Quote:
Originally Posted by PJ_Smiley
For all you folks building pools, consider a sand filter instead of a cartridge filter. Every pool builder includes a cartridge filter (because it is cheaper). You will get tired of cleaning the cartridge filter every month or so and spending $100 or more once a year to replace cartridge. If you will stop and look at any of the water features at any of the street corners in TV, you will see they use sand filters. Cleaning a sand filter only requires you to backflush the filter. That's it. It's a simple process. Also, Zeobrite filter media can be used as a replacement for sand in the filter and provides superior water clarity. The sand filter may cost more upfront, but will save time and money over the long run. Determine the size needed for your pool and then go up a size. A little bigger is better IMHO.
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Sand filters only filter to between 20-40 microns while cartridge is between 10-20 microns. Cartridge filters clean better and faster than any sand filter. DE filters are the best at cleaning at 1-5 microns, but are now banned in most areas due to the DE powder disposal.
Think of it this way... if your pool gets cloudy and you SLAM (shock) it, sand will take days to clear, cartridge half a day, and DE hours.
A properly sized cartridge filter has to be cleaned about every 6-12 months. From the 6 estimates I've seen from friends (and mine) T&D typically provides an undersized filter requiring cleaning every 1-3 months.