Paladin Roaming

I was told by a chemical supplier Guardex that clarifying chemicals should NOT be used if you have Zeobrite filter media. It will definitely affect its performance. You should also be careful that the pucks, shock etc that you buy do not have clarifyers in them as well. This may have caused your zeobrite to break down.

The following is a procedure that was e-mailed to me by a Ronnie Coufal of Zeotech Corp.:
PROCEDURE FOR REGENERATION TO REMOVE AMMONIUM IONS, PREVENT CHLORAMINE BUILDUP, AND CLEAN MEDIA TO REMOVE ORGANIC MATTER, OILS AND SCALE

Summary: A description is given below for a procedure to regenerate Zeobrite Pool Filter Media in order to remove ammonium ions so that chloramine formation in pool water will be minimized. In addition, this procedure also includes a method to clean and sharpen the media’s filtering capacity by removing built-up organic matter and mineral scaling. This procedure should be performed at least once per year on residential pools and approximately every 6 to 12 weeks for commercial pools, depending upon bather load and when odors build up in the facility to unacceptable levels. Chloramine levels can be determined by monitoring total combined chlorine with a DPD test.

A regenerative solution should be prepared by mixing into 5 gallons of water, 2lbs. of rock salt or table salt (NaCl). A filter cleaning solution should be prepared using a sand filter cleaner purchased at your local pool supply store that removes scale, organic matter and oil build-up. We recommend using a filter cleaner that soaks in the bed overnight.

Preparing the solutions (Regeneration and Cleaning combined into one step):

1. Mix salt into water until dissolved. The salt-water solution can then be used to prepare the filter cleaning solution if applicable. Follow the directions on the filter cleaner container. (Take proper precautions for skin and eyes with the acid. Always add acid to water, never water to acid. Use rubber gloves, eye protection and rinse any acid from skin or equipment with lots of water.)

2. Drain water from the pool filter. Close all valves. Pour regenerative/filter cleaning solution slowly into the filter to just above the level of the media. Carbon dioxide gas may escape so the cap must be left off of the filter, or the air relief valve should be left open. The regenerative/cleaning solution should be left in the filter at least 4 hours but not longer than overnight.

3. The remaining solution in the filter contains high concentrations of sodium chloride, acid and suspended solids. Backwash the solution to waste. Do Not let this solution get into the pool or distribution lines. Keep it off of the lawn. The residual salt and acid could kill vegetation. Once backwash water becomes clear and is at normal pH, run filter on Rinse for one minute. Repeat Backwash and Rinse before turning onto Filter Mode.

4. The media regeneration process should reduce the need to “chlorine shock” your pool as frequently, and it will refresh the Zeobrite media so that ammonium ions are removed and chloramine production is greatly reduced in the pool water.

NOTE: Routine bed cleaning maintenance will enhance the filtering capability of your Zeobrite media. Natural enzymes can be used to remove body oils, suntan lotions and perspiration that can accumulate in the media. When using polymer clarifiers, the media should be cleaned periodically with one of the sand filter cleaners available at your pool dealer’s store. Pool owners using biguanide sanitizers should clean the media bed once a month utilizing the bed cleaning material recommended by the manufacturer of the biguanide sanitizer.

... oh my ...

With the sand media all we did for eight years was backwash when the tank pressure hit 15psi.

I have used zeobrite for the last 3 years and love it looks like to me you need to invest in some shlorine and algacide.

We had used sand for 11 years and had figured out chlorine and algacide, thank you very much. Jeff explained why I had trouble -- I expected the Zeobrite to be as easy to use as sand.

i was thinking about using zeobrite in my pool,but, now i don't think i will.the maintainance on zeobrite is way more than sand. i have used sand for 5 years with hardly any problems. the best thing i have found is the nature 2 filter system in addition to the sand filter. i take the nature 2 filter out at the end of the swim season and store it in a cool dry area and when swim season comes ,i shake it up and tap it on the table to release the small dirt particles trapped inside . i reinstall it in the filter pot . i then shock the pool with loquid chlorine bleach to one gallon per 13000 gallons of pool water and run the pump for 48 hrs to reactivate the charcoal. that's it.

I was also thinking of replacing the sand in my filter with zeobrite. Not so sure now. Have to look into it more. My question is to Russell, what is the nature 2 filter system you refered too? Ive never heard of it. Thanks.

"the best thing i have found is the nature 2 filter system in addition to the sand filter"

I have what I've been told is, silt that my sand filter cannot filter out, and was suggested to me to switch to Zeobrite. It looks like fine white sand every day on bottom of pool. but when you touch it it turns to dust, I thought it was sand from my filter. Would Zeobrite prevent this? I am sick of vaccuming every day.