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Cartridge Pool Filters 101

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:56 +0000

There are varying opinions on what swimming pool filter is the best. Ask a pool professional and chances are you will be offered one of three possible choices: sand pool filter, cartridge pool filters or diatomaceous earth filter. Just to make sure that we have a good understanding of what these pool filter types are, let us go over each type. This may then help us decide which one is the best option for your particular requirements.

Sand pool filter uses a bed of sand to filter dirt and debris in pool water. A pool pump moves pool water down a sand filter. As it exits the sand filter, pool water is already free from dirt and debris that is filtered by sand. Eventually the sand filter gets clogged with accumulated dirt and debris and results in water pressure drop. This indicates that it is time to clean the sand by backwashing. What this means is that the pumping and filtration process is reversed to push out accumulated dirt and drained in the sewer system. This method of cleaning is needed periodically. The setback with sand filters is that smaller particles can pass through sand. This is probably not the most effective filtration method in handling small particles.

Diatomaceous earth (DE) filters are finer than sand which enables DE filters to filter smaller particles. Filer grids or sieves are coated with diatomaceous earth (DE). These are inert, fossilized substances. These are washable and can last for 5 to 8 years. DE filters can give you the cleanest water but it can cost more than any other filtration method.

Cartridge pool filters is generally known as a low maintenance and economic filter method. Pool water passes cartridge pool filters to catch dirt and debris before it goes back to the pool. In terms of coverage, cartridge pool filters can clean more area than sand filters. With regard to filtering size, cartridge pool filters are somewhere between sand filters and diatomaceous earth filters. There are inexpensive filter cartridges that do not last long but there are more expensive filters that can last more than 5 years. Cartridge pool filters are cleaned only twice in a season and are easy to maintain.

If you were to ask me, good priced cartridge pool filters would be my choice for simple reasons. For one, these require low maintenance of just two cleanings per season. Cleaning cartridge pool filters is easy. All it takes is hosing off the filters to wash away accumulated dirt and debris. Once the cartridge is soiled, then it is time to replace with a new cartridge.

Sand pool filters and DE filters are at opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of particle size being filtered. Cartridge pool filters are somewhere in between but these can filter smaller particles with two possible options.

Adding flocculants will allow filtration of smaller particles. Flocculants are substances that hold smaller particles, acting as adhesive to form bigger particles. The other option is to add diatomaceous earth to cartridge pool filters to enhance capability to filter smaller particles.

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Pool Cartridge Filters and Their Usage

Guest Blogger — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:01:54 +0000

Everyone tries getting relief from the scorching heat of the sun in the summer time. Swimming pools or water parks offer the best comforts in this regard. But we must keep in mind that our health is crucial and thus it is important to be aware of whether the water in pool is filtered and clean enough or not. There are three basic types of swimming pool filters, namely D.E. Sand and other kind are pool cartridge filters. These filters need to chosen depending upon the state you live in, what kind of water supply do you receive, and what is the size of the pool that you own. To be on the safer side it is always beneficial to have the largest filter possible for your swimming pool.

Sand filters are usually the preferred kind, but a few people also use pool cartridge filters instead. Here we must be careful of the fact that volume of water that can be stored is the most important factor in choosing a cartridge filter, and should be looked at first before thinking of any other points. Pool cartridge filters are used generally in above ground pools and small sized pools. The cartridge filters have become more and more popular and regularly used in recent times. The pool cartridge filter in essence gathers cleaner air in your pool; traps dust particles of the order of a hundred microns and keeps your pool chemical free. It helps remove dirt and grime that has been absorbed in the swimming pool.

It is important to keep servicing these filters as they are highly involved in the cleaning process just like ordinary water filters that filter water for drinking purposes. The best way of cleaning pool cartridge filters is to first shut down the entire system, then carefully remove the cartridge from its hose, and clean it thoroughly. Then can prove to be a tedious task owing to the large size of filters in the market. But by doing this procedure just a couple of times in a year will help keep your filtering system in excellent shape and perfect working condition.

