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Specialty Services
When backwashing no longer clears the water, the sand is usually worn out. We replace it, check the laterals and put your sand filter back to work.
Local
Greater Nashville based
Reliable
Weekly, like clockwork
Since 2013
Over a decade of pool care
Family Owned
Real people, real care
What's included
The water stays hazy even right after a backwash. The pressure gauge climbs faster every month. There is a little pile of sand on the pool floor near a return. Or the sand went in when the pool was built and nobody has opened the tank since. Any of those usually means the filter sand is finished.
Old sand does not filter well. The grains wear smooth, and over time they clump together with oils, lotion and minerals into a bed that water tunnels through. A channeled bed sends dirty water straight back to the pool. More chlorine and more backwashing follow, which wastes water and chemicals without fixing anything. A cracked lateral underneath sends sand into the pool.
A pool sand change from Passion Pool Care starts with the tank opened and the old sand scooped and vacuumed out. We inspect the laterals and standpipe and replace any that are cracked. The tank is rinsed, then refilled with #20 silica sand to the amount the maker specifies, or glass media if it suits the pool. Then we flush the fines and record the clean pressure.
Is it time?
Backwashing fixes a full sand filter, but these signs mean the filter sand itself is worn out.
01
Pool water that stays hazy right after a backwash usually means the filter sand has stopped catching fine particles.
02
Sand on the pool floor near the return jets points to a cracked lateral or standpipe inside the sand filter.
03
Filter pressure that climbs back within days of a backwash often means the sand bed is crusted or clogged.
04
A sand bed that is hard, crusted or channeled when the filter is opened needs a full sand change.
05
Filter sand that is several years old, or of unknown age, is worth checking with the tank open.
06
Rising chlorine use with no other explanation can be a sign the sand filter is no longer doing its job.
How it works
New filter sand has sharp edges, and the gaps between the grains trap dirt as water flows through the bed, mostly in the top few inches. Backwashing lifts the bed and flushes that dirt away. Over years of this, the grains rub against each other and wear round. Round grains pack tighter, hold less and let fine particles through. Oils from sunscreen and swimmers, plus minerals from the water, coat the grains and can cement the bed into a hard mass. Water then tunnels through a few channels, and the filter stops filtering.
Backwashing and an occasional filter degreaser handle a sand bed that is simply full. A degreaser can strip oils from a coated bed and buy it more time, and that is always the first thing to try on a filter that loads quickly. A sand change is for a bed that cleaning cannot bring back: sand that is worn round, crusted or channeled. A quick test: if a backwash brings the pressure down and the water clears, the sand is fine. If the pressure drops but the water stays hazy, the sand is done.
Most residential sand filters are designed for #20 silica sand, a specific grain size coarse enough to let water through at the filter's design flow and fine enough to trap small particles. Play sand, builder's sand and unlabeled bags are the wrong grade. They pack tight, channel, and can pass through the laterals into the pool. The amount matters too. Every filter has a fill line or stated weight that leaves space above the bed so it can lift during a backwash. Too much sand backwashes poorly, too little filters poorly. We fill to the maker's number.
At the bottom of a sand filter is a hub with slotted arms called laterals. The slots let clean water through and hold the sand back. They are plastic, and over the years they can crack, especially if the tank ever froze or was packed with sand too roughly. A single cracked lateral sends sand into the pool with every cycle. With the old sand out, we inspect each lateral and the standpipe, replace anything cracked, and protect the laterals while the new sand goes in so they are not damaged.
Filter glass is a recycled glass media made to replace sand in many sand filters. It is lighter, so less goes in by weight, and many owners find it catches finer particles and backwashes with less water. It can also resist the clumping that ends a sand bed. It costs more up front, and it only goes in a filter the maker approves it for. With spring pollen and heavy leaf fall in Middle Tennessee, some owners find the upgrade worthwhile. We will explain both options and let you choose.
How it works
1
Call (615) 624-7624 or send the form. We look at your pool and your goals, then give you an honest price.
2
The same friendly tech arrives on schedule with the gear and chemistry to make your water clear and keep it that way.
3
We care for every aspect of your pool and share helpful tips, so you can relax and enjoy the water.
FAQ
Still have a question? Call or text (615) 624-7624.
It depends on the filter size, the media you choose and whether any laterals need replacing. The quote is free and no-obligation. Call (615) 624-7624.
Filter sand usually lasts several years, but oils, minerals and heavy use can shorten that. Hazy water after a backwash or pressure that climbs fast are better guides than the calendar.
Sand near the return jets usually means a cracked lateral or standpipe inside the sand filter. The tank has to be opened to fix it, and the old sand is often replaced at the same time.
Most pool sand filters take #20 silica sand, filled to the amount on the filter's label. Play sand or builder's sand is the wrong grade and can end up in the pool.
No. Adding sand on top of a worn, crusted bed does not fix it and can overfill the tank. The old sand needs to come out.
Glass media can filter finer and backwash with less water, but it costs more and must be approved for your filter. We explain both and let you decide.
Stained or scaled plaster washed in sections, neutralized and refilled with balanced water.
Swamp to swimmable: a green, cloudy or neglected pool tested, shocked and filtered back to clear.
Pump, heater, valves and lights on one app, installed, programmed and repaired.
Free quote
Tell us the filter model or send a photo of the tank label, and how old the sand is if you know. We will give you a free, no-pressure quote. Prefer to talk? Give us a call.
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Based in
Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Serving Greater Nashville
Hours
Call for hours & availability
Takes less than a minute. Tell us about your in-ground pool and we'll reach out fast with a free, no-pressure quote.
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Where we work
Based in Murfreesboro and caring for pools across Middle Tennessee. Find your county to see the cities we cover.
Call (615) 624-7624 and we'll check availability for your address.
