Filter question

[friendswoodnewbie]

I was trying to find out how the Quad 100 DE compares to the FNS Plus 72 (both Pentair filters)
I can see that many people here have selected the Quad 100 for their pool build - probably impressed with the large filter area like I am/was. I have, however, not seen many comments on how it actually works. I have heard it doesn't backwash very well which I can accept (my thought was to take out the DE cartridges 1-2 times a year and rinse it all off)
The PB speaks more highly of the FNS Plus but will put in whatever I specify.
A noticed that geekgranny here often washes her Quad 80 but it sounds like she has extreme conditions.
Any people who have had Quad 80/100 for a few years that can share their experience? Likewise for the FNS Plus?

Do you normally soak the filters or just rinse them off with a garden hose?

 

[JasonLion]

Normally you just rinse the cartridges off with a garden hose. About once a year you will want to soak them overnight in detergent. Some people go two or more years between soaks and some need to soak more than once a year, but once a year is the most common schedule.

The advantages of a larger filter are more significant than any of the minor differences in design/usability between different models/brands. That said, the Quad series has gotten a lot of praise around here. Even the best DE filters need to be broken down and throughly cleaned once in a while, and that is much easier to do with the Quads. The most common sentiment is that they combine the best features of DE with the best features of cartridges.

 

[friendswoodnewbie]

Thanks, Jason.
That is kind of what I had convinced myself but I couldn't really find find all that many actual users saying they liked one or the other.
Is the Quad in reality very similar to the FNS Plus? It is not that easy to tell from Pentair's own description (or maybe I am just not looking in the right place.... :lol: )

 

[JasonLion]

The two filters look fairly similar on the outside and do just about the same thing as far as filtering the water goes, but they are some noticeable internal differences. The FNS uses grids, curved fabric covered blades, to support the DE media while the Quad uses cartridges, large more or less cylinder shaped things. Conceptually they are very similar, but grids tend to be more delicate and more difficult to clean really throughly. Both support backwashing, the FNS being a little better at backwashing but hardly perfect. The Quad allows you to backwash or to open it up and rinse off the cartridges instead. Many people choose to rinse the cartridges rather than backwash. Opening up and throughly cleaning an FNS is certainly possible and must be done occasionally, but it is noticeably more of a project than the same thing on the Quad.

 

[friendswoodnewbie]

Thanks, again for the detailed answer.
We will stick with the Quad 100 DE despite the PB thinking that is not the better choice.