Replacement Filter Carts

[bethsg]

Any recommendations on where to get the best price on Pentair 520 sq ft filter cartridges.... I think the time has come to replace.. this is season #4.

[bethsg]

One more question... is it useless to begin replacing them say one per month, or is that not effective and should I just replace all 4 at the same time?
I am noticing I can't go very long before my pressure starts to rise and I need to hose them down. When this starts happening, my chlorine needs start to rise, so I know it's justing being eaten up by pollen filled cartridges.

[CarlD]

If your cartridges are raising your pressure or are infested, it means you aren't cleaning them properly. I'm no expert on them, but soaking them in Electrosol or other electric dishwasher powder is supposed to really work. I also gather that soaking them in Muriatic Acid can clean them, but again, I'm no expert.

The two main reasons to replace carts are torn media or media clogged beyond cleaning. Otherwise, you should be able to clean them. Considering what carts cost, you should investigate this.

But the cart experts should chime in here to give you better and more detailed advice.

[salinda]

I read on the boards that you should hose off, then soak in electrasol or other cheap dishwasher detergent and water, then hose off well, then soak in muriatic acid solution. I replaced mine this year (I have the 520 sq ft Pentair too) and it was pricey.

[waterbear]

TSP if you can get it in your area is one of the best things to use to soak them 1 cup per 5 gal water. (electrolsol and cascasde are basically just TSP or one of the non phosphate replacements for it, depending on whether phospates are totally banned in your area, with some other ingredients added) If there is scale deposit visible after the soaking then use the acid bath...once again 1 cup muriatic per 5 gal water. NEVER soak a cartridge in acid until you have cleaned all the oils and organics out of it by soaking in TSP or you will harden them into a cement-like substance and will need to replace the cartridge. Some 'old time pool service guys' would combine the TSP and acid in one step which seemed to work and is pretty much what most of the commercial filter cleaners are...a degreaser and acid.

[bethsg]

There is no scale deposits... they are just basically, dirty, which in the past when you hosed them off... they would become closer again to white... but now, it just seems to remove debris, but they don't whiten up anymore... How many years are they supposed to last?

[waterbear]

Cartridges can last up to about 5 years depending on how often they are cleaned and how heavy a load they have to filter...In some applications they might only last a year or two (think biguinide). If they are not getting white it might be organics impregnated in the filter material and trapping other dirt also. This is why it is good to soak them yearly. TSP is good at getting rid of the organics....Sometimes a soaking in a bleach solution works also (anywhere from a 10:1 to a 4:1 dilution of regular bleach). If this doesn't help then it's probably time to replace the cartridge.