Swimming Pool Filters

[petercallen]

We have a sand filter and when the pool is vacuumed the dirt seems to go through

the filter and makes the water milky in the pool , does anyone else have this problem

[Old Croc]

My filter is throwing sand into the pool.

Someone suggested it may need a replacement spider gasket?

[petercallen]

Its not the spider gasket, i have already replaced the complete sand filter

Because i could not get a new spider gasket for the old one and was told the SG was the problem

[katabeachbum]

Its not the spider gasket, i have already replaced the complete sand filter

Because i could not get a new spider gasket for the old one and was told the SG was the problem

Do you run it for a minute at "rinse" after backwashing?

I m happy with sand filters for my pools. Inexpensive, efficient enough, no logistic/spareparts problems. Also have a pool with JD Pools cartridge, similar to Des Jouaux, and its a mess to clean and expensive filters to replace

If leak, its usually the top-valve o-ring. Spray with grease, and it should close properly. Spray grease at Home pro

[petercallen]

Its not the spider gasket, i have already replaced the complete sand filter

Because i could not get a new spider gasket for the old one and was told the SG was the problem

Do you run it for a minute at "rinse" after backwashing?

I m happy with sand filters for my pools. Inexpensive, efficient enough, no logistic/spareparts problems. Also have a pool with JD Pools cartridge, similar to Des Jouaux, and its a mess to clean and expensive filters to replace

If leak, its usually the top-valve o-ring. Spray with grease, and it should close properly. Spray grease at Home pro

Yes i rinse the filter, I think the algae/dust is so fine its going through the sand filter

If i vacuum to waste the waters clear

Its my first time with a sand filter i had a DE filter before which was excellent

[katabeachbum]

Yes i rinse the filter, I think the algae/dust is so fine its going through the sand filter

If i vacuum to waste the waters clear

Its my first time with a sand filter i had a DE filter before which was excellent

many filters are more efficient than sand, but sand wins in Phuket due to price and logistic problems

In the rain season my maid usually vacuums to waste, and often in the dry season too. shorter backwashtime, and we have plenty of watersupply

[LivinginKata]

Yes i rinse the filter, I think the algae/dust is so fine its going through the sand filter

If i vacuum to waste the waters clear

Its my first time with a sand filter i had a DE filter before which was excellent

We initially installed a sand filter but after similar problem to you we changed to a DE filter. Bit more trouble/time to clean the filter but 1) uses a lot less water than back wash, an 2) you can actually see that the filter is really cleaned. Happy to have changed to the DE filter.

[WarpSpeed]

Its not the spider gasket, i have already replaced the complete sand filter

Because i could not get a new spider gasket for the old one and was told the SG was the problem

Do you run it for a minute at "rinse" after backwashing?

I m happy with sand filters for my pools. Inexpensive, efficient enough, no logistic/spareparts problems. Also have a pool with JD Pools cartridge, similar to Des Jouaux, and its a mess to clean and expensive filters to replace

If leak, its usually the top-valve o-ring. Spray with grease, and it should close properly. Spray grease at Home pro

Yes i rinse the filter, I think the algae/dust is so fine its going through the sand filter

If i vacuum to waste the waters clear

Its my first time with a sand filter i had a DE filter before which was excellent

Yes, over fill your pool if that's possible and vacuum to waste as quickly as possible without stirring up too much sediment. Being as sand filters are not very efficient and actually more of a problem in this case by stirring the light sediment keeping it from settling, better to just turn of the pump and let it settle out and repeat until you reduce enough sediment to return to normal operation..

No insult intended but sand filters are for the lazy. I'm sorry to say they aren't very good at filtering they're barely adequate but easy and cheap to maintain so popular with the masses.. DE is by far the best by leaps and bounds but cartridge filters run a close second which is why they are so dirty when cleaning as they're doing their job and if cleaned on a regular schedule you get years of good service from the cartridge making it well worth it's cost..

The member who said he had sand coming back into his pool, had nothing to do with a multiport gasket it is due to a broken lateral inside your filter. At no time during any procedure should sand be anywhere inside your valve under normal operation if all is well internally...

