The sand style swimming pool filter can be found on many above ground and in ground swimming pools. There are also many different brands and models of swimming pool filters on the market these days so all the parts will not be interchangeable but many of the things you will need to repair on any sand filter will done basically the same way. The difference between most sand filters is size and brand. Most sand filters these days are equipped with multi-directional flow valves also known as multi-port valves.
Common repairs like replacing the multi-port directional valve, changing the sand inside of the filter, replacing broken laterals and you will need to learn how drain the filter for winterization and for these repairs listed. Knowing how to properly repair and troubleshoot your sand swimming pool filter can save you a lot of money and time in the long run, leaving you to spend that time enjoying the pool rather then working or spending money on it.
The Swimming pools sand filter troubleshooting and repair guide below will help you diagnose and repair the most common problems on almost all brands of sand filters. You can repair your sand filter with a basic socket set and some standard hand tools. Always be sure to only work on your swimming pool filter when the filter system is off. It os also a good idea to shut the pool timer and disconnect the pump from the power source if possible when working on the filter. This will prevent the pump from kicking on when you are working on the filter.
How To Change The Pool Filter Sand
If your sand is getting old in your sand filter you are going to have to replace the sand. To replace the sand in your swimming pool filter you will first have to shut the filter system off. Once the filter is off you will have to either start unbolting the bolts around the center of the filter tank, which is most common on older Hayward S-series sand filters. If you have a newer sand filter or one with the multi-directional valve called the multi-port on top of the filter you will want to remove the band that clamps around the base of the multi-port.
Now that you have the filter tank open and you can see the filter sand, you can remove the sand three different ways. The first way is to take a small plastic scoop and manually scoop all the sand from the filter. If you have a large sized sand filter this took take a while. The second way you could remove the sand from the pool filter is to lay the sand filter on its side and dump the sand out. This will normally only be able to done with smaller sand filters like the Hayward S-160 models since they are smaller.
If you do not find any of the two methods above to be something that you can do then you can use the third way of removing the sand from the sand filter. You can use something called a swimming pool filter sand vacuum. This is a special vacuum that is made to connect to a garden hose and create a Venturi effect and will suck all the sand out of your pool filter. This is by far the best and easiest way to remove sand from pool filters.
How To Drain The Sand Filter Tank
If you need to winterize or change the sand in your swimming pool filter you will need to know how to drain the filter tank correctly. What you will want to do is to look around the base of the sand filter tank for the drain plug or screw. On Hayward S-Series models the drain plug with be a white or black cap that will almost resemble a soda cap. Turn the cap to the left until it screws all the way off the threads and then remove it. Open the air bleed screw on top of the filter dome to allow some air into the filter so it can drain better.
On other models of pool filters the drain plug will be located somewhere on the bottom of the tank. On Sta-rite sand filters you can find the drain plug in the center of the bottom of the filter tank. The drain plug will be white and around 2″ inches in outer diameter size. Oh Pentair Filters you will see the drain plug either underneath or on the side of the tank.
How To Add The New Sand To The Pool Filter
Once you have emptied all of the old sand from your filter you are going to have to add new sand. Before you add the new sand you will want to inspect all the filter laterals to make sure they are not damaged. Sometimes the laterals will crack from age and when then do they can allow sand to bypass them, which will result in you having sand return into your pool. Once you have inspected all the laterals and they all look ok you are going to want to fill the filter tank up with some water. You will want to fill the tank with water to about 4″ above the laterals. This is to protect the laterals when you start to pour the new sand in.
Once you have the water in the tank the last thing you will want to do is to put something over the manifold pipe that will be sticking straight up in the filter tank. A plastic cup or laying an old rag over the opening of the pipe will prevent sand from entering. Once you have done those two things you can now start to pour the amount of sand you need into the filter. Once all the sand is added to the filter tank you will to reassemble the filter.
How To Change Sand Filter Laterals
If you are getting sand back into your swimming pool and you have a sand filter then chances are your laterals are bad. Laterals can be found on the bottom of the filter tank. Their job is to allow water to flow through the sand and the filter but to keep the sand inside of the filter tank at the same time. The laterals are just small tubes that have slits in them that allow the water to pass through. You will find them connected to the bottom of the filter collector or manifold pipe that runs vertically in the center of the filter tank.
