In general, you should backwash your filter if the filter gauge pressure reads above 10 PSI or you notice a weak flow of water out of your return jets. But you'll need to backwash more often if you have an algae-infested pool or you've just used a pool flocculant.
As a general rule, you should be backwashing your pool about once a week or in conjugation with your scheduled maintenance. Another industry standard is to backwash when your filter's pressure gauge reads 8-10 PSI (pounds per square inch) over the starting level or “clean” pressure.
If you don't clear out your sand filter regularly through backwashing, it means your filter can't work as efficiently and eventually debris will make its way back into your pool. Backwashing keeps your pool equipment healthy and your pool clean and safe.
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.
In order to prevent residual blow back into the pool, once you've finished backwashing it's highly advisable to rinse the filter. Just as the backwash lifts and flushes the sand, the rinse resets the sand to its original position for optimum filtration.
What is the lifespan of a sand filter? The filter media (material) should be replaced every 7 to 10 years. Common filter media for sand filters includes silica sand, glass balls or our Zeo-Clor filter media. The tanks typically last between 7 and 20 years.
Most filter systems are designed to operate in the 5-15 psi or 10-20 psi range. The way to find out your particular correct pool filter pressure is to clean or backwash the filter thoroughly and empty the pump and skimmer baskets.
Once you have cleaned the pool, you should move on to the sand and DE filter. The expert says you should backwash them. However, for a cartridge filter, it is best to remove the cartridges and hose them off.
Backwashing a filter will lead to your pool being dirty temporarily. For a clean pool, do not backwash your filter before vacuuming.
Check to see if there is dirt or debris returning to your pool or during a pool vacuum. If there is, this can be a sign you have a broken lateral. Laterals are plastic parts at the bottom of the sand filter, with slits so small that it keeps out sand grains, until it cracks that is.
If most of the sand comes through the holes of the lateral, the sand is too small. Your pump may be too large or the sand level too high in the filter. When the filter is backwashing the water flow can cause the sand to rise high enough and overflow into the standpipe, which will allow the sand back into the pool.
Sun Down – You'll want to shock your pool in the evening when the sun has gone down. This gives your pool plenty of time during the night to free the chlorine and clean the water. In the morning, you should be able to enjoy your pool. If you shock your pool during the day, the sun's UV rays will dissolve the chlorine.
It's often recommended to shock your pool once a week. If you don't do it every week, you should at least do it every other week. This is necessary to maintain your pool's water chemistry. If you have a lot of people over in your pool or have a party, you may want to shock your pool more frequently.
With non-chlorine shock, 15 minutes is sufficient with the pump running. With using a chlorine shock, it depends on how, and what, you were “shocking” for. A maintenance dose per say, one would only need to wait approximately 4 hours with the pump running.
Do you backwash or rinse a sand filter first? Backwash the filter, then rinse the filter afterward to prevent blowback into the pool. The backwash setting flushes contaminants built up in the sand. And the rinse setting resets the sand to its original position for the best filtration.
As much as you can
If your question is “How often should I run my pump to keep the pool at its best?” the answer would be 24/7 for as much of the year as the pool is in operation.
The sand filter is what pulls the dirt out of the water. Different setting on top of the filter, the first one is Filter this one will be used most of the time. Second one is backwash, use it to clean the dirt out of the filter. When on backwash watch the clear site glass for 2 to 3 minutes until the water runs clear.