Polyfill in the Sand filter??

[mcleod]

A new pool pad allowed me to replumb a pump and sand filter (only items to replumb) with 2" pvc and 3-way valves and rid myself of the Rube Goldberg contraption the local guy created. I live in rural Texas, so my water has iron. (Inground vinyl pool) I like simple, so I'm thinking of trying polyfill to filter out the iron, which leads me to...
Do I chemically treat for iron and then run it through polyfill stuff in the skimmers?
Do I need to chemically treat the water at all if running through the above process?
Could I put polyfill in the sand filter and achieve iron-free water without too much follow-up maintenance, like removing the polyfill down the road?
Or make a plan to add an inline filter in the future when I replumb?

McLeod

 

[Bperry]

A new pool pad allowed me to replumb a pump and sand filter (only items to replumb) with 2" pvc and 3-way valves and rid myself of the Rube Goldberg contraption the local guy created. I live in rural Texas, so my water has iron. (Inground vinyl pool) I like simple, so I'm thinking of trying polyfill to filter out the iron, which leads me to...
Do I chemically treat for iron and then run it through polyfill stuff in the skimmers?
Do I need to chemically treat the water at all if running through the above process?
Could I put polyfill in the sand filter and achieve iron-free water without too much follow-up maintenance, like removing the polyfill down the road?
Or make a plan to add an inline filter in the future when I replumb?

McLeod

Don’t put polyfill in the sand filter. You can put it in a bag and add it to the skimmer so it can be changed out when enough iron has accumulated on it.

 

[duraleigh]

Don't use the filter. It can only remove visible iron and then not very much of it.

The best cure would be to eliminate the iron from the source water with a water softener.......what is your iron content?

 

[mcleod]

Don't use the filter. It can only remove visible iron and then not very much of it.

The best cure would be to eliminate the iron from the source water with a water softener.......what is your iron content?

Your reply suggests that I should drill down and get specific. I don't know the percentage of iron. I presume that there are test kits to determine that, and I will now cruise over to Amazon for a look-see.

 

[duraleigh]

Yeah, you need to know How Much iron by testing. TFTestkits sells an iron test, I think and a local pool supply store will likely do it, too

Over the years, we have learned that iron from a well is difficult to handle and it won't go away.

Sequestrants and filters can offer some "help" but your refill water constantly adds more iron.

Do you have a whole house water softener?

 

[mcleod]

thanks for the reply, @duraleigh. I do not have a whole house water softener. I was thinking about this and wondered if a small softener set between the pump and the filter would work. thoughts?

McLeod

 

[duraleigh]

It won't have the capacity.

Short of a whole house softener, probably your next best bet is to use a sequestrant...........keeping in mind that you are not removing ANY iron from your pool but simply keeping it in soluble form, You will be using that sequestrant for the life of the pool.

Same issue with a mechanical filter.........they basically don't filter out very much and you are constantly replenishing that iron from your well.

 

[Newdude]

Some are using RV water softeners as an alternative to the whole home models

RV water softener for auto-fill line

Any do's/don'ts for plumbing rv water softener in water fill line? I want it easy to remove as I think they all require manual regeneration.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mcleod]

I presume that the other path would be I could just learn to live with it. Won't kill me, might make me stronger...

McLeod

 

[duraleigh]

I lived with mine successfully for 5 years but it continued to accumulate until I could no longer ignore it. Perhaps you could take iron free water from rainfall and divert enough of it to keep your iron low..

 

[mcleod]

The new pad is in (yippee). A bit wider but no deeper (3'). Now to plumbing. I have purchased 3-way valves for the Return and the Suction sides. I have a SWG which used to be plumbed horizontal. I would like to attach it vertically this time. I've attached a diagram as to how I think it might go. What have I missed?
McLeod