I ran a sand filter for years, it worked well enough, but I had to vacuum to waste if it was heavy because the particulates just wouldn't get caught, and green would come out the jets. Last year my father filled in his pool, and gave me his DE filter. I put it on, and it worked great, but found it filled rather fast. So when putting everything together this spring, I saw my old sand filter behind my shed and thought, "why not?" Hoofed it down to home depot and picked up a pile of pvc fittings, and threw it together.
My first issue: Earth wouldn't pass through the sand very well, so I had to add an earth adder before the DE filter. Used a T fitting, adapted 1.5" to 4", and put a screw on cap. It comes off, pre-mixed earth/water pours in nicely, and gets capped again.
Now it's running well. Dumped sand 5 times before having to change the earth the first time. My pool got dirty in the fall before I covered it so it's a mess right now. I have a leak between my skimmer and the pump, so I have to dig that up and repair it as well.
My first issue: Earth wouldn't pass through the sand very well, so I had to add an earth adder before the DE filter. Used a T fitting, adapted 1.5" to 4", and put a screw on cap. It comes off, pre-mixed earth/water pours in nicely, and gets capped again.
Now it's running well. Dumped sand 5 times before having to change the earth the first time. My pool got dirty in the fall before I covered it so it's a mess right now. I have a leak between my skimmer and the pump, so I have to dig that up and repair it as well.