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For a couple years I have been using this DE scoop that was supposed to hold a pound. Today I filled it and weighed it, found out it really only holds only 3/4 lbs.
Doesn't seem to have been tragic but I have been undercharging my DE filter for a couple years now.
FYI - This scoop is blue plastic and roughly 5 1/4" deep and 4 3/8" wide at the top. If you have one similar you may want to double check what it measures for you.
I bought one a year ago, thinking it would also hold one pound. Before I used it, for some reason I turned it upside down and read the bottom. It said to use 1 scoop for every 5 sq' of filter area, which for me works out to a half pound scoop.
I guess not all DE scoops are created equally.
I use an old coffee can . ;)
Rockker and all, there are scoops that hold 1 lb of de, there are also scoops that hold 3/4 lb (and as far as I know 1/2lb). It's close enough to the end of the season not to have to worry about it, unless you're having major filter problems. When you close your pool, take the filter apart and thoroughly wash the grids or fingers, this will take care of any 'under' or 'over' charging of the filter, but it's a good idea to know what your scoop adds for next year. Give me a few minutes and I'll link some of my past advice on 'backwashing' a DE filter.
Heres a thred that contains most of my advice on DE filters (if you have a 'bump' filter, read the entire thread) http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=3613
Interesting, my old 48Sq Ft DE filter has a label which says:
"Use 1lb Coffee can per 5Sq Ft"
For the longest time I agonized over this, since I have not seen a 1lb coffee can in a long time, I'm sure they are around but I get the 2lb 2.5oz kind. Then I realized that a pound is not always equal to a pound.
What I think they want, and what dry goods normally use, is the volume equation where 1lb = 16oz =2 cups like in a household measuring cup. Now I just keep a big one and equate 2 cups (16 oz) for each 5 sq ft of filter.