Guys, I'm going to have add a rule for new members: "If you are using a mobile device, take the time to use Caps, add periods, and paragraph spacing. It makes it much harder for us to read when you don't!"

Tina, if you have severely iron contaminated water, there is not a filter that's going to make this "easy". I can help you 'manage' the problem, but with kids splashing out water, that you have to replace, you will be in 'metal management mode' 100% of the time, and a better filter won't change that.

+ Sand filters will lower your water every time . . . and then you have to replace it with MORE iron contaminated water.
+ DE filters aren't an option on Intex pools, without pretty significant refitting.
+ A big cartridge filter would make it easier -- IF you have a pair of high grade cartridges, and have one in cleaning solution all the time.
+ Replacing your Intex brand cartridges with a PAIR or triplet of Unicel brand cartridges, so that 1 - 2 cartridges could be soaking continuously would help.


+ Finally, the only SOLUTION, which would allow you to fill the pool with iron free water, would involve setting up a 2nd, smaller Intex, to do pre-treatment, and then filling your pool from the little pool AFTER the iron settles.

Think about it. Read through the metals bucket test page, and decide if you want to do that, to see how bad the problem is.

I'd 'guesstimate' that managing the problem effectively will add $250 to your cost this year, and maybe $150 every subsequent year. 'Solving' it by using a pre-treatment pool would raise that to maybe $400 the first year, but lower it to maybe $100 in additional costs, in subsequent years.

Lemme know what you want to pursue.