I wanted to redo our concrete slab for my pool equipment. I'm hiring it out and they hit some unexpected delays and they cant for a while. Therefore, I cant run my pool like I used to. Meanwhile, I took this opportunity to replace my sand in my sand filter. I cleaned it all out and figured I'd put the new stuff in when the slab was done. My pool is green and very full of water. Is it possible for at least a few minutes to run water through the sand filter with no sand for the express purpose of backwashing? And if you suggest a secondary pump, that's a no go since there's no feasible way to put the water anywhere bu my lawn and if you suggest plumbing it without the sand filter, I'm no plumber but the connectors and adaptors I need they don't make
Running sand filter with no sand
- Thread starter hyperchord24
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,979
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Sure, if all you want to do is remove some water and/or move it around for a while without filtration, you can backwash or sometimes recirculate if you wish. If you only have a plunger valve, then of course backwash is your only option.
sktn77a
Gold Supporter
Do you mean "for the express purpose of emptying some water out of the pool"? If so, yes, it shouldn't harm the filter.
Yeah, I didn't think that one through. I thought for backwashing I'd need a closed system, but I don't. Backwash just bypasses the filter. So, by that logic, could I attach my exhaust hose directly to the pump and run it?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,979
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Actually backwash just reverses the flow within the filter. Do you have a MPV? Pumping to WASTE will go right out to the lawn.
cptkirk
0
Multi-port valve. Do you have a valve on top of your filter that has multiple settings (backwash, waste, recirculate, rinse, etc.)
Yes. But now I'm wondering if I can just attach my exhaust line to my pump and pump out water that way without having to jury rig everything
cptkirk
0
If you set the valve to Waste, water from the pump will go directly out the "backwash" pipe without going through the filter. If all you want to do is dump water, that is the simplest way.
