Moving from Cartridge to DE, what system to use?

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rwrogers11

rwrogers11

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Apr 3, 2011
70
Katy, Tx
We have an AG 18' Doughboy pool, that we are looking at moving up to DE filtration.

I've been looking at the Hayward Perflex Extended-Cycle, EC50AC.

Anyone have any experience with this system, any thoughts or ideas? Is there any drawbacks to moving up to DE?
 
Cleaning out a DE filter is more work than cleaning a similarly sized cartridge filter. DE filters can be a real pain when you have algae, requiring backwashing/cleaning every hour or two (because they catch so much of the debris in the water). The counter point is that if you actually clean out the filter every hour you can have the water sparkling much more quickly than with a cartridge. Day to day there isn't any obvious difference, but DE filters are more prone to problems. Of course, DE filters get you the best possible water clarity.
 
When looking at your typical maintenance, you don't have to recharge a sand or cartridge filter after cleaning, and don't have to purchase or handle DE. And with sand or cartridges, you don't have to be concerned about the DE that comes out in the backwash.
 
The issue I'm having... The pool is 1.5 years old, the filters are about 1 year old. I have two filters, one working while the other is getting cleaned. I use the BBB method, with a liquid chlorine injector. My CYA is normal range, as well as the rest of my readings. However I can't seem to get the water clear, its always very dirty. Not really cloudy, just a lot of particulate in it.

I clean the filters by soaking them in a tub of dish soap/water mix overnight, then rinse completely, then soak in a muratic acid/water mix, for several hours, then rinse completely. Once done, I set it aside and wait for the weekend, I do this every weekend and swap the filters every weekend. But they won't go about two days, without me having to pull them out and rinse them off.

That's why I've been thinking of moving up to DE.
 
Also, the Perflex says you don't have to backwash like normal.

http://www.hayward-pool.com/prd/In-...-Cycle_10201_10551_13510_-1_17011_15516_I.htm

Perflex Extended-Cycle D.E. filters clean pools fast, removing particles as small as two microns the first time through. Its patented Flex-Tube™ design gives longer cycles between cleaning because the same D.E. filter powder is used over and over. Plus, Perflex cleans without backwashing, saving hundreds of gallons of treated pool water. An exceptional value as a replacement filter or for new pool installations. For sparkling, clean pools, step up to Perflex.
 
If your pressure is climbing that fast, you are going to have an even worse problem on DE, it'll clog up even faster.

It doesn't sound to me like the problem is the filter, but I could be wrong. Can you pass the overnight chlorine loss test?

Sand is supposedly the "worst" at filtering water. That black spot at the bottom of my pool is my main drain, which is 9 feet under water. I have a single sand filter pulling from only one skimmer, on a 44,000 gallon pool. Almost any filter can keep a pool sparkling clean (except maybe the Intex cartridge system). There are also several very large trees, some over 40' tall, above and around my pool. Pollen and dust are a common problem, in addition to all the grass from when I mow and edge.

Bumping can save DE, but eventually you will have to backflush.

pool1.jpg
 
Yeah, my chlorine levels are fine, and I can shut the system off and pass the overnight test. I may just buy new filters and try that before doing anything else, maybe the filters I have, have some issue. We have one tree, but the neighbor has a bunch of bushes that bloom and drop junk all in our pool, but that's not an everyday thing. Right now I have the Hayward star-clear c500, 50sq ft. which should handle our 7500 gallons with no problem. I'm also running a 1 HP motor that works fine. I even use the socks in the skimmer basket.

Do you think I need to drain the pool and refill it? If I did, sinces its an AG with a liner, would i need to drain all the way or would 2/3 be enough?
 

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Is there a big difference between cartridge filter manufactures, are there some better than others? At this point, if I don't change out my system, then my best option seems to be get new filters. For the C500, my Pool Stealer wan't $75 ea. but I see them on Amazon for $28 each.
 
Is the method I'm using to clean the filters causing them to get permantly clogged up? Soaking in dish soap/water overnight, then completly rinsing, then soaking in muratic acid/water solution for about two hours, then rinsing. The tub is a plastic kitchen trash can, about 20 Gallons or so, and I usually put in 4 cups of muratic acid.
 
rwrogers11 said:
Right now I have the Hayward star-clear c500, 50sq ft. ... I'm also running a 1 HP motor that works fine.
Click to expand...
We may have found part of the problem. That filter is WAY too small for that pump. A 50 sqft cartridge filter isn't even close to being big enough to handle the flow from a 1 hp pump of any type. You're probably forcing stuff by the cartridge.
 
Good thing Dave chimed in! :)

As far as the grass goes, we've had storms after storms, I must have gotten an inch of rain last night. It's so deep right now I don't know if my 17hp rider is going to cut it at any decent speed! Every time I say I'm going to mow, it starts raining! Hey, I'll take it after that drought and heat wave we had last year.
 
I have an FNS Plus 36 sq. ft DE filter. I suppose one could say that "maintenance" is an issue with a filter like mine, but I have to wonder if that is fair. I sort of dread tearing everything apart in the spring and cleaning out the grids but I don't know why.

It probably takes me a total of 20 minutes. After putting it back together, there is really nothing further to do for me. I opened my pool in late March and so far the pressure in the filter has only raised 2 lbs, meaning I have theoretically another 8 lbs to go before I would have to backwash. That means probably one backwash per season.

So what is the big deal if I have to backwash? I string out a drain hose, put the multiport on backwash and that is it. I backwash until the eyeball fitting is clear and then pick up the drain hose, rinse the filter a couple times and then set the multiport back to filter dump some new DE in the skimmer and then I'm good for another 3 months.

In terms of things around the house that require maintenance I wouldn't put the DE filter high on the list. The pool itself, lawn mowing, housecleaning, car washing, dog walking, shaving, you name it are all items that require WAY more time and effort in a given year.
 
Well, in my case I have nowhere to backflush other than into my yard. I don't want DE in my yard.

I guess I should have said it's all relative. I backwash once or twice a year and I'm done. No additions, no pulling it apart, nothing. I don't have to buy, store, or handle DE. Now with the SWCG, it's become almost maintenance free.

You are correct though, I hate shaving. Good thing I work from home most the time :)
 

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