Filter Refurbishment With Durafilter Recycled Glass Filtration Media

TOTAL BIOCARE SYSTEMS FOR SWIMMING POOLS

GOOD FILTRATION STANDARDS-THE ESSENCE OF GREAT POOL WATER

Contact Pool Maintenance Limited www.pool-maintenance.co.uk

Filtration Media:

The single largest surface area exposed to contamination in a swimming pool is the media within the filter units. Sand has been used for 150 years as a filter medium. Sand is also classed as a grade 2 carcinogen because of the free silica contained. Every cubic metre of sand has a surface area in the region of 3000 square metres and it is an established fact that sand-based media provides a highly suitable substrate for bacteria, with all the potential health hazards that this generates. Sand will become widely colonised by a range of bacterial agents within a few days and cannot be fully cleansed even with chlorination and other standard practises.

Alginates excreted by these bacteria glue the sand grains together and prevent the filters from working efficiently. Colonies of bacteria then combine to produce bio-films. A bio-film creates its own environment with a low pH value, thus becoming a prime source of tri-chloramines production, the prime cause of “pool smell”. The effective operation and maintenance of pool filter units to prevent unacceptable levels of bacteria growth and tri-chloramines production should therefore be a high priority for all pool operators. Sand media should be totally replaced every 5-7 years.

Standard codes of practise:

All commercial and public organisations have a Duty of Care to their staff and the general public and any failure of this duty due to poor working practise can be a costly business as has been shown in several recent cases. Therefore it is essential that your filters are fit for purpose, well maintained and thoroughly inspected by a suitably experienced person at least once a year. Poor management of filters can cause problems within DAYS. Attention should be given to: sand quantity and quality, under-drains and corrosion. Unusual signs like fissures, an uneven bed, “mud-balling”, etc need investigation.  

Flocculation/Coagulants are recommended as part of your filtration regime (if you are not using them already) as they bring contaminants out of solution and clump them together into a floc that can be more easily removed by a filter. They are particularly crucial in the filtering of Cryptosporidium and Giradia.

NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES: the case for glass media

Recycled glass media has been shown by independent studies from leading experts in the water filtration field, to be a highly efficient filtration media out performing sand. We, at Pool Maintenance & Servicing, believe that commercial pools should switch to glass media as soon as possible. This change will produce significantly better pool water and pool-hall atmosphere, as well as yielding operational cost savings and a better environment in your pool. Alongside the positive environmental issues of using a recycled product, the greater operating efficiency will significantly assist and contribute towards any carbon footprint reduction schemes or area targets that may be applicable. A study by leading experts Aqua Enviro concluded that;

“In order to reprocess recycled glass to PAS 102 standard approximately 73 kg Co2/tonne of media is produced compared to 2 kg Co2/tonne of silica sand. However, when the application benefit is taken into account, this work has shown that replacing sand with glass as a filtration media delivers savings which may equate to as much as 1,261 kg C02/tonne/annum of media produced, resulting in a substantial net environmental benefit. These C02 savings arise largely from the superior performance of glass and resultant reduced pump run times.”

Independent studies have shown that glass media has the following properties and benefits; Cleaner, lighter weight, and highly angular crushed recycled glass provides an amazing 25% improvement in turbidity removal over silica sand. Glass filtration media generally removes finer particles from water than silica sand of an equivalent grade. Glass filtration media’s weak negative surface charge holds fine particles and positively charged iron and manganese ions that are easily released upon back washing. Crushed glass filtration media is less likely to block or channel than silica sand. Glass filtration media contains no crystalline silica–resulting in better lung protection for employees and a far healthier environment. Glass filtration media grains are amorphous, smooth particles that have a higher attrition strength and do not permanently trap bacteria in cracks. Use of  glass filter media will lower your consumption of chlorine and coagulants. Glass media gives improved performance for pressure or gravity-flow filters. Weighing 20% less than sand, glass filtration media provides more filter volume per kg. Glass filtration media’s lower density requires up to 20% less media to fill your filter vessel. Better permeability–back washes with up to 25% less water, saving down-time and water/sewer charges. Because crushed glass filtration media cleans better, you save energy and operating costs

Finally, we would stress that utilising an effective media product made from recycled glass is a far more environmentally friendly option than continuing with the use of quarried sand and gravel.

In summary, glass media is a more efficient media than sand, therefore in conjunction with a careful water and filtration management programme it can produce cost savings for your pool. Once installed, we suggest that you carefully monitor your pool to produce the most efficient water quality regime. We believe that you will have excellent results and soon find there are savings to make in water, energy and chemical usage 

With all these factors in mind we invite you to make the switch from sand to glass, monitor the results and reap the rewards.

Pool Maintenance Ltd now offer filter refurbishment with two types of recycled glass media and can advise you on the general benefits and savings associated with each.

DURAFILTER Glass media:

Specially developed and graded for installation in swimming pool filters, DURAFILTER is made 100% from recycled glass. It is totally safe for use and conforms for British Standards PA102. It is non-toxic and non-abrasive. Should any escape into the pool it would do no more harm than traditional sand. DURAFILTER recycled glass media will last for a minimum of 10 years without need for reloading. It is our belief that correct practice with sand is to reload every 5 years. Used in filters treated with our own high performance coatings we will supply you with a 10 year guarantee effectively doubling the life of your media.

In the past there have been price barriers to the installation of glass media however DURAFILTER recycled glass media is sourced to be completely cost comparable to sand.

 DURAFILTER glass media is a more efficient media than sand, therefore with a careful water management programme it can produce cost savings for your pool. Once installed into your filters we suggest that you carefully monitor your pool to produce the most efficient water quality regime. We believe that you will have excellent results and soon find there are savings to make in water, energy and chemical usage

DURAFILTER is a low cost entry into glass media use meaning that for the same price as sand loading a pool operator can gain the benefits of usage of glass media.

POOL MAINTENANCE & SERVICING QUOTES FOR FILTER REFURBISHMENTS ON A LIKE FOR LIKE BASIS WITH SAND + DURAFILTER ENABLING YOU TO MAKE THE CHOICE THAT SUITS YOUR BUDGET.

 For maximum filter protection implement our filter refurbishment system;TOTAL BIOCARE SYSTEM FOR FILTERS www.pool-maintenance-co.uk

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