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.
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.
As pool filter sand is considered a hazardous material, you should not simply throw the sand away in your trash can. To properly dispose of the sand, you need to call a disposal expert or take it to a disposal site.
You can reuse the filter sand if it's still in good shape. Generally, pool filter sand lasts about 5-7 years before it wears out and needs to be replaced (except for very small filters used on aboveground pools, which usually need new sand much sooner.
Sand Filter Cleaning
Sand filter sand can last five to seven years, but more than likely, you will replace it every three years or so. Baquacil users may find that they need to replace the sand every year because it tends to coagulate the waste in the tank.
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. Whether it's a lateral, the standpipe, or a seal that is worn or broken, you can usually fix the filter yourself, but it may take a few hours.
When do I need to replace my sand? On average, sand should be replaced every 3-5 years.
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.
In some cases, if the well water has both sand and sediment, a centrifugal sand separator is first in line, followed by a sediment backwash filter. These types of filter systems use either a filter and media or a combination of sand and anthracite coal to filter the water right down to the ten-micron range.
Pool filter sand should not be reused because the roughness of the particles that is used to catch unwanted bacteria, contaminates, and debris will be too worn down to be effective. Reused pool filter sand can result in severe contamination of your pool and is not worth the risk.
Because of the contaminants it contains, pool sand should never be left in a pile in the yard. If you can't find a use for it around the house and you don't want to truck it to a disposal site, the best way to deal with it is to dig a hole in the yard or garden and bury it.
Changing the pool filter sand is a bit of a pain, especially in the back region, but a bag of pool filter sand costs around R90 at your local Builders Warehouse, and you should only need two bags for most pool filters.
Fine Particles
At their very best, sand filters only filter down to around 20 microns. Anything finer than that isn't able to be easily filtered and will generally pass right through the filter and back into the pool. As these particles build up they will cause the water to look cloudy.
How Often Should I Backwash? A good rule of thumb is to backwash once the pressure displayed on your pressure gauge is 8-10 psi over the starting level. Backwashing after heavy rains, treating for algae, or when trying to clear cloudy water will keep your filter working efficiently.
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.
Removing Sand, Silt, and Sediment
Most purely physical water filters remove dirt, silt, sand, and sediment from your water. These filters are a part of most types of water treatment systems, since large particles can easily damage more delicate water treatment devices like reverse osmosis membranes.
Well Pump is Set Too Low in Well
If your well suddenly starts to pump sand and sediment, this may indicate that the well is filling with sand or your pump is sitting too low in the well near the bottom of the well. Most wells use submersible pumps that are down in the water in a casing.
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. This is called the biolayer. The micro-organisms in the biolayer eat many of the pathogens in the water, improving the water treatment.
It's best to run your pool pump during the day
Not only does sunlight give fuel for algae to grow, it also destroys your pool chlorine and this is why you should always run your pool during the day!
Sand filters often do not filter 100% of algae. The more times a pool is shocked once you have algae, the smaller the particles get. Ideally, turning off the pump for a day will drop all the algae to the bottom and then you vacuum to waste.
Can You Backwash Too Much? If you backwash your pool too much i.e. time duration and/or close frequency then yes you can cause a lot of problems. Some problems that can arise from backwashing your sand pool filter too much are: Loss of water – 500+ litres of water can be lost in each backwashing cycle.
Too much sand and your filter will likely not run correctly or may break when reassembling. Too little sand and you will have cloudy water no matter how much your filter runs.
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.