If its not one thing its another. Sand coming out of filter

[Cheetos82]

What can be the problem here? I know for a fact it is sand.
When I backwash I rinse afterwards but the cleaner I'm getting the pool when I come back next day I see sand.
I'm still fighting fine dust on the bottom as well
I dont think we are ever gonna get to swim this yr. [emoji24]

 

[PAGirl]

Is it gritty to the touch? How new is the filter?

 

[Cheetos82]

Is it gritty to the touch? How new is the filter?

1 yr old and yes the sand is gritty. The fine dust is different. Sand Its mainly near return.

 

[PAGirl]

Any recent events with the filter?

 

[Floorguy]

I find mine still spits sand.. Even after a flush... What type of sand filter you got?? Mine is a sand pro 50.. and it always kicks stuff out

 

[Cheetos82]

Any recent events with the filter?

Not that I can recall. I've been slamming my way back from a green swamp

 

[Cheetos82]

I find mine still spits sand.. Even after a flush... What type of sand filter you got?? Mine is a sand pro 50.. and it always kicks stuff out

I think its quickcrete #20 silicia from lowes

 

[ike0069]

If sand is getting into the pool, it can be a cracked/broken lateral in the filter which can happen if the filter ever freezes with water in it. Some sand in the backwash is not uncommon, but sand in the pool is never normal and should be checked out.

 

[Cheetos82]

If sand is getting into the pool, it can be a cracked/broken lateral in the filter which happen if the filter ever freezes with water in it. Some sand in the backwash is not uncommon, but sand pool is never normal and should be checked out.

Ugh.. It did get left out over winter with water. How do I check it?

 

[zea3]

You will have to drain the filter and scoop out the sand. Look at the stand pipe and the laterals. Anything from a fine hairline crack to an obvious break will cause sand to escape into the pool.

 

[Cheetos82]

You will have to drain the filter and scoop out the sand. Look at the stand pipe and the laterals. Anything from a fine hairline crack to an obvious break will cause sand to escape into the pool.

Great. I'm at my wits end. I know its our fault but we have spent nearly $300 buying chlorine testing kit and proper brush and vacuum to come back from swamp and there was no way to tell about sand until pool cleared. I still have my cartridge filter but I hate that thing.

 

[ike0069]

I do feel for you. I started up my pool a few years ago and the next morning there was a bunch of sand in the pool. I took the filter head off and scooped out the sand to find one of the laterals in the bottom broken. My fix was to go on Amazon and buy a new sand filter, but my sand filter was a cheap one and several years old, so buying a new one did not bother me.

With it only being a year old, you should be able to repair with glue/pvc cement or something like that if you find a cracked lateral. The only way to know for sure it to take it apart and inspect.

 

[Cheetos82]

I do feel for you. I started up my pool a few years ago and the next morning there was a bunch of sand in the pool. I took the filter head off and scooped out the sand to find one of the laterals in the bottom broken. My fix was to go on Amazon and buy a new sand filter, but my sand filter was a cheap one and several years old, so buying a new one did not bother me.

With it only being a year old, you should be able to repair with glue/pvc cement or something like that if you find a cracked lateral. The only way to know for sure it to take it apart and inspect.

I'll have my husband help me get it apart. Can I save the sand if I put it in something? I checked into new filter and they are twice the money I paid on Amazon last yr!

 

[duraleigh]

We have had more than a couple of reports of Quikrete sand being absolutely unacceptable for pools.....even though it says it is on the label.

Did you rinse and backwash the sand before using it? That may help if the sand is as bad as some have posted.

 

[Cheetos82]

We have had more than a couple of reports of Quikrete sand being absolutely unacceptable for pools.....even though it says it is on the label.

Did you rinse and backwash the sand before using it? That may help if the sand is as bad as some have posted.

Sand is from last yr and I had minor problems with sand in pool then but now its more. Yes I rinse after back washing. I want to do my over night loss after slam but I wanted to get the sand and fine dust on bottom out first.
Is there a sand that is better to use? I have limited options where I live

 

[Cheetos82]

Before and After

 

[zea3]

If you have something to put the sand in you can reuse it. Tarp, wheel barrow, doesn't matter as long as it holds the sand. When you reload the sand be sure to block off the stand pipe so it doesn't get sand in it.

 

[ike0069]

We have had more than a couple of reports of Quikrete sand being absolutely unacceptable for pools.....even though it says it is on the label.

Did you rinse and backwash the sand before using it? That may help if the sand is as bad as some have posted.

Wow, I had not heard or read this before, but some quick searching shows that Quikrete sand may be 40 - 20# which is crazy that it would be labeled as filter sand. Particles smaller than 20# (40 is smaller by 1/2) can and most likely will end up in the pool, so that is very likely your problem which is good news that the laterals are probably still good. You want 20# silica sand which means that the sand is screened and the smallest particles will be 20# which will not go thru the laterals and into your pool.

If you need to wait to get new sand, maybe try connecting a filter bag or even pantyhose to the return. This may help collect the sand and keep it from going to the bottom of the pool.

 

[PAGirl]

There was a bag of sand I got this spring that I was CERTAIN said pool filter sand (otherwise I wouldn't have boughten it!) and when I went to use it, was obviously the wrong kind. If I hadn't known by looking, and had a different bag to compare to, I would have used it. As soon as my husband started pouring it, I was yelling "Stop!". We got most of it off the top, as there was already a bag of the right stuff in the filter. Once in a while I see some of the finer stuff come out with the backwash, and there was indeed a little on the pool floor when I first got in the pool. When my pool wasn't clearing as fast as it should have, I opened the new filter to find we were short a few inches of sand. I think adding the water in as we put the sand in as per the instructions, left us thinking it was initially full, and it wasn't it. Once we added more, it's been working well.

 

[Cheetos82]

I gave up for today and working on the yard. It was definitely pool sand from Lowe's that we bought