I switched from sand to glass in my filter. If my Hayward takes 5 bags of sand would it take 5 bags of glass? Or do you need more glass?
Need advice about glass.
- Thread starter Chrismcnee1970
- Start date
CJadamec
TFP Expert
Can you still return the glass? Sand works better and is cheaper.
Lagerman64
Gold Supporter
I believe it depends on manufacturer instructions. I recently switched from sand to glass, Brightline, recommends 20% less glass media than sand, I used 160 pounds in a 200 pound filter. I've seen other brands going 1 for 1. I am totally happy with the switch.
@Lagerman64 I hope you will make a thread and update it as you go along. Maybe monthly updates where you open the top to look at the glass? I have heard the glass can get "gummy" and is a pain to clean once that happens. Yours will be the first one for me to "catch" at the very beginning to ask for updates!
Kim
Kim
Lagerman64
Gold Supporter
I've been hoping to find a live thread of filter glass user's, so far no luck. I may have to start one, I to have been wondering about general operation and maintenance. I love the glass, it's working as advertised. My pool link is Chuck's Pool , next spring I'll pull the filter head, inspect the glass and clean if necessary, I'll start posting more observation notes, thanks.@Lagerman64 I hope you will make a thread and update it as you go along. Maybe monthly updates where you open the top to look at the glass? I have heard the glass can get "gummy" and is a pain to clean once that happens. Yours will be the first one for me to "catch" at the very beginning to ask for updates!
Kim
I will do the same.
My pool is just over a year old and I have had glass media in my filter from day 1.
So far it has been working well for me as well.
When it warms up here towards the end of the year (winter at the moment down here), I will open up my filter and check the glass media consistency.
My pool is just over a year old and I have had glass media in my filter from day 1.
So far it has been working well for me as well.
When it warms up here towards the end of the year (winter at the moment down here), I will open up my filter and check the glass media consistency.
SWEET! Two of you to follow and to send people to that have questions!
Lagerman64
Gold Supporter
Saturn94
Bronze Supporter
- Mar 11, 2015
- 1,749
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
According to the hype - there are plenty of benefits.
Just Google away and you will see that there are many places stating various benefits - although you will find it difficult to find any that can back these claims up with facts.
I did find an article which looks at the utilisation of crushed glass Vs sand for filtering waste water which may have some parallels to our usage in pools: https://www.researchgate.net/public...Filter_Medium_and_Comparison_with_Silica_Sand
Generally though the average pool owner does not have the ability to perform a true A Vs B comparison as there are many variables to take into account.
Obviously the stuff works as many people use it (especially here in Aus) but as to how well it works Vs sand...????
I will be curious as to how well my glass media performs over time as my water has been managed with TFP principles from day one - so if I have issues with the glass media I will not be able to blame the water...LOL.
So far though, my pool filtering has been working great - so no complaints so far, but early days still....!
I'll chime in here as well. I have had three different pools and 4 different filter types. My first pool was on a cartridge filter. My second pool was initially sand filter and switched to a DE filter when the sand filter failed. My current pool has a sand filter and is filled with Dr Dryden glass media.
All the different filters worked well enough to keep the water sparkling clean as viewed during the day. But, you can definitely tell a difference between the filters at night by the amount of floaties visible in the water illuminated by the pool light beam when the light is on. As you might guess, my experience was that the water from the sand filters had the most illuminated floaties, followed by cartridge, DE and Glass in that order. The glass media in my sand filter leaves the water with virtually no floaties in the light beam.
As far as maintenance goes, the sand and glass media are by far the easiest to backwash and are both equally easy between the two. The cartridge and DE are both a pain to backwash/clean and in my opinion the DE is slightly less of a pain than the cartridge, but only because it had to be cleaned less often.
I have had the glass media in my filter for about 18 months (I have not opened the filter up to see if the glass is gummy) now and would choose that option again every time unless I was limited by regulations on backwashing. I hope this is helpful for somebody.
All the different filters worked well enough to keep the water sparkling clean as viewed during the day. But, you can definitely tell a difference between the filters at night by the amount of floaties visible in the water illuminated by the pool light beam when the light is on. As you might guess, my experience was that the water from the sand filters had the most illuminated floaties, followed by cartridge, DE and Glass in that order. The glass media in my sand filter leaves the water with virtually no floaties in the light beam.
As far as maintenance goes, the sand and glass media are by far the easiest to backwash and are both equally easy between the two. The cartridge and DE are both a pain to backwash/clean and in my opinion the DE is slightly less of a pain than the cartridge, but only because it had to be cleaned less often.
I have had the glass media in my filter for about 18 months (I have not opened the filter up to see if the glass is gummy) now and would choose that option again every time unless I was limited by regulations on backwashing. I hope this is helpful for somebody.
@mcdickey could I pretty please you into opening your filter this weekend? Just for a peek and feel? I understand if you can't or don't want to but man I would really like to see it after 18months. 
Kim
Kim
I opened up the filter this morning to look at and feel the glass it's not gummy at all just feels like regular sand. I'll post a picture in a minute.
I stumbled upon this thread and it has certainly piqued my interest on this topic. I'm going to continue to follow, watch and listen to all of the opinions.
Really appreciate everyone expressing their experiences with the glass media. Very interesting.
I wonder if anyone has any opinions on how well the glass media might stack up to the zeo filter media.
I have been using a 50/50 mix of ZeoBest and sand for about 3 years now. I know that there are some who deny that the zeolite material has any additional benefits over sand, but in my opinion based on my experience, I believe that I get better filtering results with it versus just 100% sand.
If anyone has used both the glass and the zeolite filter media and want to share their opinions on how they might differ, that would be great.
Thanks again to all who have contributed to this thread.
r.
Really appreciate everyone expressing their experiences with the glass media. Very interesting.
I wonder if anyone has any opinions on how well the glass media might stack up to the zeo filter media.
I have been using a 50/50 mix of ZeoBest and sand for about 3 years now. I know that there are some who deny that the zeolite material has any additional benefits over sand, but in my opinion based on my experience, I believe that I get better filtering results with it versus just 100% sand.
If anyone has used both the glass and the zeolite filter media and want to share their opinions on how they might differ, that would be great.
Thanks again to all who have contributed to this thread.
r.
borjis
LifeTime Supporter
I had glass in the sand filter of the first home I bought.
I have sand in the sand filter of my current home.
Both seem to do the job of filtering just fine.
I had to slam the pool once with the glass in the filter.
It would clear up a full cloudy 20,000 gallon pool (from brushing) within 72hrs....milky white to crystal tfp clear.
Saying it doesn't work as well as sand is just not true in my experience.
I have sand in the sand filter of my current home.
Both seem to do the job of filtering just fine.
I had to slam the pool once with the glass in the filter.
It would clear up a full cloudy 20,000 gallon pool (from brushing) within 72hrs....milky white to crystal tfp clear.
Saying it doesn't work as well as sand is just not true in my experience.
This thread is awesome! THANKS for opening, feeling, AND taking a pic of the glass!
Kim
Kim