I am new to TFP and have learned a wealth of info the last few weeks! We bought a house last year with a 27,000 gallon vinyl inground pool saltwater pool. We had company take care of it last year and made the leap to caring for it ourselves when we opened in May. After lots of research here, I realized that "dirt" from last summer was really mustard algae and it has only gotten worse. I will be using the TFP method going forward, but have used lots of clarifier and algaecide to this point. My biggest concern is what to do about the sand in the filter. The psi is at 18 at its peak and didn't climb when I shocked the heck out of it for weeks about a month ago. I will SLAM soon and am curious if I should start with new sand. The pool is 4 years old, so the sand isn't old enough to need replacing, but I am concerned about whether or not it filtering properly. Any advice is appreciated!
Sand Filter
- Thread starter Scleveland
- Start date
Potions can clog up your sand. There could be goo. If that's the case...
2 choices:
2 choices:
- Deep clean the sand, put it back. You save about 25 bux.
- Change the sand, no time with bleach and a hoe and a wheelbarrow deep cleaning sand. Costs about $25 bux.
Welcome to TFP, Scleveland... another Georgian in the House! Woot! 
We don't recommend the use of FLOC or clarifiers as they do gum up the sand. I'd like to say try cleaning it but for those potions, I'm not actually sure how well it works? By the way- we never recommend replacing sand routinely. It has lasted for a bazillion years already...it's gonna work for hundreds more (assuming it isn't coated with gummy potions). A thorough cleaning works wonders on it and also fixes any channels that have developed over time.
www.troublefreepool.com
You mention "mustard algae".....are you sure?? It usually is on the shady surfaces of the pool and is kinda rare to find. Many people confuse regular algae with mustard.
Do you have your test kit yet?
Maddie
We don't recommend the use of FLOC or clarifiers as they do gum up the sand. I'd like to say try cleaning it but for those potions, I'm not actually sure how well it works? By the way- we never recommend replacing sand routinely. It has lasted for a bazillion years already...it's gonna work for hundreds more (assuming it isn't coated with gummy potions). A thorough cleaning works wonders on it and also fixes any channels that have developed over time.
Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter
This post will walk you through the anatomy of a sand filter, and then provide a video at the end for how to deep clean your sand filter. The filter used in the photos and videos is a Hayward S180T top mount sand filter. The images are of a similar filter. Obviously not all filters are...
www.troublefreepool.com
You mention "mustard algae".....are you sure?? It usually is on the shady surfaces of the pool and is kinda rare to find. Many people confuse regular algae with mustard.
Do you have your test kit yet?
Maddie
This algae is clinging to the walls an floor. It's dark green, yellow, and even brown in some spots. Nothing is floating in the water and everything brushes away very easily, buy quickly returns. I do have a test kit, Taylor K-2006 with FAS-DPD. Either way, I know that I need to SLAM the pool, but I'm a bit confused about what exactly to do with the sand.
I think I'd do a SLAM and see how it goes? If the sand is a mess your SLAM will linger on and you can pause a few hours and change it then.
There is always a chance all will work out and sometime after the SLAM you can clean the sand/replace the sand if you find it necessary.
Maddie
There is always a chance all will work out and sometime after the SLAM you can clean the sand/replace the sand if you find it necessary.
Maddie