Salt chlorinator

Here's what I've got - 26,000 gallon in-ground in Michigan. Sand filter, 1.5" PVC.

What I'm hooking up - 400k btu heater, salt chlorinator, cartridge filter, zinc anode, flow meter. 2" PVC.

My plan - (I welcome advice and criticism) - I want to keep my sand filter hooked up for vacumming, reducing water level & as a backup. I've bypassed the sand filter to not go to heater or salt chlorinator. 1) Should the sand filter also be routed through the salt system? 2) Is the best spot for the zinc anode in between filter & heat. Or basically just anywhere prior to salt system? 3)am I ok going from 1.5" PVC to 2" and back to 1.5" or will I have pressure probs?
Thank you!

Why would you hook up a zinc anode? Hopefully, you are NOT trying to protect a non-salt pool heater that way?

Going to 1.5" => 2" => 1.5", won't cause problems, but you probably won't gain anything, either. I'd have to see your pump pad layout to be sure, though. You should include pump and filter make and model info, as well, but you can post that in your response here.

If you want useful responses, you'll need to sketch your plumping layout plan, and scan or photograph it, and then send it to poolforum@gmail.com . Gotta say, I'm pretty skeptical however.

I agree with PoolDoc. It seems you are overthinking things and making them more complicated than they need to be. With salt systems I tend to prerfer cartridge filters because of the simple fact that no backwashing means chemical levels stay more stable (and salt and CYA levels are very important with a salt system). IF the cart is properly sized for the pool then you should only need to clean it maybe 2 to 4 times a year if the pool is open year round or once or twice a season if you close the pool for the winter so the maintenance is not that much!

Sacrificial anodes sound great in theory but I just don't think they do that much in actual pools.

While I feel that flow meters are a necessary piece of equipment in a commercial pool I really don't see the need for them in a residential installation and am wondering why you feel the need to include one.