On a weekly basis i vacuum the pool, backflush and rinse the sand filter. 2 days later i notice sand on the liner floor to the right of both water returns and on one side of the pool floor down the decline to the deep end. Would this indicate broken sand filter laterals?
What does this mean?
- Thread starter primem
- Start date
ranger_ric
LifeTime Supporter
this does Not necessarily indicate a broken lateral.
As you read more about sand filters you will see that most on here only backwash their filters when there is a degree of pressure built up between the pump and the filter. Most on here agree (me included) that a dirty sand filter will filter better than a clean one. In fact Many folks will add diatomaceous filter media to their sand filters right after backwashing to increase the filtering ability of the sand filter.
This year I was fighting sand build up in my pool and would vacuum every other day and noticed that it was always about the same amount of sand left on the bottom after I shut the pump off. I finally installed the jicky little cartridge filter that came with the pool and then used it to vacuum.
WOW that little cartridge filter Trapped all of that really really fine sand and gave me my first sparkly beautiful water this year. When I cleaned the cartridge after vacuuming it was super fine sand.
The cartridge filter was installed after the 4 year old hose gave out on my sand filter, I have decided to rearrange my plumbing so I can vacuum with the cartridge filter and run the big bad sand filter the rest of the time...
Now your problem may be a broken lateral but I think if it was that you would always be adding to that pile of sand in the bottom. If it always seems to be the same amount than it could just be the sand particles are soo small they are passing through the sand filter. YMMV
Carry On
RR
As you read more about sand filters you will see that most on here only backwash their filters when there is a degree of pressure built up between the pump and the filter. Most on here agree (me included) that a dirty sand filter will filter better than a clean one. In fact Many folks will add diatomaceous filter media to their sand filters right after backwashing to increase the filtering ability of the sand filter.
This year I was fighting sand build up in my pool and would vacuum every other day and noticed that it was always about the same amount of sand left on the bottom after I shut the pump off. I finally installed the jicky little cartridge filter that came with the pool and then used it to vacuum.
WOW that little cartridge filter Trapped all of that really really fine sand and gave me my first sparkly beautiful water this year. When I cleaned the cartridge after vacuuming it was super fine sand.
The cartridge filter was installed after the 4 year old hose gave out on my sand filter, I have decided to rearrange my plumbing so I can vacuum with the cartridge filter and run the big bad sand filter the rest of the time...
Now your problem may be a broken lateral but I think if it was that you would always be adding to that pile of sand in the bottom. If it always seems to be the same amount than it could just be the sand particles are soo small they are passing through the sand filter. YMMV
Carry On
RR
can you post a pic or your cartridge filter set up...I think i would like to vacuum into a separate filter also.
We did this too. My husband rigged up a filter to vacuum only and the sand filter runs the the rest of the time. Has worked wonderfully. Prior to this set up we had continuous dirt/sand 30 minutes after vacuuming. Now it stays cleaner longer, but we do have the vacuum hooked up to run intermittently throughout the day. A few minutes in the morning and a few in the afternoon. It's what works for us.
ranger_ric
LifeTime Supporter
Sorry but I am not savvy enough for the picture technology.. But I will describe my set up..
Since I vacuum through my skimmer I installed a Tee under the skimmer. On each pump side of skimmer I installed a threaded valve. (one for sand filter one for cartridge filter). From the valves it just goes to the separate filters.
On the return side it is the same thing. From each filter through a threaded valve, into a tee that goes to my single return.
In the near future I plan on swapping out the return tee for a 4 way (with a valve behind it, so I can install a second return)...
I am a firm believer in using threaded PVC and threaded unions, so if I ever have a failure I can just unscrew the failed parts and put new ones in.... I don't expect my PVC ball valves to last more than a season or two.
Since I vacuum through my skimmer I installed a Tee under the skimmer. On each pump side of skimmer I installed a threaded valve. (one for sand filter one for cartridge filter). From the valves it just goes to the separate filters.
On the return side it is the same thing. From each filter through a threaded valve, into a tee that goes to my single return.
In the near future I plan on swapping out the return tee for a 4 way (with a valve behind it, so I can install a second return)...
I am a firm believer in using threaded PVC and threaded unions, so if I ever have a failure I can just unscrew the failed parts and put new ones in.... I don't expect my PVC ball valves to last more than a season or two.