I am looking for a filter for my new 15' - 4 ' intex pool. I can get a Intex cartridge B type 2500 GPH for $90.00, an Intex 1600 GPH sand filter for $140.00, or an Intex 2650 Sand filter for $200.00. I know everyone will automatically say the sand filter is better but why. Assuming the pump is the same why would a sand filter of the same GPH be so much better than a cartridge filter. Just because people switched from an undersized cartridge like a Intex 600 GPH to a 2650 GPH sand filter doesn't mean a 2650 cartridge filter wouldn't do the same thing. The cartridge filter is about half the price. Also are there other brands of small filters that are any good?
Sand vs Cartridge
- Thread starter 1380ken
- Start date
The opinion I see her is that the Intex carts are of inferior quality to other cartridge based filters. Therefore, in this case, the sand filters are better filters. I prefer the maintenance ease of a sand filter too.
The more I read about cartridge filters the better they look. Lets forget about Intex because that is clouding the issue. I am looking at a Hayward microstar cartridge filter. It flows 1540 GPH and has quality filters that will trap smaller particles than the sand filter. You can't see particles smaller than 40 microns so the difference can't be seen. They alledge that it is lower maintenance than a sand filter, uses less power and doesn't waste water with the back flows. They cost around $260.00, but I saw a returned one for $198.00.
There you go, skip the Intex. A quality cartridge filter will give you the filtration you want.
I would beg to differ on lower maintenance. I've helped friends maintain DE, Cartridge, and sand filters. With sand you just backflush occasionally. I have to backflush once per swim season on a 44,000 gallon pool. It's not very wasteful IMO. I never have to pull cartridges, clean them off, etc. And, I never have to replace anything. But, YMMV (your mileage may vary). Either way, pick what's right for you and run with it!
Here's my pool on a sand filter. I only have one skimmer, and that spot at the bottom is the main drain, 9' underwater. I don't think water clarity is an issue for sand filters.
I would beg to differ on lower maintenance. I've helped friends maintain DE, Cartridge, and sand filters. With sand you just backflush occasionally. I have to backflush once per swim season on a 44,000 gallon pool. It's not very wasteful IMO. I never have to pull cartridges, clean them off, etc. And, I never have to replace anything. But, YMMV (your mileage may vary). Either way, pick what's right for you and run with it!
Here's my pool on a sand filter. I only have one skimmer, and that spot at the bottom is the main drain, 9' underwater. I don't think water clarity is an issue for sand filters.
I find the Intex cartridge filters unacceptable, while the Intex sand filters are fairly basic but still work quite well. If you are willing to spend even more than the larger Intex sand filter there are some much better choices, but anything noticeably better than an Intex sand filter is significantly more expensive.
Wow nice pool. I like the bricks especially around the edges of the pool. Nice work on the corners.
Thanks! That's a picture from last summer, I just had all that redone. If you notice there were gaps between the deck and coping, especially at that corner. Over the winter I had it all completely pulled up, all the base concrete sawed out, and everything relaid by hand. Made a HECK of a mess in the pool. We can't find the details, but that pool was built somewhere in either the middle or late 1950s, or early 1960s. All the tubing from the pool equipment (in the garage in a special room) is copper, even to the back of the pool. Crazy.
Don't base your decision on the idea that sand filters can't clean, they've been around a long time and work quite well. Not dissing other filter mediums, but sand works great.