Pool filter balls

[proavia]

What water was left after draining was dark olive green. The balls themselves ranged from almost as white as they went in at the top of the filter to dark green at the bottom. Interestingly, I found a piece of somnething that I don't recognize as a pool part in the sludge. I'm attaching a couple of pics of the balls to give you an idea of what they came out like. Plus a pic of the part I found. It looks very familiar, but I can't put my finger on what it could have came from. It's not from anything in the filter. I went through all the parts inside and everything looks good.

The black part in your first pic is a piece of a lateral. Once all the filter balls are our, fully inspect the lateral assembly for broken parts and replace them.

What exact filter do you have? Manufacturer and model number.....

 

[beaverplt]

My filter is a Triton TR-60. I found out what the part is. It's the filter inside of the drain. I'm going to make sure the drain is still water tight. If it is, I'm going to let it go. I don't see the need for that piece other than to keep from losing sand when I drain the filter in winter. I can easily come up with a method to capture any sand loss.

 

[tstex]

I'm trying to figure out how you castrate a sand filter ? We have a 100 acre ranch w a lot of cattle and I get the concept there. But, a sand filter? Since I have a cartridge filter, maybe I am not familiar w all "the parts" on the sand filter system.

 

[beaverplt]

I'm trying to figure out how you castrate a sand filter ? We have a 100 acre ranch w a lot of cattle and I get the concept there. But, a sand filter? Since I have a cartridge filter, maybe I am not familiar w all "the parts" on the sand filter system.

It was sort of a play on words. I removed the pool filter "balls" I had tried out in place of sand. They didn't work worth a darn so I'm going back to sand.

 

[beaverplt]

With a 24" filter I'm supposed to need 300 lbs of sand. I've got 250 lbs in right now and I'm 2/3 full in the filter. Isn't that where I'm supposed to be?

 

[Mdragger88]

With a 24" filter I'm supposed to need 300 lbs of sand. I've got 250 lbs in right now and I'm 2/3 full in the filter. Isn't that where I'm supposed to be?

Did u put water in 1st?
& it’s usually 2/3 - 3/4.
Is there a line on the vessel or stand pipe?

 

[Mdragger88]

Did u put water in 1st?
& it’s usually 2/3 - 3/4.
Is there a line on the vessel or stand pipe?

 

[beaverplt]

I did put water in before the sand. I assumed that would help it settle without hurting any piping. I couldn't find any line, but the sand did settle a bit. I put in the last 50 lbs. I was planning on starting it back up tonight, but my water level was too low because of my main drain leak. Hopefully my wife can handle things tomorrow. I get to go back to work.

 

[Mdragger88]

adding water to help “cushion” the sand as it is added is definitely recommended to protect the laterals
The possibility of settling is why I asked.
So long as you’re free board distance (empty space) is good you’re all good
Fingers crossed it all goes off without a hitch for ya!

 

[beaverplt]

I didn't know that adding water before the sand was imperative, but it certainly seemed intuitive. Anyway, the pool's full, I started my SLAM tonight. Brushed the floor down. Guess I'll be backwashing and brushing every day for a while, but considering this is no different than opening the pool, I'm prepared for that. Only issue was I am out of CYA testing stuff. I got some coming,

 

[Mdragger88]

I didn't know that adding water before the sand was imperative, but it certainly seemed intuitive. Anyway, the pool's full, I started my SLAM tonight. Brushed the floor down. Guess I'll be backwashing and brushing every day for a while, but considering this is no different than opening the pool, I'm prepared for that. Only issue was I am out of CYA testing stuff. I got some coming,

Just Backwash when pressure rises 25% over clean pressure- sand actually filters better when it’s a little dirty.

For a successful SLAM Process you need to continue to MAINTAIN Slam level fc for your cya until you meet ALL 3 end of slam criteria-

You are done when:

CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
the water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)

*Check & scrub every nook & cranny where algae may hide (light niches, drain covers, ladder handrails, skimmer throats/weirs, etc.)
*Run slam level water through all water features & lines for at least a couple hours a day during the SLAM Process.
*Brush & or vac daily (this breaks up biofilms that algae uses to protect itself from chlorine)
SLAM ON

 

[beaverplt]

I've had the sand in since Friday. I'm keeping the chlorine above slam levels and my other numbers are good with the exception of TA which is not horrible, but still high at 125. BUT, and this is a huge but, the pressure level has not risen above 10 psi no matter how much brushing I've done. Backwashing is coming out very green, but not for the length of time I'd usually expect when the pool is this green. Somewhat disturbing is that my pump is making a strange noise that sounds almost like air bubbles. I'm not getting any air out of my returns and can't hear anything resembling air bubbles at the top of my filter. I'm starting to wonder if my pump could be failing. To be fair, the pump is the same one I inherited when I bought the place 29 years ago. I knew it might have been living on borrowed time, but the coincidence of the filter media swap makes me wonder if the pool ball experiment has anything to do with it.

 

[JamesW]

Can you post pictures of the system?

 

[Mdragger88]

29 years is a good run for a pump.
It may have more to do with it being put to more use recently. Nows your chance for a vsp .

 

[beaverplt]

Here are a couple of pics of my setup. Something I remembered from a problem I had about 10-12 years ago was something got through all the baskets and got caught in the impeller of the pump. It drastically reduced the efficiency and, if I remember right, sounded similar to my issue now. Easy enough to check out.

 

[beaverplt]

Got the pump impeller taken apart this afternoon. There was nothing caught in it to impede it. The only thing wrong was the o-ring around the diffuser was pinched in one spot. At this point I can only assume the pump itself is losing its effectiveness. I just wonder what causes a pump to fail, or in this case, lose its effectiveness. It's basically an electric motor. I've got wood shop equipment with motors older than this pump.
Anyway, I guess the next step is to figure out what pump to replace it with. Mdragger88 has already mentioned a VSP. I'm open to suggestions.

 

[beaverplt]

I learned a bit more about my pump tonight. I always thought it was 1.5 hp. It turns out it was 1.0 hp. I'm amazed it has done so well for as old as it is. When I took it out the cover for the start capacitor came off in my hand. There's also considerable rot in the motor housing. Definitely time for a replacement. I've decided to replace the motor only so I don't have to replumb anything. I'm going to upgrade to a VSP 1.5 hp if I can find one that will fit the current crock, impeller, etc.

 

[beaverplt]

I've done a bit of reading on VSP motors. One of the considerations is pipe sizing. In my pool shed, all the pipes are 1 1/2". Underground they are 1 1/4". I'm guessing that might be why my pump was 1.0 hp. I already have a main drain leak. The last thing I want to do is overpower the piping and cause another leak. I've never replaced the pump so this is new to me. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Mdragger88]

I've done a bit of reading on VSP motors. One of the considerations is pipe sizing. In my pool shed, all the pipes are 1 1/2". Underground they are 1 1/4". I'm guessing that might be why my pump was 1.0 hp. I already have a main drain leak. The last thing I want to do is overpower the piping and cause another leak. I've never replaced the pump so this is new to me. Any thoughts are appreciated.

The nice thing about the vsp is that u can run it at whatever rpm u want giving u more control over things than u previously had. I will let some of the others chime in as to the other concerns about pipe sizing.

 

[beaverplt]

I thought I'd share a couple of pics of the pump I just pulled out. I am amazed it was still working, albeit not well this year. I've not had any luck finding a variable speed motor that will fit my existing plumbing. I'd prefer to not replumb anything. I've actually started to wonder if I could put a rheostat on a single speed pump. Anyway, here are the pics.