[WarpSpeed]

Yes i rinse the filter, I think the algae/dust is so fine its going through the sand filter

If i vacuum to waste the waters clear

Its my first time with a sand filter i had a DE filter before which was excellent

We initially installed a sand filter but after similar problem to you we changed to a DE filter. Bit more trouble/time to clean the filter but 1) uses a lot less water than back wash, an 2) you can actually see that the filter is really cleaned. Happy to have changed to the DE filter.

Yep and in a location like Phuket it is very important to use water wisely and without wasting it whenever possible. Of the 3, a cartridge is the way to go less water lost and there is no issues with using them anywhere I've seen, I had no problems locating new cartridges..

[petercallen]

I originally only wanted to change the sand in the filter but when they came out to do it

i was told the spider gasket needed replacing which looked OK to me, i could not buy

a spider gasket for the filter i had so i bought a new sand filter for 14500 baht installed

with new sand, We caught them taking 2 large bags of the new sand away so even with

the new filter only half the sand was new

We now have 2 sand filters and the new one is no better than the old one

Would a DE filter be more than 14500 Baht and what does the filter powder cost, i think

its talc powder which is not expensive in Perth as there is a talc mine nearby

[robertsonmartin]

I originally only wanted to change the sand in the filter but when they came out to do it

i was told the spider gasket needed replacing which looked OK to me, i could not buy

a spider gasket for the filter i had so i bought a new sand filter for 14500 baht installed

with new sand, We caught them taking 2 large bags of the new sand away so even with

the new filter only half the sand was new

We now have 2 sand filters and the new one is no better than the old one

Would a DE filter be more than 14500 Baht and what does the filter powder cost, i think

its talc powder which is not expensive in Perth as there is a talc mine nearby

I buy a huge sack of DE powder for 900 Baht. Its very light in weight so its probably a 20 - 25Kg sack.The sack lasts me a good year as my filter only needs 3Kg per filter change once every 6-8 weeks.

DE powder consists of fossilized remains of diatoms.

Edited October 1, 2011 by robertsonmartin

[SantiSuk]

I thought I read somewhere that you can buy a coagulant to bind very fine particles together so that the filter can extract them.

Have no experience of buying or using coagulants though. My sand filter seems to work fine as long as I backwash every few weeks.

[golfbum]

Call John at The Mobile Pool Poctor - 0819586754. They'll sort it out. You may have used the wrong type of sand.

[Valentine]

If anything is going back to the pool while vacuuming it must be extremely fine or there is something wrong in the multiport valve. The best thing to use in a sand filter is glass filter media. Although more expensive than the normal filter sand it cuts out almost to the same level as DE filters, requires less backwashing. Here is a link to a company who pioneered the product. I considered importing from them, with a view for resale, many years ago but the cost was prohibitive for me at the time.

http://www.afm.eu/

Most pool companies in Phuket should be able to supply this as it is much more readily available.

[SantiSuk]

If anything is going back to the pool while vacuuming it must be extremely fine or there is something wrong in the multiport valve. The best thing to use in a sand filter is glass filter media. Although more expensive than the normal filter sand it cuts out almost to the same level as DE filters, requires less backwashing. Here is a link to a company who pioneered the product. I considered importing from them, with a view for resale, many years ago but the cost was prohibitive for me at the time.

http://www.afm.eu/

Most pool companies in Phuket should be able to supply this as it is much more readily available.

Interesting web-site. They also sell coagulants (at 36 euros for 5 litres ex UK):

"APF-public (Active Poly Floc) 5 litres has been designed specifically for the swimming pool industry, but can also be used for other applications.

APF is performing several functions; coagulation of organic molecules and flocculation of these molecules as well as small particles in suspension. APF has a very wide spectrum, and will remove much more from the water than conventional flocculent. APF also contains NoPhos, which causes the precipitation of phosphate from the water. By elimination of phosphate you can slow down or stop bacterial growth. In heavily used pools additional NoPhos may be required but this can be dosed separately."