We must also remember to replace the cartridge in the filter after every five years at most, and this time frame will depend on the frequency of its use, and the maintenance which has been done on it. If the filter is small in size, then it can build up algae and tree debris every year, and its life will be cut down to only a couple of years.

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What Type of Above Ground Pool Filter is Best?

Guest Blogger — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:17:58 +0000

This is a question that we get asked often by our customers. There is really no strait answer on this as all three types, sand, DE and cartridge pool filters do a admirable job. Lets break it down and look at all three for the pros and cons with regards to an above ground pool filter.

The sand above ground pool filter has been around for a long time and are relatively easy to maintain. The require to be back-washed several times a year during the season. They do not use regular sand like you find on a ocean front beach, but a extremely fine sand. They do a great job and are similarly priced against DE filters. The filter media, (sand) stays inside the housing and can last for several years before needing to be changed.

DE Filters have been around a long time also. This is the type of pool filter I have. They require more maintenance than sand filters, but do a better job of filtering your pool water. They use a filter media that is called diatomaceous earth and is made from tiny fossilized water plants. Each time you backwash your pool, you flush out the media and need to add DE (diatomaceous earth) back in. Its very easy to do, but just requires another step. Out of the 3 types of an above ground pool filter, this one does the best job of filtering.

Cartridge filters are the last type of above ground pool filter. Priced against the other two, these tend to be the most expensive. They do a better job of cleaning your pool water than sand and almost as good as DE, with regards to filtering. The trade off here is that, many times you can go a whole season without any maintenance on them. When its time to clean the filter, you remove it from the filter housing and cleaning it by an ordinary garden hose. This can be done for a good number of cleaning sessions, but eventually you will need to replace it.

As I stated, all three versions of the above ground pool filter will do a good job. It is just up to personal preference. In my case, DE was the type that was installed with my swimming pool.

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How to Clean Pool Filter Cartridges

Guest Blogger — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:49:10 +0000

A lot of us have cartridge type pool filters. And when it comes time to service them, we just replace them. That is the easiest thing to do. Many of us only have to replace them just once a year. If you want to reduce your waste or save money you can clean them.

Most quality pool filter cartridges will have synthetic fiber or pleated fiberglass matt, not paper. If you have a paper cartridge, these cleaning procedures not work and will rip down the media rendering it useless.

First remove your filter from its assembly and while still wet, rinse it off with a garden hose. Do not let it dry first, because it will be difficult to clean. Then allow the filter(s) to dry thoroughly, best in direct sunlight if you can. Bright sunlight has great algaecide properties. After dry, use compressed air or shake and tap the filter on a surface, removing any loose particles or debris. Don’t worry if can’t remove all the debris, because you are only prepping the filter for its actual cleaning.

For this process to work its best, save a few of the filters before you start your cleaning process. Sanitizing the dirty pool filter cartridges takes time and doing a few of them at once makes it more efficient.

To sanitize, prep a bucket with a lid that is large enough to hold the filter(s). Mix a solution of one part sanitizer to six parts water. Place the filters in the solution and secure lid. The filter(s) soaking in this solution kills any microorganisms that may be lurking inside. Soak for 3-5 days for best results, 1 day being the least.

When it is time to remove filter, rinse in a bucket of clean water. Agitate and dunk the filter in and out of the water several times, until you see contaminates from the filter floating in the water. Again hang the filters out in bright sunlight to dry thoroughly. Brush off any containment that you see on the outside of the filter with a brush. Seal the bucket when not in use to keep the sanitizer fresh.

Next you need to prep a bucket with muriatic acid and water. This dissolves any minerals that may have accumulated. The mix for this is 1 part acid to 10 parts water. Soak your pool filter cartridges until the bubbling quits. Once done, you can rinse the acid off with a garden hose as you did in the beginning. Also keep this bucket sealed to keep the chemical concentrations correct for the next time.

Cleaning is an easy way to reduce landfill, and costs of maintaining your filter, following these easy and basic steps.