From time to time these laterals will break from a number of reasons and you will start to get filter sand back into your pool. To change the laterals you will have to shut the filter system down and drain the filter tank. You then will have to remove the multi-port or unbolt the filter tank so you can then remove all of the sand.
Once you remove all of the sand from the filter tank you can remove the laterals and the manifold assembly from the filter tank. To replace the filter laterals you will either have to replace the entire lateral manifold system unless your laterals unscrew from the manifold. On some model sand filters the laterals will unscrew from the manifold near the base. If you have tried to un-spin the laterals and they do not move you will have to replace the entire lateral assembly.
Once you have changed the laterals and replaced them with new ones you will want to fill the filter tank up at least 1/3 of the way and then pour new pool filter sand into the tank. Once you have the new sand in the tank reassemble the rest of the filter, which will include the multi-port and anything else you removed while working on the filter. Next you will want to run your swimming pool filter when everything is all back together to make sure there is no leaks or sand returning back into your pool.
Testing The Sand Pool Filter After Replacing The Sand
Once you have everything all back together you will want to prime your swimming pool pump and get your filter system going. You will want to make sure that the bellybands and multi-port gaskets are not leaking. You will also want to backwash the new sand for a few minutes as well to wash small debris off of the sand that might have been mixed in while the sand was being added to the filter. After you have backwashed the new sand for a few minutes you will want to run the filter for a few minutes to make sure everything is OK while walking to the pool to make sure that you are getting no sand back into the pool. If everything looks good you will want to run your sand filter for 6 – 8 hours a day depending on weather conditions and how much the swimming pool is used. Make sure to always backwash your sand filter once a week.
I have a 16′ by 48″ above ground intex pool. The filter/pump that came with it was horrible so i purchased a Columbia High Rate Sand Filter/ pump (I purchased the smallest one they sold). Finally got the water crystal clear, and noticed a lot of debris on the bottom of the pool. i bought 25 foot vacume hose, vacume head and pole from local pool store. They told me to connect the hose to the vacuum head and at the skimmer port in the pool. they also recomended putting the filter in waste mode so as not to run the junk through the sand. I did all this, the pool cleaned up nice until i put the filter back in filter mode. It started shooting all the stuff I just vacuumed back into the pool. My question is is it ok to vacuum on filter mode, and if it isn’t how do you prevent all that junk from going back into the pool when you are done vacuuming.
Thank you,
Garrett
Hi,
Our pool filter is filtering sand back into the pool. the water was clear, just sand on the bottom of the pool. We replaced the filter with a second hand filter and it is now putting cloudy (with small debris) water into the pool. Does the filter just need to adjust and run its course? or do you think there is something wrong with this new (second hand) filter??
Thanks,
Jenni
Hi Jenni,
It sounds like you may have a cracked lateral inside of the filter.
If you need more help, please let me know,
Joseph
Where can sand laterals be purchased from, and how much are they approximately?
Hi Carlos.
Call poolandspa.com and Tell them WeT Head Media sent you ;-)
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I purchased a used sears high rate sand filtering system, model number 167.412800. I am looking for info on this, the person i purchased this item from never dropped of the info or manual for this, now of course i can not get a hold of her, go figure. I have tried numerous times to find info from the sears website and various others, to know avail, so anyone have some advice. Thanks
Help! Our pool has been a cloudy light green color for a month. I’ve shocked it more times than i can count, taken it in for chemical checks, and added the minimal chemicals they have suggested. All the chemicals are usually within range. This last time it was the phosphates. Added Phosfree. They assured me this would work…didn’t. (We do regular backwashing as well). We have a sand filter, so they suggested it was time to change the sand. Its been 9 years — I know that’s long, but we’d never had any problems before this. Well, everything went fine, but the pool is still hazy and light green — just not what it should be. We did the sand change Saturday a.m. What else can it be? My husband wants to drain the pool and start over. Would this work? TDS is 1600..still in range. We live in the Phoenix area so I’m concerned about draining when it’s so hot.