[Naam]

If anything is going back to the pool while vacuuming it must be extremely fine or there is something wrong in the multiport valve. The best thing to use in a sand filter is glass filter media. Although more expensive than the normal filter sand it cuts out almost to the same level as DE filters, requires less backwashing. Here is a link to a company who pioneered the product. I considered importing from them, with a view for resale, many years ago but the cost was prohibitive for me at the time.

http://www.afm.eu/

Most pool companies in Phuket should be able to supply this as it is much more readily available.

no media that does not dissolve can be crushed as fine as Diatomite and therefore no media filters like Diatomite.

[Valentine]

If anything is going back to the pool while vacuuming it must be extremely fine or there is something wrong in the multiport valve. The best thing to use in a sand filter is glass filter media. Although more expensive than the normal filter sand it cuts out almost to the same level as DE filters, requires less backwashing. Here is a link to a company who pioneered the product. I considered importing from them, with a view for resale, many years ago but the cost was prohibitive for me at the time.

http://www.afm.eu/

Most pool companies in Phuket should be able to supply this as it is much more readily available.

no media that does not dissolve can be crushed as fine as Diatomite and therefore no media filters like Diatomite.

The size of the media has nothing to do with it in the case of glass filter as they also have other properties to help make the water safer which DE & normal filter sand do not have.

[Naam]

If anything is going back to the pool while vacuuming it must be extremely fine or there is something wrong in the multiport valve. The best thing to use in a sand filter is glass filter media. Although more expensive than the normal filter sand it cuts out almost to the same level as DE filters, requires less backwashing. Here is a link to a company who pioneered the product. I considered importing from them, with a view for resale, many years ago but the cost was prohibitive for me at the time.

http://www.afm.eu/

Most pool companies in Phuket should be able to supply this as it is much more readily available.

no media that does not dissolve can be crushed as fine as Diatomite and therefore no media filters like Diatomite.

The size of the media has nothing to do with it in the case of glass filter as they also have other properties to help make the water safer which DE & normal filter sand do not have.

tell us more about these "properties".

[janverbeem]

If anything is going back to the pool while vacuuming it must be extremely fine or there is something wrong in the multiport valve. The best thing to use in a sand filter is glass filter media. Although more expensive than the normal filter sand it cuts out almost to the same level as DE filters, requires less backwashing. Here is a link to a company who pioneered the product. I considered importing from them, with a view for resale, many years ago but the cost was prohibitive for me at the time.

http://www.afm.eu/

Most pool companies in Phuket should be able to supply this as it is much more readily available.

no media that does not dissolve can be crushed as fine as Diatomite and therefore no media filters like Diatomite.

And of course Diatomite filter media is available at every corner of the street in Thailand.

[Naam]

no media that does not dissolve can be crushed as fine as Diatomite and therefore no media filters like Diatomite.

And of course Diatomite filter media is available at every corner of the street in Thailand.

every pool shop sells it.

[Naam]

no media that does not dissolve can be crushed as fine as Diatomite and therefore no media filters like Diatomite.

And of course Diatomite filter media is available at every corner of the street in Thailand.

it's not available in a 7/11 or a noodle stall but every pool shop sells it.

[Valentine]

If anything is going back to the pool while vacuuming it must be extremely fine or there is something wrong in the multiport valve. The best thing to use in a sand filter is glass filter media. Although more expensive than the normal filter sand it cuts out almost to the same level as DE filters, requires less backwashing. Here is a link to a company who pioneered the product. I considered importing from them, with a view for resale, many years ago but the cost was prohibitive for me at the time.

http://www.afm.eu/

Most pool companies in Phuket should be able to supply this as it is much more readily available.

no media that does not dissolve can be crushed as fine as Diatomite and therefore no media filters like Diatomite.

The size of the media has nothing to do with it in the case of glass filter as they also have other properties to help make the water safer which DE & normal filter sand do not have.

tell us more about these "properties".

It is effective in removing cryprosporidium, cysts, giardia & reduces Legionella levels. Here is a link to another site which shows two types of glass filter media http://www.swimming-pool-information.com/sand-swimming-pool-filters.html

[Old Croc]

My problem with sand in the pool was caused by the vertical pipe breaking where it enters the multiport valve on the bottom of the filter. See diagram:

Fairly easily fixed with a new bit of pipe and new sand.