Dicalite DE Instructions Call for 50% More DE than Pentair

[brajgreg]

I cleaned my filter grids yesterday. I felt like I had an excessive amount of DE in the filter, even after multiple backwashes prior to opening it up. When getting ready to refill, I was looking at the sticker on the side of the filter and realized it says to use 4.8 lbs of DE (for my 48 SF filter) and the DE I'm using from Dicalite says to use 7.2 lbs. So even after a backwash and refilling with 80%, I'm using more than 4.8 lbs.

I've found others that say to use 5 lbs and 4 lbs for fresh and after backwash so that's in line with the filter instructions.

Only reason I can think of that dicalite would recommend using 50% more is so you have to come back 50% faster.

Or am I missing something?

 

[PoolStored]

What is the make/model of the DE filter? (Maybe update your signature?)

Follow the instructions on the filter.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

DE should be used at a rate of 1 pound per 10 sq ft of surface area in the filter. So your filter needs around 5lbs of DE on a fresh charge. An old style metal coffee can is 1/2 lb of DE or you can buy an orange DE Scoop at the pool store that is roughly 1 lbs per scoop.

Even at the rate of 1#/10sf that is often too much DE. In my 100 sf filter I use only 8lbs of DE. I don’t ever backwash, I just clean the filter once per year. When you oversize a filter, life is much easier.

 

[JamesW]

 

[JoyfulNoise]

My attitude towards the Dicalite instructions -