeks and my water was always clear but every morning I had dead algae. It was hard to tell early on because of a lot of pollen and other tree stuff that happens in spring here. But that’s what it was. When I backwashed the water was clear which is strange as i was running 24/7. No one in there right mind will take the balls out and wash them in the washing machine and dryer like they suggested mid season. Just one day after getting new sand in my tank no more dead algae. I would have thought that slamming would have killed the sludge growing in the balls but that’s not what I saw. Just posting here for others to not waste your time and money on them.