What filter to choose...cartridge or DE

[waterbear]

I will stick to my guns and say that an undersized cart is probably the worst nightmare....I use the intex pools as a prime example!

As far as cleaning a sand filter..I will also stick to my guns...dirty sand can channel and when it does your filtering perfomance drops down to zilch! Once a year at least stick a hose into the sand and let the water carry the dirt out of it and break up any clumping!

That's what is so great about this forum....we get to disagree with each other!

On a final note....gotta agree that adding DE to a sand filter is a good idea...doesn't work with a cart but I have heard that you can add some of that cellulose based DE replacement to a cart and get the same type of effect. Never tried it so I don't know how well it works.

[CarlD]

I will stick to my guns and say that an undersized cart is probably the worst nightmare....I use the intex pools as a prime example!

Evan, you misunderstood me, I think. An undersized cart WILL be a nightmare, but so will an undersized sand or DE filter.
Cart: Torn filter, crap blowing into the pool
Sand: Broken lateral, sand AND crap blowing into the pool.
DE: broken/torn screens or fingers AND DE and crap blowing into the pool.

In all three you need to replace them with a proper sized filter and then you have to clean out the pool..

I started with an Intex with a little 1/6hp cart. Hated the thing (the pump that is--loved the pool)--just like Evan did. Not because it didn't do the job--it did, with care, but because cleaning the d*** thing was a messy pain. Luckily, I bought a case of filters for about $10 each and I'd make each one last 2 weeks, cleaning it once then chucking it. It didn't keep us from enjoying the pool, just it was one more pain in the patoot.

If your sand filter is properly sized and you have properly backwashed it all season, the dirt and sand will not be a problem. Late in the season you want to make sure your water is super-clean before closing. Then my final water treatment is to push that clean water to shock level and close--my filter is clean, my sand is FINE.

Check with Poconos and see if he's followed your procedure. Bet he hasn't.

That IS what's great about this forum...We CAN be candid in our opinions. Evan and I can disagree and STILL have great respect for each other.

[Ready2swim]

Man...you guys are passionate about your filters !! I knew I would get some sort of detailed answer. Thanks for all of the information, I am still a little torn as to what filter to buy, I dont mind maintenance, but if given the chance to chose of course I would want to do less than I have to...however I would rather do more maintenance than sacrifice water clarity. I want to be able to SEE the bottom of the pool without seeing any floaties or crap in the water...if DE is the only way to accomplish that then I geuss I have made a decision...

[cruzmisl]

Well you're half way there. You still need to decide on a brand and model

Keep us posted on what you decide.

[CarlD]

Man...you guys are passionate about your filters !! I knew I would get some sort of detailed answer. Thanks for all of the information, I am still a little torn as to what filter to buy, I dont mind maintenance, but if given the chance to chose of course I would want to do less than I have to...however I would rather do more maintenance than sacrifice water clarity. I want to be able to SEE the bottom of the pool without seeing any floaties or crap in the water...if DE is the only way to accomplish that then I geuss I have made a decision...

Nah...Evan and I are just passionate about ARGUING!!!!

Remember: ALL 3 FILTERS can give you EXCELLENT performance if you size them to your pump and pool and maintain them properly. There are ways to tweak them (like DE to a sand filter) but which you choose is whatever floats your boat (or your pool raft!). But you must size and maintain them properly or you will be miserable.

[Tredge]

Just to add somthing else to argue about

I use a sand filter with http://www.zeobrite.com/ instead of sand.

They claim filtering down to 3 microns.

Now....I wonder how great it would be if I added DE to my zeobrite.....

Where can I buy DE

[waterbear]

Just to add somthing else to argue about

I use a sand filter with http://www.zeobrite.com/ instead of sand.

They claim filtering down to 3 microns.

Now....I wonder how great it would be if I added DE to my zeobrite.....

Where can I buy DE

Hate to burst your bubble but water will take the path of least resistance...which will be AROUND the grains of zeolite and not through it! It might filter marginally better than sand but not anywhere near DE....not even sure if it will filter as well as a cart.

[waterbear]

Man...you guys are passionate about your filters !!
If you don't want to start a controversy three things should never be discussed, religion, politics, and the best type of filter for a swimming pool!
I knew I would get some sort of detailed answer. Thanks for all of the information, I am still a little torn as to what filter to buy, I dont mind maintenance, but if given the chance to chose of course I would want to do less than I have to...however I would rather do more maintenance than sacrifice water clarity. I want to be able to SEE the bottom of the pool without seeing any floaties or crap in the water...if DE is the only way to accomplish that then I geuss I have made a decision...

All three types of filters will give you clear water. DE will definately give the most polished water but it is the most work. Sand is the easiest by far and the water quality from it is excellent. Carts fall in between in water quality and maintenance.

As a suggestion, why don't you download and look through the instruction manuals for several makes of each type of filter so you can get an idea of what is involved in normal maintenance and complete filter breakdown and cleaning. This might give you a better perspective on what is involved with each type and then you can decide what will work best for you.

[duraleigh]

All three types of filters will give you clear water.

Waterbear,
give yourself a gold star! Common sense dictates that if they didn't (give clear water) they would soon be gone from the market. I was hoping someone would put some punctuation on the end of this never-ending subject (It's been going on for at least twenty years) and I hope you just did.

[ThePoolGuy]

I'm not arguing this but more trying to understand this. You say the sand gets better with age? I thought the sand would get beat down into small particals over time and get spat into the pool?




If you oversize your sand filter and are happy with the performance, this isn't necessary. I would disagree here and say do NOT do this unless you have a problem. Even more, the dirtier the sand is over the years, the finer it will filter--it gets BETTER with age!