My sand filter has developed a leak and I don't seem to be able to stop it.

This may not be a common fault but I know it happens because someone else in the village had the same problem.

Their final cure was to buy a new filter.

I first noticed the leak a couple of months ago. It was so fine that it looked like a strand from a spiders web but it was making a small puddle on the floor. There is no damage to the filter so it has either worn from the inside or become porous.

The filter is made by Astral and is a beige coloured plastic. It's the plastic that's causing me the problem as nothing as yet will stick to it.

I first tried using epoxy, the grey type where you mix resin with hardener. This stuff works well on metal but after 2 or 3 weeks it was leaking again. I cleaned the old epoxy off and applied more. This lasted about the same time.

Although there doesn't seem to be much pressure in the filter, somehow the water was able to work it's way between the filter and epoxy.

Yesterday I tried hot glue and at first it looked like it was going to hold but alas this morning it's leaking again.

I have one more idea that I am going to try and that is silicon. I have used some of this before, it's the type they use when making aquariums so should be water-proof. The only problem will be getting it to adhere to the plastic filter.

Anybody got any other ideas as I can't afford a new filter right now?

Sand filters are under pressure, roughly 7-10psi. The only real way to fix it, if you do not want to replace it, is, to remove the sand, and repair it from the inside. You will need a fiberglass repair kit, much like that used on cars. Small strips of fiberglass, mixed into a sticky resin, and then applied internally. Once it dries, (quickset), you can replace the sand, and it will hold.

I have never seen a successful repair from the outside. Silicon (a pool guy's worst nightmare) will likely not be strong enough for the pressure.

Sand filters these days are cheap - depending upon your pool size, from Baht 7,000 up.

most brand name sand filter carry a long warranty some up to ten years on a filter tank so you should contact Astral in Bkk for warranty.

cheers

Seems like I can get a new filter for a lot less bahts than I expected so am going that way.

Thanks for the replies.