Sand Change
How to change the sand in a Sand Filter
Tools/Materials Needed
Flat-Head/Phillips-Head Screwdriver
Plastic Cup
Garden hose
Silicone Lubricant
Pool Filter Sand
Skimmer & Return Plugs
Optional: Wet-Dry Vac
Changing the Sand
Block the skimmer and return with your plugs. (If you don't have plugs, rags will work.)
Disconnect the 3 hoses at the filter head by loosening the hose clamps with your screwdriver.
Where the filter head meets the tank of the filter, there is a clamp. If you look around it, you will find a pair of nuts and bolts on opposite sides of one another. Use your screw driver to remove them and the clamp will come off in two pieces.
Be sure to place the nuts and bolts in a safe place. The best way to keep everything in one place is to thread the nuts back on to the bolts after they've been removed. (If you do not find bolts, your filter head may be threaded and will need to be unscrewed from the tank. If you have any doubt, call Best Pools with a model number and/or as much information as you can find.)
Be sure to place the nuts and bolts in a safe place. The best way to keep everything in one place is to thread the nuts back on to the bolts after they've been removed. (If you do not find bolts, your filter head may be threaded and will need to be unscrewed from the tank. If you have any doubt, call Best Pools with a model number and/or as much information as you can find.)
Lift the head from the tank, but do not jerk or pull it abruptly. The filter head is still connected to important relatively sensitive parts that can be broken.
If the filter head is difficult to remove, wiggle it while pulling up slightly. Once this piece is removed you will see a tube standing up from the center of the tank surrounded by sand. This tube is what your filter head was connected to.
If the filter head is difficult to remove, wiggle it while pulling up slightly. Once this piece is removed you will see a tube standing up from the center of the tank surrounded by sand. This tube is what your filter head was connected to.
Remove the sand. Use a Wet-Dry Vac to suck out the sand. If you do not have a Wet-Dry Vac, Gently turn the tank on it's side and use your garden-hose and hands to wash out the old sand.
Once the sand is removed, you will see the tube in the center of the tank's opening leads to a set of smaller, finger-like tubes at the bottom of the tank.
These fingers are what we have taken so much care not to break. Unscrew the fingers or some may be hinged and bend upwards. Remove the tube and fingers and clean them with your garden hose.
These fingers are what we have taken so much care not to break. Unscrew the fingers or some may be hinged and bend upwards. Remove the tube and fingers and clean them with your garden hose.
Rinse out the tank and return it to its normal standing position.
Return the tube and the fingers to the inside of the tank and put the fingers back into position.
Cover the top of the tube with a plastic cup to keep the open end for the filter head covered. Fill the tank roughly half full with water.
SLOWLY pour the new sand into the tank, frequently stopping to re-center the tube. The tube has to stay centered, otherwise the filter head will not fit back onto the tank properly. You can check for fit by placing the head on the tube and gently moving it until its positioned. Once the tube is stable and no longer able to move on its own, you may pour the rest of the sand in. (Be sure to use pool filter sand! Any other will damage or destroy your filter!)
Fill the tank completely with water and clean any spilled sand away from the area where the tank and the filter head meet.
Apply a thin layer of your silicone lubricant to the filter head o-ring. (Always use silicone based lubricants! Vaseline and other petroleum based lubricants cause the o-ring to wear much faster than it would otherwise.)
Re-install the filter head, clamp, and hoses reversing the above mentioned methods.
Remove the skimmer and return plugs.
Backwash the filter before returning it to the filter setting. A handful or two of sand coming out is normal. If you notice a large quantity of sand in the pool, you may have damaged the internals of your filter. Seek professional help from your friendly neighborhood pool store!