I understand a cartridge is suppose to be easier maintain and filters better than sand. But now I hear people saying, yes thats true but only when they are barand new. I'm finding out people are spending hours cleaning their cartridges. And I also am hearing they some are having to clean them every two weeks or more. Not the once a season like they advertise. Some say they can never get their filters clean after awhile and have to buy new ones to get that really clean look like they did when they were new. Washing my filters once a month for at least an hour or soaking them overnight in acid seems like a lot of work. Surely a sand filter is not that much work.

I have even got a reply that after two years, one guy was going to get rid of his cartridge filter and buy a sand syste.

So whats the deal. Am I only hearing the horror stories and not hearing from the majority, or are the horror stories the majority?? Someone please advise me. I am torn between a Cartridge filter system 150 Sq ft. Pentair and maybe now a sand filter. Which should I get for a 18' x 40' Oval 54" Thahitian above ground pools. Please advise me. Thank you.
Aranon