ZEOBEST, similar to all other natural zeolites, is surface mined. The production process of zeolites does not provide a method to wash the media similar to how we clean our filter sand by dredging and hydraulic classification before actual sizing.

At our ZEOBEST mine, we use the mining method of ripping. We first rip the deposit with large bulldozers. Rip mining ensures quality of the product as zeolite veins vary in their quality and grade. Different quality veins are often times adjacent to each other. Other manufacturers of filtration grade zeolite, blast their deposit which allows these various grades of zeolite to intermix with each other and reduces your likelihood of purchasing high quality filtration grade zeolite in each and every bag.

ZEOBEST is then crushed and sized to NSF Standard 50 specifications. We size ZEOBEST to the exact same size as we do our filter sand. This only makes sense since ZEOBEST is filtering in a sand filter and needs to meet the same filter specifications as sand.

So how much ZEOBEST do you put in your sand filter?
ZEOBEST weighs about half the weight of sand. Typically sand weighs approximately 100 pounds per cubic foot while ZEOBEST weighs approximately 50 pounds per cubic foot. Some sands can weigh less than 100 pounds per cubic foot and you may want to check with your filter sand manufacturer. So a rule of thumb is that you put the same amount of cubic feet of ZEOBEST as sand. For example, a sand filter that uses 3 cubic feet of sand (normally 6 -50 pounds bags of sand), you would use 3 cubic feet of ZEOBEST (3 - 50 pounds bags of ZEOBEST).

Now you are ready to install ZEOBEST in your sand filter.
Please consult your filter manufacturer’s installation and backwash instructions for the exact procedure for your specific filter. ZEOBEST is installed similar to filter sand. Be careful when pouring ZEOBEST into your sand filter as there will be some dust due to the manufacturing process.

The initial backwash is extremely important with ZEOBEST.
This initial backwash is where you will clean ZEOBEST and remove or backwash the dust and fine particles out of your filter bed. Similar to sand you will need to backwash until your backwash water is completely clear. Typically the initial backwash time is longer than the time for your initial backwash of filter sand. In many cases, your ZEOBEST initial backwash will be 2 to 3 times longer than your initial sand backwash. Now remember, we are only talking about the initial backwash that needs to be this long.