Sand filter may not be working right

[DrHorshenschwartz]

Well I agree that I shouldn't have to replace the sand but I did do a very very thorough cleaning of the sand and everything. I washed it all out into a kiddie pool and washed it and washed it and washed it. There was still a lot of foreign non organic particles in it. So I just decided to do it and will use the sand in the garden.
However, even now, after the sand was replaced I still have essentially the same results which are poor cleaning efficiency.
I have a filter sock attached to the return water. I tried adding some DE, one cup made into a watery slurry into the skimmer. A few seconds later there's a cloud around the sock and some DE in the sock. After the cloud settled it looks like the majority is on the bottom of the pool. I continue to keep a sock on the he return and continue to catch quite a bit of stuff that's larger than the sand. Lots of flies and bugs. Makes me thing the water is not even going through the sand or maybe I have too much sand.
When they install the filter there were three bags of sand. I replaced it with three bags of sand.
It's a real mystery.

MOD note: this post was split off from another thread.

 

[kimkats]

Lets go over your filter. When you had the sand out did you also pull the pipe and laterals out and check them over real good?

When you sent to put the new sand in did you put something over the stand pipe to make sure no sand went down the pipe?

Did you fill the filter half way up with water first AND put the first of the sand in by hand until the laterals were covered?

Trying to figure out why your sand filter is not work right. I LOVE mine so have a sad for you that you do not like yours.

Kim

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

Lets go over your filter. When you had the sand out did you also pull the pipe and laterals out and check them over real good?

When you sent to put the new sand in did you put something over the stand pipe to make sure no sand went down the pipe?

Did you fill the filter half way up with water first AND put the first of the sand in by hand until the laterals were covered?

Trying to figure out why your sand filter is not work right. I LOVE mine so have a sad for you that you do not like yours.

Kim

Check all laterals. All like new.
Just poured the sand in with a glove over the riser. No water.
I've considered that maybe the laterals are too low in the barrel. I suppose I should try to measure how far below the top of the barrel and compare to the multi port valve.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

Lets go over your filter. When you had the sand out did you also pull the pipe and laterals out and check them over real good?

When you sent to put the new sand in did you put something over the stand pipe to make sure no sand went down the pipe?

Did you fill the filter half way up with water first AND put the first of the sand in by hand until the laterals were covered?

Trying to figure out why your sand filter is not work right. I LOVE mine so have a sad for you that you do not like yours.

Kim

I'm going to try lifting the tube with laterals up some and check my results. I'll let you know.

 

[pookiesunshine]

well, i'm a little confused. no way i could lift my pipe/laterals with sand in the filter. maybe some pictures of your setup? or not. i have always added water first to cover the laterals before adding sand. maybe that did mess something up. maybe your valve gasket is bad and letting crossover occur.
btw, the deep cleaning procedure on this site for sand leaves the sand in the filter. much easier and more effective than what you did.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

well, i'm a little confused. no way i could lift my pipe/laterals with sand in the filter. maybe some pictures of your setup? or not. i have always added water first to cover the laterals before adding sand. maybe that did mess something up. maybe your valve gasket is bad and letting crossover occur.
btw, the deep cleaning procedure on this site for sand leaves the sand in the filter. much easier and more effective than what you did.

Yeah I realize I overdid it with the way I backwashed but I hadn't found that method before I did what I did. I didn't even know people deep cleaned their sand at that point.
I've pulled my laterals up a bit before. I take the running hose and burrow it down in the sand and with the water running it adds enough boyancy to the sand to allow some upward movement.
I don't know how other people's laterals are but they sound like they are super fragile. Mine, surprisingly seem to be quite durable. More durable than I imagined before seeing them the first time.
I'm sure I'm just miss something here. All gaskets are like new and properly lubed.
I made rough videos of everything on my YouTube channel. It's under CODY TABER the one with Leslie Neilson picture. Fully unedited and no descriptions at this point. I was planning to edit it all together some day.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

well, i'm a little confused. no way i could lift my pipe/laterals with sand in the filter. maybe some pictures of your setup? or not. i have always added water first to cover the laterals before adding sand. maybe that did mess something up. maybe your valve gasket is bad and letting crossover occur.
btw, the deep cleaning procedure on this site for sand leaves the sand in the filter. much easier and more effective than what you did.

