In the cutaway image you can see the laterals at the bottom of the tank. Water filters through these slotted pipes, and then goes up the center pipe to be returned to the pool. They are also available with side-mounted valves and top-mounted inspection ports. Side mount sand filters are NSF certified, and can be used with a less restrictive Slide Valve, but are priced a bit higher than top mount sand filter models. Sand filters are capable of filtering particles about microns in size, which technically makes them the least effective among the three pool filter types in terms of the particle size removed.
They are the easiest to maintain, requiring backwashing or cleaning to remove dirt from the filter when the pressure gauge has a reading of psi over the startup reading. Eventually backwashing will no longer be able to remove the buildup. The sand particles will become smooth and unable to trap debris, and the sand will need to be replaced. On average this is required about every years, but it can be much sooner for undersized sand filters. The sand probably needs to be replaced when more frequent backwashing is required and it is difficult to maintain filter pressure at a normal level or clear up pool water problems.
Pros: There is no multiport valve necessary so plumbing is easier, and with no multiport valve there is no backwashing, which is environmentally friendly because it conserves water and because DE powder is not discharged. And since there is no multiport valve, there are no multiport valve repairs. Cartridges filter the water better than sand but less than DE. Cons: With a single-pleated filter inside you need to clean the filter cartridge fairly often.
With the large cluster type of filter, normally four filters, you still need to clean the filters but only once or twice during the pool season. To clean the filter cartridge or cartridges you open up the filter, take the cartridges out and spray them with a hose, which takes minutes.
Cartridge filters are so named because they contain a pleated spun polyester filter cartridge that looks similar to the air filter you will find in your car.
Water is forced through the cartridge pleats and it will trap debris as small as microns, a significant improvement over sand filters. Cartridge filters require little maintenance. An oversized cartridge filter only needs to be cleaned about every six months, or whenever the filter pressure is psi over the standard reading. Each time a pool cartridge is cleaned some of its filtering ability is lost, and eventually oils and debris will build up to the point that they cannot be removed, so cartridges do need to be replaced usually every years.
Some filters may have several cartridges. Pros: The DE filter has the advantage of filtering the water to the smallest particle size microns and will keep the water cleaner than a sand filter or cartridge filter. This can translate to less pump run time and less sanitizer needed to keep the water clean and clear. DE is the superior form of pool filtration. Cons: DE filters require the most amount of maintenance.
After backwashing your filter you must add replacement DE powder through your skimmer to recoat the grids inside your pool filter. With a DE filter you also need to take the filter apart every six months to clean the filter grids manually.
Lastly, the DE filter is the most expensive filter to purchase. DE, or Diatomaceous Earth, filters remove particles down to microns in size, a smaller particle size than can be seen by the naked eye, making them the most effective filter type.
The filter contains either fingers or grids grid assembly shown that is covered by a fine powder called diatomaceous earth.
It is this powder that actually does the bulk of the filtering. DE powder is generally sold separately from the filter itself and is added by pouring it through the skimmer.
Like a sand filter, a DE filter must be backwashed when its pressure gauge reads psi above its normal reading. Backwashing will flush most of the DE powder out of the filter. Your city may have certain DE disposal requirements; avoid backwashing into streams or sanitary sewer systems.
Backwashing is easily accomplished by shutting off the pump and turning the filter valve handle multiport valve shown in image above to the backwash position. The dirty DE powder is flushed out of a backwash hose sold separately. Like side-mount valve sand filters, DE filters can use a less restrictive slide valve instead of the multiport valve for backwashing the filter. After backwashing, a new application of DE powder is added via the pool skimmer. The grids or fingers in a DE filter should also be cleaned on an annual basis and soaked in a cleansing solution like our granular pool filter cleaner.
DE filters provide the highest water quality without a doubt, but this does come at a cost; the filters themselves are generally the most expensive and they are also more time consuming to maintain.
All filters work a bit better when they are a bit dirty, hence the range of potential micron-trapping ability in our pool filter comparison chart. A clean sand filter may filter down to only 40 microns, but as dirt loads up in the sand bed, it may effectively trap particles in the 20 micron range.
