Newbie with filter problem

[CarlD]

3 hp on your size pool is like having a V-8 on a lawnmower! I personally will bet it's torn up your cartridge from being too big. Even if it's up-rated it's at least 2-2.5 hp and that is STILL far too big. Besides destroying your filter, it wastes electricity. I cannot imagine that that pump is matched to that filter.

I'd have them swap it for something smaller--a full-rated 3/4 or uprated 1 is PLENTY for your pool. In fact, I would think a full rated 1/2 horse would be the appropriate size for a 10,000 gallon pool, which I'm guessing yours is. Another good choice would be a 3/4 two speed pump. Both will save you a fortune on wasted electricity. Plus they'll run quieter.

Even the cruddy cartridge filter that my old 15'x3' EasySet donut used (with a 1/6hp pump) did far, FAR better than you are describing. Carts should filter better than sand, nearly as well as DE filters. Something is very, VERY wrong.

Go to Ben's PoolSolution.com and read the "bigger pump scam" article.

[waterbear]

I agree with CarlD. I have an uprated 1.5 HP pump with my cartridge filtler which are both oversized for my 6600 gal pool and 300 gal spa but I have several water feature and the spa jets that need to be powered by it which is the reason my contractor went with them. I also have a sperartely plumed uprated 1 hp pump for the fiberoptics lighted water features (yeah, I just LOVE waterfalls and deck jets--call me a big kid!) that has an intake in the pool a bit below water level and an outlet that can be used for a pressure side cleaner instead of a booster pump just by turning the valve to shut off the water features and direct all the flow to the outlet. The point is my contractor oversized the filter to match the pump size I needed for the setup and it works like a dream.

[South_paw]

Thanks guys. I am convinced that the pump is too large for the filter. I researched the pump on line , it is rated @ 160 gpm my filter is rated at 75gpm. My pool dealers response to this fact was "well we sold 100's of these without any problems". A rep is coming to look at it on Saturday(i hope). Although the filter is out matched it is catching most of the debris. What the filter can't catch looks like a fine "dirt/dust" that settles at the bottom of the pool in clumps here and there. I am thinking about trying to vac it again,accept this time I will have the filter discharge the sucked up water as apposed to recycle it. I am sure glad I put plenty of shut off valves