Total frustration with my filter

[whoozer]

So every year I battle with my start up of my pool and this year shall be no different I'm sure. I have a freeform 14x33 pool. Tough to calculate gallons on the pool calculator as free form is not an option. Based on rectangular it is 18k gallons but I know it is not.
I have a pentair 4 speed intelliflo pump with a 420 cart filter. Pump,works great, cart filter is the bain of my existence.
I know many love theirs and believe me I have tried. I have spent countless hours trying to get this thing to work great and I have failed.....miserably. What does it come down to.......sheer laziness....hating to need to constantly take apart a cart filter housing to clean 4 huge carts every season. I have algae issues every spring, I BBB the daylights out of the pool but fight a filter battle every year. The last 2 seasons I have resorted to purchasing new carts for every season and it helps but is expensive and seems ridiculous.
I have tried cleaning the carts, I have tried rotating the carts, I have tried washing them daily but I still have not won the battle.
I am considering a new filtration method....maybe sand? What would be best for my lazy bones that is tired of fighting a no winning battle? Any thoughts are much appreciated!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Whoozer - did you see that? It's a pig flying! Okay, after two full seasons of working with just about every kinda filter....this former Cartridge Fanatic is singing a new tune. I never had to clear my personal pool from "swamp". Ever. Even when it was I considered the bain of my existence. LOL So back in the day on TFP I swore by Cartridge as being "the best".

Fast forward to now, when I'm recommending my clients replace their occasionally aged/inherited and lacking, and/or malfunctioning equipment, I push them towards sand, or if money is no object - DE. As much of a pain as DE can be, Its awesome. Sand and DE filters, most good set ups will have a recirculate setting on the multiport and a vac to waste setting which carts usually don't. Not to mention having to dismantle to clean. So that's the advantage of the sand and DE, the backwashing... I cleared a green, ammonia ridden pool with a DE filter in less than 7 days without having to clean the grids once. Backwash, yes, but not breakdown and clean. Of course the filter was a great one and oversized so that helped...

mccarthy before by poolmom11, on Flickr

mccarthy after by poolmom11, on Flickr

 

[whoozer]

Wow, I have looked at the DE filters.....ouch on the price. Since,I know nothing of sand filters what is recommended? Should I stick with Pentair as that is my pump? Also with sand what size? Should I over size? Thanks for the info!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

yes bigger is always better on the filter. Dave should chime in - I remember he posted a pic of his filter once the thing is huge. lol

 

[whoozer]

Also, side mount or top mount?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Top. Make sure you plumb in unions for easy removal to check the sand

 

[QuiltinMom]

mccarthy before by poolmom11, on Flickr

mccarthy after by poolmom11, on Flickr

WOW!!! That is amazing!!!!!

 

[whoozer]

What are the advantages of the top mount as it is currently plumbed for a side mount for the filter cartridge. Just curious. I can replumb but would prefer it to be easiest.

 

[whoozer]

Any thoughts on what size I need? Can't afford DE looking for a sand.

 

[jblizzle]

A general size recommendation for you would be a 24" sand filter ... but like has been said there is nothing wrong with going a little bigger.

In reality, your cartridge should have been plenty big, we would have recommended at least 260 sqft. I think your bigger problem is improperly closing the pool such that you end up with a swamp to clear. If the FC was maintained correctly, I would not be surprised if you only had to clean that 420 sqft filter once a year. But, once you have an algae bloom, the cartridges are certainly a lot of work.