All filters will maintain clear water in a well balanced and clear pool, but only those that can trap very small particles can clean up adverse water conditions quickly. For spring pool openings or algae blooms, for example, a DE filter can clean this up in days, but sand filters can take over a week and may need help from clarifiers or other chemicals Other factors affecting filter dirt-trapping ability include the water flow rate and the filter media age.
High flow rates, higher than the recommended design flow rate, will produce poor filtration, pushing smaller particles right through the filter. As filter sand or filter cartridges age, they lose up to half of their dirt-trapping power and need to be replaced. The tank of your pool filter can last 25 years or more, but the filter media, the stuff inside that does the filtering, will become worn out over time, eventually becoming evident in cloudy water and short filter cycles time between backwash or cleaning.
Tired filter media needs longer filtration time and more frequent cleaning or backwashing to keep the filter pressure low. The size of your filter will also greatly affect the filter media lifespan. If your filter is double the size, the filter media may last twice as long: six years for cartridges, 10 years for sand and 15 years for DE grids.
DE filters cost the most, mainly because they have so many parts, but also remember that they do the best job at filtering the water. Cartridge filters are cheaper than DE filters, with fewer parts, plus no separate backwash valve to buy.
Sand filters are the cheapest pool filter because they are the simplest type of pool filter, with few parts and a simpler design to fabricate. All filters should have the same installation cost; however, the installation of a cartridge filter is usually the lowest degree of difficulty. This is because without a filter valve, the plumbing is less complicated, and because you are not hauling and pouring hundreds of pounds of filter sand.
Over time the sand will lose its sharp edges, resulting in a filter tank filled with tiny ping pong balls! Some need to be replaced more than once a year, depending on how the pool is used and maintained. Cons: Laborous to clean and the cartridges must be cleaned frequently , and their longevity before replacement cartridges is low. These filters have the best screening ability of any pool filter, hands down.
Residential D. The difference is, the grids themselves need to be "charged" or coated with a powdered media called diatomaceous earth, or alternatively, perlite. The D. Commercial D. Filters are the most advanced, automated filters in the aquatic industry. These are the filters that the best aquatic venues and water parks are using. They automatically regenerate a fresh layer of perlite through a timed "bump" cycle, hence the name Regenerative D. Regenerative D.
Both residential and commerical D. Pros: The best screening ability by far , [commercial] regenerative cycle is automated, optimal water clarity. At the beginning of this article, we asked rhetorical questions. Does the type of filter really matter? Are the differences between pool filters even noticeable? Over time, yes. It depends on how often you use the pool and how well you're paying attention to the water clarity.
How do filters impact water quality? Their screening ability determines the size of particles each filter can capture, which has a direct relationship to water clarity and water quality. This is hard to say, because chloramine production is about the removal of nitrogen and organic compounds by chlorine , which are small enough to pass through filtration.
Pools with all types of filters have chloramine problems. Then again, less contaminants circulating can reduce chlorine's burden, so perhaps there is somewhat of a correlation. Hopefully this article helped explain the three types of swimming pool filtration. If you want to learn more, contact their manufacturers. And if you have water chemistry or air quality concerns with your pools, feel free to contact us directly. Back to main Blog. Related: Pool Water Chemistry Resources Types of swimming pool filters We can divide all the types of filters out there in many different ways.
Pressure sand is probably the most common filter in the commercial swimming pool industry. Can capture debris as small as microns. Low impact on the water chemistry Initial purchase and maintenance costs are higher than the sand filter. The cartridges require replacing every years.
The cartridge filter is not suitable for larger commercial pools. Ideal for any small to medium sized pool. Diatomaceous earth D. E filter Named after the sedimentary rock that is used to filter the water. Diatomaceous earth is composed of chemically inert, fossilized or skeletal remains of billions of microscopic algae-like organisms, called diatoms.
E filter contains grids inside that are coated with DE powder. DE filters are compact and filter out the smallest particles in comparison to sand and cartridge filters. The filter is backwashed similar to the sand filter, but unlike just backwashing alone, the filter always needs fresh DE powder added. The filter requires replacing every years and cleaning every 6 months. E filter is the most expensive option but the best in terms of filtration. How long does it take to build a pool Sep How much does a pool cost?
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