Hayward cartridge vs. Sta-Rite DE

[mgguido]

Hi, I am about to replace my Sta-Rite DE filter (torn grids, stuck backwash valve and I'm just sick of DE in general) w/ a Hayward cartridge filter. The filter that was recommended for my 13000 gallon pool has 120ft²of filtration area. The Sta-Rite it is replacing has 37ft². Are cartridge filters rated differently than DE filters or was my previous filter woefully inadequate for my pool size?

 

[mas985]

Welcome to the forum.


Unless you have a very small pump, both filters are really too small for your pool. A 37 sq-ft DE filter should not exceed about 70 GPM in flow rate and a 120 sq-ft filter should not exceed about 45 GPM in flow rate according to ANSI/NSF 50 recommendations. Most pumps will deliver well over that at least on full speed.

I have a 425 sq-ft cartridge filter on a 21k pool and I only need to clean it about once per year which is a real advantage. The larger the filter the more time you can go between cleaning. Scaling for your pool, I wouldn't go much below 225 sq-ft and 325 sq-ft might be a better choice but it depends on your pump size and how much water you plan to push through it.

 

[mgguido]

Mark, thanks for the fast reply. Wow, once a year? When my pool was built the builder said the DE filter should be back-washed "once a month or so". I ended up needing to back-wash weekly. My budget prevents going any larger on the filter. Lots of others in my area with similar sized pools are using the Hayward and are happy with it. I was just wondering if comparing the square footage of DE filters to cartridge filters was an apples to oranges comparison or not.

 

[Poolschoolgrad]

Cartridge, Sand and DE filters are all sized differently. :?

A 36 sq ft DE would be comparable to a 150 to 200 sq ft Cartridge filter.

Within the Star-Clear plus line of filters (single cartridge type), you should consider the 175 sq ft C17502. The initial cost is $90 more than the C1200 (120 sq ft) but you will be happier with the performance and service intervals.

If finances allow, for $200 more than the c1200, take a look at the higher capacity Swim Clear (4 cartridge cluster) filter. The C2025 provides 225 sq ft of filtration and extra long filter cycles. With these models, you should be able to go all season without cleaning your filter.

Realize that the cost of the higher capacity filters are within the same price range of a DE Filter. The DE filters provides better filtering quality, but as you already understand, require more frequent service and the additional cost of DE powder.

While the cost of OEM replacement grids combined with the cost of a replacement multi-port valve would be greater than the cost of a new filter, another alternative is to rebuild your current filter. Unicel replacement grid kits are less than $200 and a "go kit" for the multi-port valve is around $30.

 

[Poolschoolgrad]

Your 37 Sq ft DE filter needed to be backwashed weekly?

Are you using standard DE powder or one of the cellulose products in your filter?

Thanks

 

[Ranger987]

The cartridge filter, whichever brand you choose, should work fine on your pool. The difference in filtration quality will not be noticeable. The main trade-off is in maintenance. Backwashing is easier than taking the cart. filter apart for cleaning, but DE will cost you more long term with water wasted on backwashing & the cost of the DE. The DE filters still need to be taken apart for cleaning 1-2 times yearly. One of the main factors you need to consider is the environment in/near your yard. If you have trees to contend with, the cartridge filter will do the job, but I'd recommend going larger if you can. btw, the System 3 filters were overhyped. They are no better than any other brand when it comes to quality of filtration, but you pay a premium for replacement parts.

 

[Guest]

I am a fan of bigger is better when it comes to filters, and I happen to be a cartridge guy as well. A little more money spent up front now (and I understand budgets, but some things are not worth scrimping on) will pay huge dividends down the road.

Also, for the record, I am also a fan of the System3 (StaRite) filters. My personal one is almost 9 years old, gets cleaned every 6 months (because I'm anal) and is still on the original carts (which are in great shape). I know of these same filters that are 15 years old and have not had new carts installed. The cost of the carts may be a bit more than others, but they definitely, with proper care, last (No, I do not work for StaRite either!).

 

[mas985]

Mark, thanks for the fast reply. Wow, once a year? When my pool was built the builder said the DE filter should be back-washed "once a month or so". I ended up needing to back-wash weekly. My budget prevents going any larger on the filter. Lots of others in my area with similar sized pools are using the Hayward and are happy with it. I was just wondering if comparing the square footage of DE filters to cartridge filters was an apples to oranges comparison or not.

Note that I have a cartridge filter and not a DE filter but yes once a year and it hardly has a PSI rise at that. So 425 sq-ft is probably overkill for my pool but I am glad I went that big. Also, I put together a chart which shows the size of filter required to meet the ANSI/NSF 50 requirements and also a column which shows a filter that is twice the recommend size which is what I would recommend. These are rough guidelines but those who have purchased a filter that is a least 2x the specification are usually not unhappy that they did so.

Recommended Filter Sizes:

 

[mgguido]

Thank you all for the replies and advice. Mark, that chart is exactly what I was looking for! The c1200 is the largest filter I can afford right now and I will be installing it tomorrow. Despite being the minimum recommended size it should filter better than a DE filter with torn grids

As for the frequent backwashing, I think that had more to do with my 10 year addiction to trichlor tablets. Algae was a weekly problem in summer. The pattern went like this - see algae starting, brush, filter, backwash, add DE, throw in more tablets and hope for the best. Repeat the next week. Switched to liquid chlorine about 6 months ago and no algae since!

 

[chem geek]

I have a Jandy CL340 cartridge filter (so 340 square feet) for my 16,000 gallon pool so is also well-oversized, but I'm so glad it is as I only need to clean it once a year.

 

[susa]

> c1200 is the largest filter I can afford right now and I will be installing it tomorrow.

just a heads up as we both live in s.florida

I had also previously used hayward cartridges and actually priced them compared to pentair (double the size of the c1200) and found out I could buy it cheaper from multiple sources. You are not limited to just your local pool store as we have multiple wholesalers here and there is always a deal online with no sales tax, no shipping charge.

The mechanics of opening the cartridge and the parts that are exposed to water/corrosion are very different between pentair & hayward. The pentair cartridge has no metal parts and requires almost zero effort to open and rinse the filter.

Several vendors also have an ebay presence and upon asking, will gladly reduce the listed "buy it now" price substantially.