Desperate NEWBIE needs help on Purchasing a new filter

[CarlD]

So you are a sand filter guy...I was leaning towards the sand, but am leary on the valve clamp. Does your filter leak at all??? How good is the valve clamp, and how long should they last??? the columbia that was here I had issues with the old clamp and a brand new one. The brand new clamp snapped in two. TKS!!!

The valve? The 6-way valve? Never leaked yet. I have a small leak at the pump, but that has nothing to do with the filter. I have a quick-connect I need to swap out after the season--the leak is too small to worry about.

[drumr]

My pool came with the Hayward Missle Pro cartridge filter with 1.5 hp pump and it did a very good job, but I would spend about 45 minutes every other week washing the gunk out of the filter. I got a poolco 200lb sand filter with a 3/4 hp pump 2 years ago and have been much happier with it. I put 1/3 cup of DE (a big THANKS to whoever did come up with that idea!!) in it and it gets the water as clean as the cartridge did. I only spend a few minutes backwashing every other week and I am not covered in bugs, gunk, and dirt like I always was when I sprayed off the cartridge.

The pool store said you will save pool water by not having to backwash a filter cartridge, which is true, but I hated washing that cartridge out and I may have saved pool water but I still used alot of city water cleaning the cartridge out and alot of the gunk would end up all over me..

I have not have any leaking problems out of my sand filter valve so far, it has performed flawlessly.

JD

[rnjng]

Thanks for all the info, I'm taking the plunge on a sand filter. Look for me in the spring start-up cause I'll need help getting the green out of the pool!!!