Can a Filter be to big?

[dryhopped2]

Hi All,
I have a 25K gal pool that is difficult to keep clean due to the gale force winds that blow all kinds of organics into my pool between Oct-March. When I bought my home, the pool had a 48 squ ft leaf DE filter. It is not unusual for me to be cleaning the filter and replacing the DE once/month in the windy time period. For a time, I had a pool guy, he recommended and I installed a Sta-rite system 2, 48 squ ft filter. While it is a bit easier to breakdown with the one cartridge, the frequency of cleaning has not changed.

THE QUESTION, if a bigger filter will physically fit into my system, is there any downside of installing a larger filer? 60? 100 squ ft? Is there such a thing as to big? It seems to me that increasing the filtering surface area will reduce my cleaning frequency. Certainly I understand to cost both buying a new filter and using more filtering media. My primary focus is in my desire to reduce cleaning time. THANKS!

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!

Well, I don't like to say never, but most people need a bigger filter and a smaller pump than they think they need. I see many here with those big honkin triple or quad cartridge filters who say they only clean a few times a year at most because or the filter size in relation to their pool.

 

[Bama Rambler]

In cartridge filters, there is no such thing as too big. You don't have to worry about backwash flow rate, so there's no practical limit on how big it can be.

With Sand, and DE to a lesser extent, you need to be concerned with the recommended backwash flow required to clean the filter. And that's not a concern with a DE filter as long as you tear it down and clean it every time and you're not backwashing it.

In your situation, I think I'd (to use Tim's words) go with a honkin big cartridge filter in the 500 sqft range.

 

[atttech-2]

No down side I can think of to a larger filter. Many on here myself included also use hairnets in the skimmer basket. There is a windy season where I live too and the hairnets grab the small seeds that would otherwise make it to the filter, I have to replace them almost daily for a few months but I would be out there emptying the basket either way and it is much faster to pull the full net out and install a new one then try to bang all the debris out of the basket. Cost about $6 on Amazon for 100 hairnets.

 

[dryhopped2]

Thanks guys. Just to be clear that Im not misusing terms. My filter is a DE filter. Im calling the insert that the DE adheres to a cartridge. It is a single unit cylindrical. This thing. And I have no backwash ability.

 

[tim5055]

Nothing says you have to get another DE filter. They make some really nice straight cartridge filters.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Pentair Clean & Clear 520sq ft cartridge filter is a great unit. I have a Pentair QuadDE100 filter but, if/when I consider a replacement, I'll likely go with a Clean & Clear.

 

[gwegan]

There is no doubt that DE produces the clearest water. However, unless you are looking at your pool at night with the lihgts on I doubt you will see much difference between the three filter types.

I have a large Cartridge and my pool is just about surrounded by trees -- I clean it twice a year.