A nylon or rubber brush is the correct choice for scrubbing the sides of a soft-sided above-ground pool. A large pool brush makes quick work of the job, but you may need a smaller brush to clean corners. Once the particles have been removed from the sides of the pool, turn your filter back on and agitate the water.
STEP 1: Attach vacuum head to the pole. STEP 2: Attach vacuum hose to the vacuum head on the end of the pole. STEP 3: Submerge vacuum hose and head into the pool. STEP 4: Push air out of the hose by feeding it down through the water, or just simply hold one end over a pool return while filtering to fill it with water.
However, with the use of a sand filter, sand particles can end up on the bottom of the above ground pool surface. The best way to remove these sand particles is with the use of a pool vacuum. Automatic and manual vacuums can both be used, but a manual vacuum will yield results that are more precise.
If you believe the sand is from your filter, then the most likely problem with your sand filter is a cracked lateral. Laterals are tubes at the bottom of your filter (you can see them here). Water filters through the sand and is collected by these laterals and then shot through standing pipe and back into your pool.
The sand in your pool filter needs replacing every three to five years, sometimes even longer if your pool remains in relatively good condition when it's open. If you run your pool filter often all year and have a heavy bather load, the sand may need replacing sooner than three years.
Answer: Get as much of the debris and algae as you can out manualy (net, vacuum). You can also vacuum the sand, but make sure you vacuum to waste so it does not damage your pump/filter again.
Carefully scoop out the sand with a plastic cup. Yes, this can take a long, long, time. Alternatively, you can use a shop vac or a wet and dry vacuum to suck out all of the sand.
If you've noticed that the backwashing cycles have become shorter, then you should check to see if the sand filter is dirty or greasy. If the filter is dirty or greasy, then don't be surprised if it takes on the appearance of sandy lard. When this happens, the water doesn't flow through the sand filter media.
Replacement sand for your sand filter typically costs around $25 per 50-pound bag, and your filter may require 100 to 600 pounds or more depending on the size and model. More than likely, you'll need about 350 pounds of sand for an average-sized inground pool filter.
Your sand filter is designed to operate effectively with a certain level of sand in it. When the sand level in the filter housing or sand tank is too high, then you may notice sand coming out of the backwash lines when you backwash or use the rinse function.
Manual Vacuum: Standing outside the pool, hold the telescopic pole and use long smooth strokes to vacuum the pool floor. For complete coverage, overlap the strokes a bit. Move the vacuum head slowly so that the debris remains on the pool floor and does not get kicked up.
Insert the open end of the hose into the vacuum plate (also known as a skimmer plate or skimmer disk), and place the plate into your pool wall skimmer, directly atop the suction vent. This will initiate the vacuuming process. Slowly sway the vacuum head in straight lines along the bottom of your pool until it's clean.
Start at the shallow end and then work your way to the deep end of the pool. Once you've vacuumed it once, you'll need to grab a brush and scrub away at your pool's floor. Then vacuum it again. Repeat this until the bottom of your pool looks clean.