New Member: Pool Filter: Sand vs DE

[mnittler]

The pool installer is recommending the DE filter. I have never seen a commercial pool use DE and there must be a reason. He says that the DE has better filtration but I am thinking that just back washing the filter and putting it back in operation is pretty easy vs having to pour DE in the filter each time it is backwashed (also having to have DE on hand). Pro & Cons anybody. Love them or hate them after the new wears off? Anything wrong with just a plain old sand filter? I stayed at a hotel this past weekend and peaked at the pool filtration equipment thru a crack in the fence and I saw a chlorine generator (so must have been a salt water pool), UV sanitization system, and a big old sand filter. Pool floor was little blue tile and I could see the grout lines between the tiles on the bottom of the pool so it must have been pretty clear.

[PoolDoc]

If you get an OVERSIZED sand filter, and run your pool on low speed 24/7, you'll get water clarity as good as with a DE filter, but with far less maintenance.

Tell us your pool gallons before you buy the filter, and we can size it for you.

[mnittler]

28,000 gallons

[PoolDoc]

30" filter; 60 GPM flow rate.

*IF* your pool has no 'features', the 1HP 2 speed Whisperflo pump would perform extremely well for you on low, and would backwash acceptably on high.
http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/whisperDS.pdf
http://www.a1poolparts.com/-strse-61...ump/Detail.bok

You could match a WFDS-3 or WFDS-4 with a TR-100 filter, and run on low speed, except when backwashing or vacuuming.

Filters:
http://www.a1poolparts.com/-strse-15...ass/Detail.bok
http://www.a1poolparts.com/-strse-76...ide/Detail.bok

[mnittler]

I went back an looked at the proposal again and I had made a mistake on the pool size. It will be an 18,000-20,000 gallon pool instead of the 28,000. Can you recommend the correct size sand filter for this size? I will have either the variable speed or the 2 speed pump installed. I have not been given the option for the 2 speed pump but that looks to be less of a problem in the long run (less electronics and just good ole mechanical timers and relays).

[PoolDoc]

WFDS-3 + TR60 or TR100. You'll get better clarity and fewer backwashes with the TR100

[CarlD]

While I'm a happy sand filter owner, the answer really has two parts:

1) Which ever filter you get MUST be properly sized and not too small for your pump.
2) After proper sizing, personal preference is really the key. You can get excellent results with both.

My dad ran with a DE filter for 15 or 20 years (I don't remember and he's gone 10 years now). He was happy and had good results with little work. I have a sand filter and have great results with little work.
We also have contributors who swear by their cartridge filters. It's all about what you prefer. It's not that the builder is wrong...technically. But Ben's suggestions of an oversize sand filter, running on low speed, with a bit of DE in it, will give you just as good results as a DE filter.

[mnittler]

I have now sent in a request to the pool builder for an over sized sand filter and he came back with the TR-140 which is bigger yet than the above mentioned TR-100. He pointed out that if they install the Valet 3 cleaning system (which the pool installer is going to warrantee the nozzles for life) that sand would be entering the zone changing mechanism and cause premature wear on those parts. The zone changer does not have the installer lifetime warrantee. I guess all the more reason to go with a Polaris 280 instead with just a Polaris warrantee. Any automatic cleaner any better than the other for use with a sand filter? Does anyone know the different energy requirements for using something like a Valet 3 and a Polaris?

[mnittler]

When I was asking the installer about the sand filter he indicated that the sand filter has to be back washed at least once per week where a DE is only backwashed once per month. I guess that would depend on how dirty your pool was but that would make a difference in the amount of water & chemicals thrown away. Any experience one way or the other. Number of times you backwash and with what type of filter?

[PoolDoc]

You use less water with DE.

But, DE filters have to be manually opened and cleaned at least 1x per season. If you go with DE, make sure you get a filter you can manage. It takes 8 hands to re-assemble some models .