You need chemicals with a sand filter because they require sanitization, phosphate removal, pH adjustments, and alkalinity alterations.
Cyanuric Acid: Dry or liquid chlorine stabilizer to protect chlorine from the sun. Oxidizers/ Calcium Hypochlorite/ Chlorine-Fee Shock: These are also sanitizers used to kill bacteria and algae. PH Increaser/Soda Ash: this increases the PH level. PH Reducer/Dry Acid: This will reduce the PH level.
Sand filters need chlorine to sanitize the water. The sand is used to remove debris from the swimming pool, while chlorine is added to get rid of bacteria. Chlorine is a sanitizer; Sand is a filter. Your pool needs both of them to function properly.
A sand filter is essentially a tank full of sand that's connected to your pool's filtration network. As pool water passes through the sand tank, the sand catches debris and particles and prevents them from returning to the pool. This results in cleaner, clearer water.
If you are looking for a highly efficient solution with the least amount of bacteria and debris left swimming around in your pool, the cartridge filter is your best solution. The cartridge filter can catch finer debris than a sand filter, being 10-20 microns versus 20-40 microns.
Sand filters work by allowing water to cycle through a canister that contains sand. The water flows through the sand with ease, but larger particles are unable to pass through. Once the debris and other particles have been filtered out by the sand, a pump moves the clean water back into the pool.
Slow sand filtration is a rentable biological water disinfection method that is capable of reducing the amount of algae, fungi, bacteria and some viruses (e.g. TMV not) in the water. When combined with aeration, the filter can also remove calcium and iron from the water.
On average, sand should be replaced every 3-5 years. This may be longer if the pool stays clear, or shorter, if the filter runs all the time. The jagged edges of the sand wear down and become smooth as the sand ages.
Pool Sand Filter Price
The average sand filter cost ranges from $300 to $1,200, depending on the size of the filtration system you need. Sand models are filled with a special no. 20 silica sand that is specifically designed to trap debris and particles.
A sand filter will only filter down to 20 microns while a cartridge filter will filter down to 10 microns, half the amount. This means that a cartridge filter system will be able to rid your pool of more particles (dirt and debris) leaving it cleaner and more sparkling.
The high amount of pressure pushes debris back in your pool and can crack or damage your pool filter. A good rule to remember is bigger, in this case, is better. Although larger filters come with a bigger price tag, they provide better filtering and easier maintenance for pool owners.
For sand filters on in-ground pools, I like to use a 30-inch tank diameter, which has a 4.9 sq. ft. filter surface area and holds 600 pounds of sand. For small pools (under 20,000 gallons), I might advise the next size down (24″ tank) if the budget is tight.
Filter Size
The filter flow rate must be rated at least the same GPM as your pump, or higher. With pool filters, it's best to err on the larger size so it can handle the power of your pump. A helpful rule of thumb is to choose a filter with at least 1 square foot per 10,000 gallons pool capacity.
Technically yes, you could install a pool sand filter on a household water supply, but there's a couple of main issues. For one, they tend to be too small to handle household water flows, and their capacity is minimal.
The sand removes pathogens and suspended solids from contaminated drinking water. A biological community of bacteria and other micro-organisms grows in the top 2 cm of sand.
Pros of Saltwater Pools
There's less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. They're gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
Never put chlorine tablets into the skimmer baskets of your pool. Some pool companies will put chlorine tablets directly into the skimmer baskets of the pool. Never allow anyone to put chlorine tablets in these skimmer baskets.
A better method is adding chlorine tablets directly to your swimming pool skimmer. When your filter is running, water will move quickly over the tablets in the skimmer basket, dissolving them much more effectively than the floater does.
If you see it blowing out into the pool, something is broken. The most common problem is a cracked lateral, which is one of the perforated pipes at the bottom of the filter that catches water that has circulated through the sand.