Question about DE filter type

Getitrite said:

Welcome Vinny!
Hayward Perflex ECxx Series DE Filters have "Fingers". The ProGrid Series have "Elements". (I suspect the experts will chime in.)

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Thanks for the info!

JoyfulNoise said:

Look at the Pentair QuadDE line if you want a DE filter. I have a QuadDE 100 and it has been flawless for 10 years. I will eventually switch to a Clean & Clear cartridge filter when the QuadDE goes or I decide to do any major pool renovations.

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Thanks for the post!

The QuadDE seems to be for IG pools, also from what I can see they are very expensive if I could use it. The research I'm doing online seems that Pentair is either discontinuing or has supply issues with AG DE filters since everywhere I check online are not showing the models that Pentair shows on their website. Hayward still has AG DE filters but it seems they are pushing the Perflex system.

Someone else in another one of my posts recommended a cartridge filter. Question to you - why would you change type? Just asking as my knowledge is from 20 years ago and DE was the way to go for excellent water clarity. Doing online research brings up websites that say sand is the least clear, cartridge is the next level but DE cleans the finest. My limited knowledge is from my Star 50 AG filter; it was fairly easy to maintain. I just bumped it once a week, when bumping didn't solve the flow problem I drained the DE, recharged it and everything was great. Depending on what it needed to filter I could get a month or so between recharges; when it filtered a mess I may go a day or two then recharged it. Of course the huge difference could be AG vs IG and the amount of DE in the filters themselves.

I'm anticipating my filter will work but it's going to be sitting for 3 years and all the orings and stuff except for the grids are 20+ years old. My opinion of filter types can change, I just need more knowledge when the time comes.

Thanks again!

JoyfulNoise said:

You can use a small QuadDE (like a Quad-60) on an above ground pool. The distinction between AG and IG in terms of equipment is mostly artificial. The only times it matters is with pumps that are not self priming so you can’t use a non-self priming pump on an inground pool.

Making the switch to a cart is simply a matter of convenience. I’m tired of dealing with DE and my setup isn’t as convenient for using it. Since my filter is oversized compared to my pool volume, I never backwash and only clean out my filter once per year. An oversized cartridge filter would be just the same without the added DE annoyance.

Don’t be fooled about filters. While it is true what you posted about filtration size, I would bet you couldn’t guess what filter type was being used just by looking at the water in a pool. When a pool is TFP Clean, it will be so clear that you won’t be able to offer anything more than a random guess as to what filter is being used. People are told all the time that the filter matters when it comes to sanitation, we see it all the time - “I have a DE filter, why am I still having a hard time with algae??” Algae and water clarity is mostly a sanitation problem. Once your water is properly sanitized, the filtration type simply dictates how quickly a particulate load will clear. We have sparkling clear pools here on TFP that have sand filters running. There’s even a thread here on TFP that showcases what “TFP CLEAR” looks like … and the clarity is not dependent on the filter type ….

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Thanks!

You bring up a great point!! I'm thinking of the worst case scenario which is clean up vs normal operations. Times change and I also need to update my thinking process. I grew up with a cartridge filter in my pool and my dad had a heck of a time keeping it clean BUT they (he had 2) were small probably undersized pumps and no skimmer. I also have other nightmares about that pool LOL!!! Someone told me to get DE back when we first were looking 20 + years ago, I followed her advice and the few times I had clarity issues that DE filter cleaned it up in no time.

I have to agree with you, clean water is clean water and I doubt I could tell the difference in filter types.

JoyfulNoise said:

Honestly speaking if I ever had an algae issue and a green pool needed cleaning up, a DE filter is the last type I’d want. They load up too fast with dead algae and would require a lot of backwashing and recharging. I’d much rather have a cartridge filter that I could hose off quickly and put back into service. It might take longer to clear a pool, but not messing around with DE would be worth the few extra days.

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Based on your signature it looks like you have a 16K gallon pool, my AG was approx 13.5K gallons. It wasn't too bad cleaning up the pool. I believe the "50" in Star 50 is the surface area and maybe it is a little larger than standard for that amount of water. Bumping once or twice would get some extra time out of the DE charge and I would then recharge the filter every day. I knew that the DE was not letting anything go through it or should I say was capturing most of what was going past it. My filter was at the head of the pool and I had an area where I would dump the DE ... bump, open the drain and air release, drain water, close drain, fill the filter with water, close the air release, repeat and watch for "clean" discharge and this took maybe 4 or 5 times. Maybe being an AG pool and using gravity and the pool's water pressure was easy vs IG. It also could be the amount of DE that went into an AG filter vs IG. Only once in my 20 years with the pool was it bad where I had to block off the skimmer and return to open the filter housing and I believe I put too much DE into the filter by accident (not really paying attention). At the end of the season, I would disassemble the filter and hose it down to remove everything. Even if I was clearing a messy pool I only cleaned the grids at the end of the season. To me it was not that much work and if I needed to clear the pool I knew it was the best filter for the job. And maybe the other difference was/is that it was b elow the surface level of the pool which made opening it up a pain because I would need extra steps. Normally I would go about a month before I needed to recharge, when the water return pressure was diminished I'd bump or recharge; recharge took about 1/2 hour and virtually no work on my part.

I still think your statement is true with general filtration, it doesn't matter which filter a person uses the water will be clean.