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All swimming pools use a filter to keep the water clean and bacteria-free. With modern swimming pools, everything possible has been done to make owning a pool and keeping it clean easy, and yet there are still things you need to do regularly to keep your pool water sparkling so that it is always tempting to jump right in.
The secret on how to clean a green pool with a sand filter is to ensure only the right natural sands are used as a filtering agent so as to keep your pool water safe and hygienic.
Cleaning a green pool with a sand filter requires you netting out debris, cleaning the skimmers, brushing the walls and floor and backwashing the sand filter. This is to be done for a few minutes followed by checking the pH level of the water.
Keeping the water in pool clean
How acidic is your pool water?
How to clean a green pool with a sand filter is always easy as once the particles have been filtered out by the sand, a pump ensures clean water goes into the pool. The pH level of pool water tells you something of its acidity.
If the pH is below 7 it tells you that the water is acidic. The pool water’s pH level of 7.4 to 7.6 is looked upon as ideal. Higher than this and you could be looking at a murky, green pool. You have to bear in mind that the further your pool’s pH level goes into the alkaline stage, the less effective your chlorine will be.
How to clean a green pool with a sand filter requires swimming pool owners righting it as they are inclined to put more chlorine in but the water still isn’t clean.
Your pool needs the right acidity. A low pH can even lead to corrosion and you might even see your pump ad pool equipment such as ladders starting to rust. When you try swimming in acidic water you will find your eyes stinging terribly. When you get out of the pool you’ll find that your skin is dry and itchy and your hair looks like straw.
Test your pool’s water
It is important to not only know how to clean a green pool with a sand filter but to also monitor your pool’s pH level. You can test the water by going to an area away from the skimmer and then hold a test strip about 18 inches under the water for just a short time – 10 seconds or so. Lift the strip out and wait for the colors to fill up. Check the color you have and compare it to the color range on the product container.
Whatever you then need – pH bases or pH acids – you will be guided as to how to treat the water. Also, as a pool owner you also need to know how to shock your pool water from algae and green water. Certainly, with a bit of knowledge and practice, you can ensure that your water stays in the range that doesn’t aggravate the swimmer or pool equipment.
Algae is a sign of a sick pool
You have to be careful with algae growth as this is a sure sign that all is not well with your pool. How to clean a green pool with a sand filter when you have algae requires preventative measures that work. The growth of algae can be prevented by using a good algaecide as part of a regular maintenance program.
The most common algae linked to swimming pools is green algae. Green algae is just waiting to flare up with the slightest failure in keeping the pool clean. You just have to have a heavy thunderstorm with lightning and wake to see a green pool in the morning.
Rain provides food in the form of nitrogen for the algae. Green algae shouldn’t be mistaken for metal in the water. Copper can give the water its green shade and the best way to treat this green algae is to take preventative measures.
How to clean a green pool with a sand filter means having all the right swimming pool paraphernalia. Use an algaecide regularly so as to prevent algae from growing. The longer you wait before any kind of treatment, the more difficult it will be to clear it up.
Have a sample of water tested
How to clean a green pool with a sand filter requires you checking that your sand filter is indeed working correctly. If the filter isn’t performing like it should, call for professional help. If your pool’s green water is caused because of an imbalance, take a fresh sample of pool water for testing.
You mustn’t take water from the surface of the pool but about 18 – 24 inches below the surface. The swimming pool shop will check the balance and then tell you how to proceed with treating the water. This might be large quantities of algaecide and chlorine to kill off all microbes. If the water remains green, call in a pool expert.
Equipment to clean a green pool
How to clean a green pool with a sand filter is also about having the right equipment. There are even robot pool cleaners that you can set so that it runs according to its own schedule. They are self-sufficient and work with an electric motor that propels them. They come with a range of features such as rotating brushes that also remove algae from the walls and floor of the pool.
Always make sure that the cleaner you invest in is designed for your specific pool surface so that cleaning is efficient and the damage is kept to a minimum.
How to clean a green pool with a sand filter means having a pump to circulate the water so that dirt and algae don’t collect and cause the water to stagnate and turn green.
Use the right kind of sand
There are different kinds of filters of which cartridge and sand are just two. How to clean a green pool with a sand filter needn’t ever be a problem with these effective filters, though you must use the right sand. These filters require a special type of sand.
