START RANT
As I've mentioned before, we moved into a home with an existing pool in August of last year. It's been one disaster after another. Here's the latest...
I decided I'd do the deep clean of the sand filter (STA-RITE T-240BP-1) over the weekend before I finished putting chemicals in for the summer... well, I loosened the unions at the hard piped waste line and return line and the sand filter tipped toward the return line (it's on a slight grade). Turns out that the cracked base (which I was aware of) was only partially supporting the filter... the main stability was coming from the PVC plumbing.
SO... the whole thing was surrounded by a 3' high retaining wall... making it near impossible to work on - so I have to tear down the wall.
After tearing down the wall, I see that the pump and filter are sitting on a plastic (not concrete) base... that is also deformed from the weight of the filter. And I have a filter full of sand that is too heavy to move... PERFECT!
What a pain! What started as a plan to do a simple cleaning of the filter has now turned into tearing down and relocating a wall (forgot to mention that I'll also be chain sawing out a bush per the wife's request)... and pouring a concrete base... and most likely re-plumbing a lot of it. :-x
END RANT
OK - rant's over... now to a couple questions...
1) I vacuumed out all of the sand and am trying to take the laterals out - might as well inspect it all while it is apart! But I cannot get the laterals to come out. Most will only turn about 1/4 turn then freeze up due to (I'm guessing) sand in the threads. I tried vacuuming them off and running water over them while turning, but nothing is working. Suggestions?
2) when I pour a concrete base - how big (and deep) should I go?
As I've mentioned before, we moved into a home with an existing pool in August of last year. It's been one disaster after another. Here's the latest...
I decided I'd do the deep clean of the sand filter (STA-RITE T-240BP-1) over the weekend before I finished putting chemicals in for the summer... well, I loosened the unions at the hard piped waste line and return line and the sand filter tipped toward the return line (it's on a slight grade). Turns out that the cracked base (which I was aware of) was only partially supporting the filter... the main stability was coming from the PVC plumbing.
SO... the whole thing was surrounded by a 3' high retaining wall... making it near impossible to work on - so I have to tear down the wall.
After tearing down the wall, I see that the pump and filter are sitting on a plastic (not concrete) base... that is also deformed from the weight of the filter. And I have a filter full of sand that is too heavy to move... PERFECT!
What a pain! What started as a plan to do a simple cleaning of the filter has now turned into tearing down and relocating a wall (forgot to mention that I'll also be chain sawing out a bush per the wife's request)... and pouring a concrete base... and most likely re-plumbing a lot of it. :-x
END RANT
OK - rant's over... now to a couple questions...
1) I vacuumed out all of the sand and am trying to take the laterals out - might as well inspect it all while it is apart! But I cannot get the laterals to come out. Most will only turn about 1/4 turn then freeze up due to (I'm guessing) sand in the threads. I tried vacuuming them off and running water over them while turning, but nothing is working. Suggestions?
2) when I pour a concrete base - how big (and deep) should I go?
