First Sand filter. A couple of questions

[moore887]

Good morning,

A friend has bought a home with a sand filter. The pool has been neglected for a couple of years and I'm doing a green to clean with my portable filtration system.

The pool has a Hayward sand filter. We started the pump yesterday and everything seems to be working reasonably except for a few things.

There is a small leak coming from where the backwash valve attaches to the filter. Can the O ring be replaced given that there are no unions on the valve?

Do the unions have to be on the backwash valve to change the sand (with a shop vac) or to replace the laterals?

I was able to perform a backwash and then a rinse, turning the pump off each time before moving the valve.

I have ordered a new label for the backwash handle.

 

[Texas Splash]

There should be an O-ring under the MVP if yours is the same as the one seen HERE. Unfortunately, whoever first assembled that filter to the plumbing did you no favors by gluing it to the MVP PVC adapter and not using a union. Getting access inside depends on the length of those PVC pipes. You might be able to loosen and lift-up the MVP from the body of the filter. Get it up just enough to move the filter a bit to do your work. If not, then you may have to cut and re-do those PVC lines and replace the PVC adapter with unions for future maintenance.

On a side note, I have to ask ...... that water. Wow. It is an incredibly clear, emerald green. Has me concerned about metals. Has anyone tested the water for copper or iron? No doubt there's an algae issue, but just figured I'd ask based on the tint of that water.

 

[moore887]

Thanks for the reply.


I will take a sample to Leslie's later and test for metals. The water is probably that clean because someone threw either floc or clarifier into it and went no further. They could have also thrown a load of copper algacide in too. I have destroyed a mako bag on my bottom feeder and gummed up a filter on my mini portavac vacuuming it out. I will leave well enough alone with the sand filter for the time being and just backwash a few more times. If we have to call someone in that knows how to cut pvc and add unions we will. Unfortunately most people want to sell this man a complete new equipment pad and aren't bothered with the green clean up.