Yesterday we changed our pool's sand filter (the big round thing above). Luckily I was able to find the exact same model as a replacement, and the idea was that our man would just take the old one out and replace it with the new.
I can hear you all shouting "Nothing is ever as easy as that, Cro"; and you'd be right.
Firstly the delivery man refused to deliver the new one because our drive is a bit narrow, and having come about 200 Kms, he immediately turned around and went home. Having been suitably reprimanded, he returned 3 days later and Lady Magnon and I carried the above box 50 metres to the house.
To all intents, the new one (below) looks no different to the old one, which had offered 14 years loyal service, but of course those clever people at Hayward make sure that there are very slight differences; just to annoy us!. Our man had to 'melt' pipes in order to absorb the slight differences in measurements. Thank you Hayward.
There was a lot of swearing, scratching of heads, and waving of arms; but eventually he installed it.
What IS different, however, are its contents. One would imagine that a sand filter was filled with sand; but no more. They are now filled with glass. 140 Kilos of it.
Large granules go into the bottom (above), then it's topped up with much finer granules (below).
Sand lasts approximately 5 years; glass about double that, and the price reflects the extra five years usage.
So, when you put your empty Clicquot bottles into the recycling bin, you never know; they might end-up being crushed, and put into Cro's pool filter. Recycling at its best.
Tiny glass beads are used when my pool tiles and edges need a good clean. The water is so hard here that calcium deposits form.
ReplyDeleteI am looking into a Salt Pool I have heard good things about them.
cheers, parsnip
When we built ours, salt systems were still quite new, and we didn't know much about them. Ours has worked very well over the years; my fingers are crossed that it continues to do so.
DeleteHave you pencilled in a replacement for 2032?
ReplyDeleteI'll probably be in my box in 2032!
DeleteBut you are just a young one.
DeleteYES!
DeleteWe don't have these problems with Rick's paddling pool.
ReplyDeleteBest keep it that way. We've had quite a few water problems this year. Algae loves hot weather.
DeleteTwo of our four children have pools and live nearby. I am grateful because I can swim in them while they do all the work to maintain them. Turnabout is fair play I say. Glad to see recycling actually at work...at least it seems to be in your neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteThe glass is of all colours, so I imagine it's made from old bottles. Good to see recycling in action.
DeleteGood to hear about recycling actually happening. Are the glass beads recycled in France?
ReplyDeleteHow astonishing the delivery truck would drive 200 kms & then leave without trying to contact you!!
Alphie
Yes, it says 'made in France' on the pack; which is good.
DeleteThe delivery driver looked quite embarrassed when he came the second time. He must have know we were there the first time because the car was there. Frankly he looked extremely DIM.
I like the sound of that. Drinking champagne for such a worthy cause... what is there not to like?
ReplyDeleteLX
Every little helps!
DeleteThat is a good use but, presumably, a minute part of the total recycled. Here we are having problems because there is no real market for the glass recycled on the Island and the cost of sending it away (and, presumably the carbon used too) is considerable.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have known about this particular use had our old filter not needed replacing. I'm sure there must be countless other uses, both decorative and practical.
DeleteWithout wishing to be more annoying than I need to be, it has to be said that sand is glass, but with impurities. I heard once that silica is the most abundant mineral in the world, so I don't understand why industries are now warning of an imminent shortage of sand.
ReplyDeleteYes, this stuff has has an extra couple of stages in its life; it all started as sand.
DeleteWhile my comment may end up in the spam bin, I found this post really interesting. I know nothing about about pool filters.
ReplyDeleteAfter 14 years, I'm only just learning myself.
DeleteI watched about pool sand filters on You Tube in bed this morning. You would be amazed at the number of things that can go wrong with them and the signs to look out for.
ReplyDeletePLEASE do not tell me. I just pray that it all keeps going as it should!
DeleteThere was one guy who just talks you through it all without any images, just him speaking. It was quite fascinating, and believe it or not, interesting. It is easy to jump to the wrong conclusions with problems with pool sand filters was the overriding message.
DeleteOurs had developed a tiny split in the side, and was 'peeing' a small jet of water. I tried to stop the flow with a hot glue gun, but no luck.
DeleteAhh yes, pools. Ours is a salt water pool (which just converts to chlorine) and a variety of things have had to be replaced and repaired over the years. Husband just recently watched a YouTube video to learn how to fix the chlorinator himself so he didn't have to invest an additional thousand dollars to replace it. Is yours a cement pool or does it have a liner? -Jenn
ReplyDeleteIt has a liner, which our man (who installed it) was amazed to see was still in very good condition. I have my fingers crossed that we'll have a few, trouble-free years of use. We'd hate to be without it.
DeleteBelieve it or not, the world is running out of sand so switching to recycled glass is just good sense. Sand Shortage
ReplyDeleteWhen the electricity people were burying their cables recently, they dug up the road outside a neighbour's house. At about a metre down they came across the most beautiful sand. If it is a very large source, the sand would probably be worth more than their house!
DeleteI shall never think badly of the chore of recycling glass again - now it might end up in your filter.
ReplyDeleteI feel rather the same!
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