This sand makes for an excellent filtration media, so much so in fact that it is used in other water safety applications such as septic systems and even for drinking water. How to clean a green pool with a sand filter had to be done correctly and that starts with making use of the correct sand.
Using the wrong sand can destroy your filtration system. Always make sure you make use of the right kind of sand recommend by swimming pool filter experts.
◾ Silica Sand
Silica sand is the most commonly used pool filter sand. Silica sand is a good choice when you want to know how to clean a green pool with a sand filter. This silica sand comes from ground quartz. Sharp-edged silica grains are superb for trapping dirt.
This particular sand is mined and it is a colorless kind of sand most of the time but it can come in other shades too. To be considered silica sand, it must have at least 95% SiO2 and less than 0.6% iron oxide. Not having this makeup means it becomes regular sand.
Regular sand always has some silica in it but in amounts less than 95%. Not only is this silica sand used for swimming pool filters, but it is also used for filtering tap water.
◾ Glass Sand
If you can’t get hold of silica sand for your swimming pool filter, glass sand is a worthy alternative, being made from 100% recycled glass. Although it is smooth to the touch, it is still able to capture microns. The glass grains are all different sizes, which is good and because the glass sand has a negative charge, it excels at capturing iron and manganese particles.
◾ Zeolite Sand
This is sand created from volcanic rock minerals. This particular sand has a 100x bigger surface area than regular filter sand and this is attributed to the sand’s honeycomb shape. Zeolite sand traps chlorine by-products through a process known as molecular sieving.
The workings of the sand filter
The filter works by trapping tiny particles. The sand has a rough texture that is able to trap bacteria and debris as the water passes through the filter. It goes without saying, that as the year’s pass, the sand texture isn’t going to remain rough.
This means that it loses its ability to trap debris and it therefore becomes less effective. This is when your pool starts to become green. The water turns green when there is algae in the water. Rain, thunder and lightning as well as dramatic changes in temperature can all affect the chemical balance of the pool and result in it turning green.
Sand filters are a popular choice for a swimming pool as they are one of the less expensive filters that happen to be very effective. With this kind of filter there is the actual tank that holds the sand. Some of these tanks are larger than others and they hold more sand.
As already suggested, only a certain type of sand is used. The sand occupies about 75% of the tank and the other is free space. The tank then fills up with water and as it passes through the sand all microns large enough are trapped in the sand. The dirt will stay in the tank until the pool is backwashed and filtered water is pushed back into the pool.
Your filter sand isn’t going to last forever. Eventually after 5 years or so, contaminants will start to build up in the sand. This doesn’t spell disaster for your pool as these contaminants actually work with the sand to provide filtration for the water.
Eventually all the contamination becomes too much and the filter clogs. The sand can no longer function as it should and sparkling blue water starts turning a dingy green.
The Changing of the Sand
You will begin to realize that your sand filter is no longer performing the way it should and your pool water is seriously cloudy. It is time to change the sand, and it can be quite easy really.
Start by turning off the pump and filter. Remove the drain plug from the filter tank and allow all the water to drain. The next step is to remove the pipes connected to the multiport valve. You will need a screwdriver to remove the clamp securing the valve to the tank.
Twist off the multiport valve. Within the tank is an open pipe from where you’ve removed the valve. Cover it with duct tape as you don’t want sand getting inside. Suck out all the old sand. Some people just use their hands to scoop all the old sand out.
You can use a garden hose to rinse all the sand out. Fill the tank halfway with water. Add in the new sand slowly. When you have all the sand in the tank, fill to the top with water and replace the valve and pipes. and make sure all the fittings are secure. Attach the backwash hose and turn the valve to start backwashing. Backwash the filter for at least two minutes.
Conclusion
It is important to maintain the right chemical balance in your pool’s water if you don’t want it to turn green.
How to clean a green pool with a sand filter is simple with these popular filters as they allow water to cycle through a tank or canister that contains sand.
The water flows through the sand and larger particles of dirt are unable to pass through. Keeping the right pH balance is important because not only is the water clean and safe for swimming, but your pool’s pump and other components are also protected from damage.