Hi, this happened to me once. We were having this barbaque the next day so I did all these chemical things the night before as the pool shop told me a few things weren’t perfect and I wanted it perfect. The pool already looked terrific by the way, wondering if I didn’t get a good sample to take in. I woke up the next morning and the pool was pea green. Shock horror. I raced to the pool shop with another sample. They said the sample was spot on by the way. Anyway this won’t be that much help as I can’t remember the product name but if you are still having trouble I will ask. They said it was a chemical reaction due to the unusually hot weather and give me a litre bottle of something (we have a 50,000litre pool) which would clear it in 4-6 hours if it was going to work. It worked instantly the water getting paler and paler until by 5 hours it was good as gold. My heart was pumping that day. Don’t drain the water.
I have a 21,000 gal in ground pool. When vacuuming through the filter, things are fine for about 10 minutes, then the algae etc being vacuumed starts coming out of the return line back into the pool. About 80% of the vacuumed material is trapped, but the stuff that comes out of the return line makes the pool dirty again. When I backflush, it is obvious that the filter is working at least to some degree…
Hi! My inground pool is 15 years old. After backflushing the water started to drain at 1/2 inch per hour. I have checked and rechecked that all valves are back where they originally were. I have crawled around the outside (underground) of the pool to check for water coming through or over the walls. I have also followed all the piping systems around the pool and nothing is leaking. The water is not at the bottom of the pool light. Any suggestions?
We have a sand filter. It started shooting sand back into the pool and the canister started caving in. We bought a new filter canister and a new pump about a week ago, and now the same thing is happening. The canister (tank) that holds the sand is caving in. We shut off the filter in time for it not to shoot sand in the pool. We had just drained our 33X18 foot pool and re-filled it. Any sugguestion? I called a pool store and they never heard anything like this.
Thanks,
Lynn
I have a 18′ round 52″ deep pool, new install, my problem is I put water into my filter, then zeobest sand and next I was ready to turn pump on. Well all the dust particles from the zeobest are now in my pool, and within 10 minutes I have a bright light green colored water. How do I fix this?
I have a 15,000+ gal 28 yr old in-ground pool with, a sand filter that was replaced in March of 05. For the last week to ten days I have had a problem with cloudy light green water. I have added alkalinity increaser, algaecide, with shock, this did nothing except bring the total alkalinity in line. Then I added phosphate remover & clarifier, ran the filter for 36 hrs, When I backwashed I got white water, but the pool water still remained the same. After that I had the water tested by 4 different pool stores, most of the readings are about what they should be with not much differences between the 4 tests with one major exception. The test results for the Phosphates was all over the place. 2000, 1000, 300-500, & 0 I had the 0 reading tested twice with two different samples. Still the water is the same. The pool store that had the 0 result recommend that I super chlorinate, which I did 12 hrs ago, the fliter has been running for over 12 hrs, still no noticeable change in the water, except that the chlorine level is off the chart. The filter guage shows no increase in pressure from normal (normal is 15). Any ideas?
Hi,
I would recommend you get “Pool Perfect Phos Free” and follow the set up and maintenance directions,
You can read more about it here:
http://wetheadmedia.com/pool-perfect-phosfree/
This stuff works really really well, I would also recommend changing the pool sand if you haven’t within 4 years,
Let me know if you have more questions.
Joseph
Thanks for the info, but I am really having a hard time relating to the phosphate problem, as I said before I have had the pool for 28 years. Until this year I have never needed to treat for phosphate, does make any sence.
Hi,
Sure that makes sense, But this year you have a problem so you need Phos free, It’s just like a car, You don’t need a timing belt every day, But when you do you do.
Let me know if you need more help.
Joseph
My 15×30 above ground pool will not clear.It was fine until we had a filter problem. The sand tamk had a hair line crack in it.We have patched this and it is no longer leaking but the pool turned green while as it took a week for us to make the repairs. We replaced the sand after making the repair .Since then it will not clear, My chemicals a dead on correct. I added Phos Free as recommended by my pool supply store. I have run the filter for 5 days and nights without a rest. After every 24 hour period the water is clear but the bottom of the pool is covered in algae. I brush this and of coasre the pool is then green again.
Is it time to replace the filter? The pump is only three years old.I am getting so frustrated!
Hi Amy,
You are doing everything correct BUT one thing.
Once you can see the bottom of the pool and you can see the Algae on the pool floor, you will want to set your filter on “waste” and then vacuum all the algae out of the pool. This is called a swimming pool power vacuum.
If you keep brush the bottom every time you can see the bottom the pool will never clear.
