Vacuuming with a Cartridge Filter... Where does the junk go?

[Cravi5]

Hi. New house, old pool.
I replaced the existing sand filter with a cartridge.

I did search, and from my understanding it’s okay to do, but where exactly does all the debris go when you vacuum with a Cartridge filter in place?

The skimmer basket is gone because it’s replaced won’t the vacuum plate, the pump basket I’m sure will catch some junk, does that mean all the other leaves / debris ends up in the pleats of the cartridge?

I just vacuumed for the first time and I did my best to skim out leaves from the bottom, but some stubborn ones I did vacuum up.

Is there a risk of clogging the cartridge since you can’t backwash?

I did read about adding a 3-way so you can vacuum to waste, but curious if there’s any concern with vacuuming.

I live in a 4-season climate, so pool will only be used for one season and I plan on cleaning filter out at the end of the season.
Thanks.

 

[chiefwej]

It goes into the filter. If you can vacuum with skimmer basket in place, line it with a hair net (food service type). If not you could add a leaf canister in your vacuum hose, to reduce debris going to the filter.

 

[Randrx2]

With a cartridge filter, it just gets stuck in the filter. You just need to pull the filter out and hose it off. That is a roundabout way of vacuuming to waste.

 

[Richard320]

It's in the filter. What's the difference if the debris gloats into the skimmer and makes its way to the filter or if you chase it down with the vacuum and suck it up? Nothing. People with an old-fashioned push-pull slide valve on their filter have never had the option to vacuum to waste and have been doing the same thing you're doing now for decades.

 

[Oly]

Save up for a robot cleaner and take some pressure off of your pool filter.
Imagine no more hand vacuuming.

 

[Cravi5]

It goes into the filter. If you can vacuum with skimmer basket in place, line it with a hair net (food service type). If not you could add a leaf canister in your vacuum hose, to reduce debris going to the filter.

thanks. Is that always possible? Or is it dependent on the skimmer? I looked high and low to figure out what model I have but I do not see any markings at all on any parts, even under the lid .

I did grab some hair nets!

With a cartridge filter, it just gets stuck in the filter. You just need to pull the filter out and hose it off. That is a roundabout way of vacuuming to waste.

thanks.

It's in the filter. What's the difference if the debris gloats into the skimmer and makes its way to the filter or if you chase it down with the vacuum and suck it up? Nothing. People with an old-fashioned push-pull slide valve on their filter have never had the option to vacuum to waste and have been doing the same thing you're doing now for decades.

Thanks. I’m new to pools, I guess there is no difference?

I was just thinking that at least if it’s a sand filter the leaves will break down and get flushed out during backwash but that’s not possible with cartridge so I was concerned about it clogging the pleats.

I’m not familiar with the old style, but I guess the way I thought about it was if something gets stuck in the skimmer basket, that means it never would make it to the filter so longer intervals a between cleanings.

I may not have been clear, but when I said I was trying to skim what I could from the bottom, I meant with a manual hand skimmer on a pole,

I got the cartridge filter to reduce maintenance and increase clarity, I’m hoping I can get away with only one filter cleaning per year (/season). I hope I’ll be able to do that even if I vacuum leaves.

Save up for a robot cleaner and take some pressure off of your pool filter.
Imagine no more hand vacuuming.

a man can dream, huh?

 

[Mdragger88]

Large debris should get stuck in your pump basket also - so don’t forget to clean that out when you’re done vacuuming
Glad you’ve got things up & going

 

[Cravi5]

looks like the pump basket did a good job catching the leaves. Quantity looked similar to what I think I sucked up. (I took your advise Mdragger of shoving a ball in in the skimmer . all the water came down that was in the pipe, but nothing from the pool)

You guys were right, seems I was worried for nothing.