Changing the sand.....any tips?

[peteroldracer]

I have been fighting a pool that has refused to come crystal clear, and reluctantly have concluded that the sand is knackered. Has anyone found a good way to get the old stuff out from its lair, deep in a box within a poolhouse that never seems to drop below 30° in summer?
Does an industrial-strength wet/dry vacuum deal with it (I thought to rent one) or is the only way to laboriously ladle the stuff out?
It has nearly done me in clambering round to read the capacity label on the filter tank (95kg, so a lot of stuff to shift!), so I am looking for ideas.....

[Beachcomber]

Mine has 335kg of sand and I had to scoop every gramme out with a small container. I have never tried a vacuum cleaner. You have to be very careful of the pipework inside the filter especially the collector pipes in the bottom as they become very brittle over time.

[anis]

OH has always had to do ours by hand too - slowly and laboriously.
I think it has to be one of the worst pool maintenance jobs there is, so don't envy you your task.
The only good thing about it is the end - you finish up with lovely crystal clear water, next day, so at least it's something good to look forward to whilst you sweat away at the rotten job

[mhic]

There was a post on empyting a sand filter on here (I think) some time ago, made it a very easy job. Of course like an idiot I did'nt copy it to some where save and I can't remember the system used but it did'nt include vacum cleaners or scoops.

I looked for it a while ago without success, if anyone finds it for gawds sake post it again.

Mhic.

[peteroldracer]

Is the old sand that I am going to discard useful in any way? Does it improve clay soils if dug in, for instance, or is the coating of chlorine etc bad for the soil?

[peteroldracer]

So......I have changed the sand (as a by-product giving me one hand that feels like it has been sand-blasted!), tweaked the ph to 7.4, shocked it, then given it floculante: it is still not crystal clear - the clarity I know it can be! When I look in the skimmers there slowly builds up a thin film on the top of the water which can be "wiped" off with a cloth or bit of kitchen roll, but what this is and how to get rid of it and whatever else may be stopping my water being what it should is beyond me!
Any ideas, chaps?

[Beachcomber]

Did you backwash the sand for a period of time before putting the pool into filtration? The thin film could be from using the pool with suntan oil on. Insist that anyone using the pool showers before doing so.

[spanish_lad]

we always do them by hand, theres no other way really its a long, boring and difficult job... best done early morning or late afternoon when its cooler. think about putting a fan in there too if you have a socket avaliable nearby.

[peteroldracer]

Yes beachy, I did backwash for as long as I could stand the sound of all that water going to waste.......I really hate doing it, but know it is necessary.
I ran the pump for 24 hours and eventually the water cleared, but as there was a thin film in the skimmers, with a greenish tinge, I gave in and added some anti-algae solution. This, so far, seems to be keeping trouble at bay.
I don't think suntan oil is the guilty party, as the OH's granddaughter sprained her ankle a week ago, so has not been able to pollute the pool!

[katy]

We sometimes get a tidemark from sunscreen products. There is a product onsale with a sponge and it takes it off. It's safe so you can clean it whilst in the water.