So next time your water is clear and you can see the bottom, get the vacuum out, put the filter on waste and vacuum it all out.
This is called a “power vacuum”
You can read more about it here.
How To Power Vacuum Your Swimming Pool
http://wetheadmedia.com/how-to-power-vacuum-your-swimming-pool/
Please let me know if you need more help.
Joseph
Joseph,
I have an inground pool with an American Products 24″ Fiberglass sand filter. Today, I hooked my vacuum up through my filter, it wasn’t sucking (I added water to the line) so I disconnected it. I then added my polaris “robot” vacuum up to the jet (like I always do). When I turn pump back on, no water is running through the lines (air in line??) How do I properly get the air out if this is the problem?
Hi Kim,
I would first make sure that the pump volute (pump basket area) is full of water, It sounds as if you could have lost your prime. Once you get the pool filter going and some water circulating, I would then back wash the swimming pool filter. I would also empty the skimmer baskets and the pump basket, Check to make sure that you have no air leaks as well.
You can read this for more info:
Your Pool Pump Will Suck Air!
http://wetheadmedia.com/your-pool-pump-will-suck-air/
Let me know if you need more help.
Joseph
I have an above ground pool with sand filter. When I shut the filter off water backs up through the skimmer and shoots up about 2 feet in the air….before I start the filter I have to release allot of air from the filter…
need help whats going on?
Chris
Hi Chris,
Have you checked to make sure you have the hoses on correct?
Let me know if you need more help,
Joseph
I have an old pool system. Sand filter (triton). When I vacuum after a few minutes I notice a dirty cloud coming out the return lines. It does not appear to be sand. My sand was supposedly replaced last year (by a service guy who is no longer in business, who said he changed the sand but never billed me for it sol not sure what exactly I got.) Any sugestions on what I should check or do. Thanks, Greg Long
Hi Greg,
I would empty the sand out of the filter, and then I would check the laterals and the manifolds for cracks, I would then replace the sand as well.
Changing the pool filter sand is something everyone can do if they are a little bit handy.
Let me know if you need more help,
Joseph
Hello!
I purchased a home back in January 2009 that happened to have a pool. I found a great pool forum (Trouble Free Pool Forum) online and have figured out how to test my own water and have perfectly crystal clear water. We have a very large Triton sand filter. I assume it is working correctly, because our water is sparkling clear. However, the pressure almost always stays the same–and we really never have to backwash (we do anyway–usually about once a week).
My main concern is that a good amount of water is leaking from UNDERNEATH the sand filter. It’s not gushing water–but it’s enough to be concerned about. I called my home warranty (AHS) and they sent out a local pool company to look at it. The pool guy told me it was from “condensation”–which we know now it isn’t.
Should I call AHS back and have them come look at it again? I just hate to waste 60 dollars AGAIN–since the first pool guy that came out didn’t really do anything–he didn’t even open the sand filter to look at the sand. I was very disappointed.
Some other information you may want to know is that our pool is inground–21,000 gallons. We have no sand entering the pool from the returns–so I assume the laterals are okay.
I really want to get the problem fixed before winter comes. I live in North Texas–so I am thinking about running the pool all winter long, instead of closing it down. I still haven’t made up my mind yet though.
Thanks for any advice you can offer! :)
Hi Emily,
You can always take the filter apart the filter yourself and then find out where its leaking, BUT My guess is that the o-ring that is on the drain stem is leaking, and probably running down the tank, I would also make sure none of the pipes or fittings are leaking on the top of the filter and then running down the tank somewhere.
There is nothing else on the bottom unless the tank is cracked, so chances are your o rings are leaking or you have a crack in the tank. If you are handy you can take apart the filter yourself like I mentioned above,
Please let me know if you have any more questions,
Joseph
Like Gregg posted August 13th 2009. I too have the same problem if anyone has any help please reply. Thank you, Mike C.
Teak you! I enjoyed your item on sand filters but I can find no references or suppliers of
a swimming pool filter sand vacuum as you describe.
Can you please point me in the right direction.
Regards Bernard
I have a 28,000 gal in-ground. When I run my pool cleaner(Kreepy Krawler)& turn my pump off,pressure builds up & water comes shooting out of the skimmer. What causes this? Also I’m not sure how to open the air bleed assembly. What should the pressure run? Thanks for your help!