Intex cartridge vs. Sand filters-size particle removed??

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tmgoethe

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Jul 11, 2011
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New here and appreciate all of the information I am finding!!

I have what is hopefully quick and easy question to answer. I've read that sand filters take out particles down to 30 microns and that cartridge filters can get them as small as 10. Is that true of the Intex A and B cartridges? I'm in the midst of trying to clear a pool (having much more trouble this year than the last two) and am wondering if getting a sand filter would help. I am using an Intex 2500 gph pump on a 15'x42" Intex metall frame pool.

Thanks!

TMG in FL
 
Welcome to the forum. Yours is a common inquiry on the forum and what is usually discovered is that water quality is the issue and not the filter. Do you have current test results you can post?

That said the intex 2500gph filter is marginal but, running 24/7, should eventually clear your pool PROVIDED that your chlorine has been adequate and your other parameters are in an acceptable range.
 
Thanks for the reply!

At the moment, though, my main focus is what size particle the Intex cartridge filter will remove. The local pool store is trying to sell me a sand filter as the cure all and I'm not so sure it would be. The one they want to sell does the same number of gallons per minute as the Intex, 40, so unless the filter itself is removing something the Intex cartridge can't, I don't see how that will make much difference.
 
Right now I am trying to cure whether or not I would make a dramatic gain by buying the filter the pool store is trying to sell me. The research I've done indicates it probably won't. Since this seems a pretty knowledgeable place, I was hoping to simply verify that a sand filter, in and of itself, will not get stuff out of the water that an Intex cartridge can't assuming the same rate of flow of water through the filter.

I'll post another question with the history of the pool once I get a better test kit in hand. My suspicion is that some of the stuff the pool store was having me do (like use trichlor tabs and copper algaecide) has contributed to the issues I am having. I wound up with a 100 ppm or higher amount of stabilizer which from what I have learned here makes it hard to get enough chlorine into the pool for a good shock.

Again, I was trying to eliminate the need for another filter pump. It would seem that the 2,500 gph one should suffice for a 3,900 gallon pool.

TMG in FL
 
tmgoethe said:
Right now I am trying to cure whether or not I would make a dramatic gain by buying the filter the pool store is trying to sell me. The research I've done indicates it probably won't. Since this seems a pretty knowledgeable place, I was hoping to simply verify that a sand filter, in and of itself, will not get stuff out of the water that an Intex cartridge can't assuming the same rate of flow of water through the filter.

I'll post another question with the history of the pool once I get a better test kit in hand. My suspicion is that some of the stuff the pool store was having me do (like use trichlor tabs and copper algaecide) has contributed to the issues I am having. I wound up with a 100 ppm or higher amount of stabilizer which from what I have learned here makes it hard to get enough chlorine into the pool for a good shock.

Again, I was trying to eliminate the need for another filter pump. It would seem that the 2,500 gph one should suffice for a 3,900 gallon pool.

TMG in FL
Click to expand...

I ran the 2500gph pump on a 12,500 gallon pool one summer a few years ago (it was the pump that came with the pool) - it worked, but it was barely sufficient and was a lot of extra work. It was replaced after the first year when the housing cracked with the same pump, then the next year it was replaced by a 4000gph Intex pump.

The 2500gph pump ought to be plenty for a pool your size.

A sand filter can't filter particles anywhere near as small as the cartridge filter can. However, you don't have to spend anywhere as much time messing with sand filter as you do the cartridge filter, and the sand filter will get your water pretty clean. There is nothing which says you can't keep the cartridge filter for vacuuming the fine stuff out, anyway, even if you go to sand.
 
Does DE added to the sand filter help enough to consider it comparable to the cartridge filters?

See... since I bought a sand filter this morning I'm going to be switching (kind of, still plan to use one cartridge on the pool) and I seriously hope it might catch some of the daily dirt that falls into the pool.

For the OP, there's a smokin hot deal at walmart.com right now for a sand filter, pump, and SWG for $169 plus a $50 walmart gift card. The pump is the 1600gpm model which is smaller than yours but you could do both on one pool if you wanted to. I find with two 1000gph pumps running I get some darn good water flow swirling action personally so I'm confident that running the new sand filter with a second cartridge filter will work just as well.
 
The comparison in this particular case isn't a really good one. Generally speaking, a cartridge can filter smaller particles than a sand filter, but for that to happen, the particles have to get into the filter to begin with, which is a real issue for the little Intex engine.
 
I have a sand filter and I am very pleased of how clean my pool looks. The key I believe to that is the addition of a filter sock that I bought off of eBay. Back in the spring I had a terrible time trying to get the dirt from construction as well as pollen out. After doing many searches I found on this forum a member who said he bought a filter sock off of eBay called "The Best Filter Sock Ever" for less than $10.00....and you get two for that price! I must say, it was a great investment and has kept my pool looking sparkling clean. I can't believe all the fine particles it picks up! :goodjob:
 

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This tread has me a little confused. I’m not very good at science, so it would be great if someone could help me understand. Based on a mountain of anecdotal evidence it seems that the Intex sand filters do a vastly superior job to the Intex cartridge filters with comparable flow rates. My question is why? Here are some theories I have come up with. Please tell me how far off base I am.