And if what I said doesn't work I'll start over.

 

[pookiesunshine]

.....
I've pulled my laterals up a bit before. I take the running hose and burrow it down in the sand and with the water running it adds enough boyancy to the sand to allow some upward movement.
I don't know how other people's laterals are but they sound like they are super fragile. Mine, surprisingly seem to be quite durable. More durable than I imagined before seeing them the first time....

good idea, i guess that's why they call you Dr.
my laterals have never been replaced in 27 years. just inspected last spring. not so fragile if treated right. haha.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

good idea, i guess that's why they call you Dr.
my laterals have never been replaced in 27 years. just inspected last spring. not so fragile if treated right. haha.

That's a self appointed title. [emoji15]

 

[LFrankow]

This is what my 6-way valve looks like, in filter mode.

I looked at yours on uTube, it looks similar to mine.
Have you removed the bonnet to lube the spider gasket at one point? If you did you may have put it back together a quarter turn out.
Note if I turn the valve on my filter to where yours is I will be in recirculate mode.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

I will double check everything but I do know there is an indexing tab on the multi port head. I also know it is possible to put it on without it being lined up as I did that before I found the tab.
I'll take a look at everything today and report back. Thanks for your reply.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

Also I should say I didn't put the sticker on mine so maybe the installers did. I'll have to do some serious investigation I guess. It feels like the installers did everything they could to cause me to return to the pool store

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

Lets go over your filter. When you had the sand out did you also pull the pipe and laterals out and check them over real good?

When you sent to put the new sand in did you put something over the stand pipe to make sure no sand went down the pipe?

Did you fill the filter half way up with water first AND put the first of the sand in by hand until the laterals were covered?

Trying to figure out why your sand filter is not work right. I LOVE mine so have a sad for you that you do not like yours.

Kim

So I just took the multi port head off and everything seems fine. I did notice that the standpipe was maybe two inches below the top of the barrel. I looked at how the head fit on; the head has a tube that is split at the bottom to allow it to fit into the tube easier I believe, and the head has been sitting down onto the tub to the point where the standpipe was seated up above where the splits are. So I went ahead and gently rocked the standpipe a bit as I pulled it up a couple of times after checking the fit. I got the standpipe to level with the barrel and figure I better try it there as I don't think I could wiggle it back into the sand. I've reassembled, switched to my alternate return which allows me to have a filter sock completely over the return pipe and I'll see how it goes tonight. I just noticed now that I have 15psi at the filter where I've never had more than a weak 10psi. Even when I switched back to the standard return that's part of the pool I had 13psi. So I think it's a good sign.
Tomorrow I'll try the DE again since I still haven't vacuumed the first batch out.
I'm confident I've discovered the problem.

 

[pookiesunshine]

if i understand correctly, the standpipe was not fitting completely into the bottom of the multiport valve. well, yes that would definitely be a problem! what is puzzling is why that would occur. i wonder if there is supposed to be a support under the bottom of the standpipe? i believe mine sits right on the bottom of the housing. curious.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

if i understand correctly, the standpipe was not fitting completely into the bottom of the multiport valve. well, yes that would definitely be a problem! what is puzzling is why that would occur. i wonder if there is supposed to be a support under the bottom of the standpipe? i believe mine sits right on the bottom of the housing. curious.

The valve head was attaching to the standpipe by sliding over the standpipe. I'd estimate that the two were connected by about 1-1/2" with the standpipe sliding into the port head. Now with me pulling the standpipe up it should now be supported off the bottom of the barrel with sand and is now connected to the port head by maybe 3". I looked at the filter sock as I was leaving for work and I didn't notice much in it but I didn't have time to actually remove and inspect it. So I think it's a good sign.
I will update later today.

 

[DrHorshenschwartz]

Sand filter seems to be 98% better. Very little in return water filter sock. One more adjustment will probably make it 100%.
Thanks for the help.

 

[kimkats]

Love this follow up! THANKS!

Kim