You will need to get 2 cartridges

[beekaybee555]

Re: Cartridge vs D.Earth filter experience and opinions plea

Definitely go with DE or sand...I have dogs and cartridges and had more problems with clogged cartridges....after 2 years of swapping cartridges every 2-4 days and $120 per filter each, I switched to a sand filter and haven't looked back one time......the dog hair would clog the cartridges,. then it would reduce the pressure and then the heater would kick off......finally figured it out and after buying a 2nd cartridge because of constantly cleaning them , it was not a good idea for a pool with dogs....go DE or sand...my 2 cents

 

[beekaybee555]

you will need to get 2 cartridges at about $120 or more each to successfully use this system....the reason being is why you are cleaning and drying one, the other will be running the pool.....plus you will need cartridge cleaner unless you have a pressure washer or car wash close by....that is the best way to clean them......plus be prepared to clean them often if you have dogs or bigger things like leaves or grass which clog the filters and reduce pressures so heaters shut down until proper pressures are returned....as I said in another post, i went the other way when I got my pool....cartridge to sand and havent looked back.....good luck

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Re: Replacing sand filter with cartridge

you will need to get 2 cartridges at about $120 or more each to successfully use this system....the reason being is why you are cleaning and drying one, the other will be running the pool.....plus you will need cartridge cleaner unless you have a pressure washer or car wash close by....that is the best way to clean them......plus be prepared to clean them often if you have dogs or bigger things like leaves or grass which clog the filters and reduce pressures so heaters shut down until proper pressures are returned....as I said in another post, i went the other way when I got my pool....cartridge to sand and havent looked back.....good luck

A car wash or pressure washer is the WORST way to clean them, and actually it shortens the life of the cartridges.

Instructions for properly cleaning cartridges are in the "Further Reading" section of Pool School.

 

[Vette]

Cartridges are good when properly sized. If I was going to switch, I'd go from Cart to DE.

 

[JasonLion]

you will need to get 2 cartridges at about $120 or more each to successfully use this system....the reason being is why you are cleaning and drying one, the other will be running the pool.....plus you will need cartridge cleaner unless you have a pressure washer or car wash close by....that is the best way to clean them......plus be prepared to clean them often if you have dogs or bigger things like leaves or grass which clog the filters and reduce pressures so heaters shut down until proper pressures are returned....as I said in another post, i went the other way when I got my pool....cartridge to sand and havent looked back.....good luck

There is no polite way to say this, this is simply nonsense.

While having a spare cartridge can be handy sometimes, there is no need for one. The cartridge that comes with the unit is more than sufficient.

There is absolutely no reason to ever "Dry" a cartridge. They get rinsed off with a garden hose and put right back in the filter, a process that typically takes 15 minutes.

Needing to chemically clean a cartridge is quite unusual, once a year at most, probably less, unless something really unusual happens.

Frequency of cleaning has nothing to do with the type of filter and everything to do with the size of the filter relative to the size of the pool. Many people on the forum, including a number with swimming pets, clean their cartridge filters only once a year.

And, as frustratedpoolmom already mentioned, using a pressure washer or car wash to clean a filter is a recipe for disaster. High pressure washing will tear the fabric. Filter cartridges should be cleaned with a garden hose, ideally with a narrow fixed size nozzle, though most adjustable nozzles will work when set to a fine concentrated spray.

 

[beekaybee555]

it might seem like nonsense to some people but from personal experience, It was a pain in the butt to have the cartridge system...I will go on.....the dog hair, (yes people let dogs go into pools) the suntan oils, the body oils all compounded the situation along with just general dirt that gets into an inground pool.....i personally never used a pressure washer or car washer but a garden hose and it took WAAAAAY longer than 15 minutes........I am sorry to disagree but I HAVE dealt with this situation and am not just spouting off about something I don't have any real life experiences....I switched to a sand 12+ years ago and never and I mean NEVER looked back.....that is my real experience and success story

 

[JasonLion]

Cleaning cartridges is certainly not everyone's idea of fun, probably the largest disadvantage of having a cartridge filter. Personally I kind of enjoy it, but I can certainly see it turning you off of cartridge filters. For the rest, it sounds like your cartridge filter was seriously undersized.

 

[beekaybee555]

my filter was about 2.5 to 3 feet tall...it was at least 10 inches across....the pool is about 15.5K gallons......I had more problems with that Dang filter....I had suction problems because of the gasket , i had pressure problems because of the clogging which shut down the heater and generally a bad experience with all the maintenance on it...I really just want to swim in the pool and not babysit it....when I got the sand, the babysitter was let go....lol

 

[alanpaul]

beekaybee555,
Perhaps cartridges have come a long way in 12 years. Back then, I remember our hot tub/spa cartridges required regular cleanings very, very often.
You found a filter that meets your needs, which is truly the most important part of this discussion.
Enjoy your pool!

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: Cartridge vs D.Earth filter experience and opinions plea

...the dog hair would clog the cartridges,. then it would reduce the pressure and then the heater would kick off...

This is wrong too. When a filter starts clogging the pressure goes up, not down. The flow goes down, but the pressure goes up. Maybe you meant flow instead of pressure.

 

[beekaybee555]

yes flow.....pressure was down....i never looked at the actual pressure back then like I do now...thanks for the clarification