Theory 1: The anecdotal evidence is wrong and the sand filters don’t do a better job. I hope this is wrong since I ordered the Intex 1600 gph sand filter yesterday.

Theory 2: The Intex cartridge filters don’t have enough filter material, so they clog quickly and flow is reduced to an insufficient level. The sand filter essentially has more filter material.

Theory 3: The poor design (lack of gaskets, etc.) allows too much water around the Intex cartridge filter. I’m pretty sure this one is true to some extent.

Theory 4: Despite the flow ratings, the pump with the sand filter is actually much more powerful than the cartridge filter pump. 4B: The pump really isn’t more powerful, but it is easier to push water through the sand than through the cartridge.

Other theories or even better, facts would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
Well...I'm no scientist, but with my pool (2,800G) and the stock 800GPH pump I ran it 24/7 and always had cloudy water. The filter was rinsed off constantly. I bought the 16" sand filter and the water became crystal clear in hours. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it :p

...in my case there should be an asterisk next to cartridge filter rankings that reads "These numbers are not valid on Intex cartridge filters".
 
RG, I think you hit it on the head with theroy 3 and 4. It's not all about flow rate, you need the filter media and the intex cartridges are lacking. While it is true with inground pool filters that cartridge is better than sand that is not the case with intex. I know for certain the Intex 2650 sand would filter better than the Intex 4000 cartridge. Plus the intex cartridges are a MAJOR PITA.

If I was paying full retail I would have sprung for the intex 2650 sand, but considering the deal we got on the 1600 sand I think I will be pleased with that. As my kids are small the largest pool I will have for the next few years will be 5,000 gals. As they grow I would like to get the rectangular 12x24, 8000 gallon. With that pool I would want the 2650 sand.

Again with the deal we got the 1600 sand is at the least a good back up or gift for someone. Enjoy.
 
I agree with BBBliever. The Intex small cartridge filters are terrible, far worse than the typical cartridge filter we normally talk about. Some of this is because they have way too little surface area, and some of it is because the seals tend to be terrible and water gets around the cartridge. An Intex sand filter is a huge improvement over the Intex A or B cartridges.
 
Wow, that is a deal on the small sand filter pump at Wal-Mart.

One thing I was wondering is if people are replacing Intex cartridge filter pumps with similar capacity sand filter pumps and noticing an improvement. The pool store people are saying it will make a huge difference. What they are claiming is that the Intex pump can't move the water, but 2,500 gph is 2,500 gph. That should be plenty of flow for a 3,900 gallon pool.

If the water flow is sufficient and a cartridge filter actually removes smaller particles than a sand filter, why would a sand filter pump help unless something else is going on. The thing I was thinking is that the Intex filters are simply not as good as more expensive filter like a Hayward, for example. I wonder if anyone has data on how the Intex cartridges compare to a Hayward?

TMG in FL
 
Yikes, should have finished reading until I saw JasonLion and BBBLiever's post on the Intex vs. others filters. That is making me think I should order that Wal-Mart deal. Sigh. This thing has cost far too much!
 
My pool came with the 637R pump/1000 gph rating.
It could never get my pool clear after a good TFP shock process and using my TF-100XL test kit.
I had my water perfect except my ph had a slow rising to it with the TA @120, It's now at 80 and stays right on 7.5.
I found a used 1 HP/22" waterway sand filter combo on a local Craigslist for $100, spent $100 in online parts rebuilding it, added a larger fitting in the pool to support 1 1/2" hoses and added a Hayward skimmer to catch the leaves that get in my pool for a neighbors over hanging tree (way high for me to trim myself)
Pool is always perfect now running the pump 12 hours a day


See my posts here:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/intex-2650-sand-filter-or-hayward-vl40t32-t34961.html

http://www.troublefreepool.com/custom-pvc-pipe-adapter-for-intex-pools-t28971.html

Page 2 here:http://www.troublefreepool.com/intex-easy-set-plumbing-filter-upgrade-is-it-possible-t35091.html

Chuck
 

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supertune said:
My pool came with the 637R pump/1000 gph rating.
It could never get my pool clear after a good TFP shock process and using my TF-100XL test kit.
I had my water perfect except my ph had a slow rising to it with the TA @120, It's now at 80 and stays right on 7.5.
I found a used 1 HP/22" waterway sand filter combo on a local Craigslist for $100, spent $100 in online parts rebuilding it, added a larger fitting in the pool to support 1 1/2" hoses and added a Hayward skimmer to catch the leaves that get in my pool for a neighbors over hanging tree (way high for me to trim myself)
Pool is always perfect now running the pump 12 hours a day
Click to expand...

The thing is, I bet you are pumping more water through the filter than you were with the Intex 1,000 gph. I have the 2,500 gph. I guess I am going to find out what the 1,600 gph Intex sand filter will do in comparison to the 2,500 gph cartridge one since the Wal-Mart deal is too good to pass up.

TMG in FL
 

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