just cleaned my starite/pentair de filter. it takes 7.2 lbs of new DE media. Just curious here, there is 48 sqft of filter screen to cover, how can you be sure that the filter is covered evenly. I mix with water from pool first, then into skimmer with pump running fast, so how do i know the DE stuff doesn't hit the bottom half of the filter, and stay there, instead of going all over the filter. From cleaning before, seems like it is spread out, but it also seems thicker on some parts of the filter, than other parts. Could it be that it falls off when I open up the case to clean it off.
addition of DE filter media, coating the filter completely, just curious
- Thread starter ryker
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,754
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You'll probably receive more input, but one of the long-standing items highlighted during any DE replacement is to make sure all the air is bled out. The grids must be totally submersed in water in the filter housing to effectively be coated by the DE. Here's a great page: Use and care for DE filters. This is of course assuming that any internal parts (i.e. manifold) were correctly re-assembled. Adequate pump speed is also important. Pre-mixing your DE when only using a single suction source is correct as well. Much of this noted quite well in the link provided. Hope this helps. Have a nice day.
Does your skimmer have a venturi port at the bottom? Be sure to shut off that venturi return before adding your DE.
It's pretty basic. There's more resistance to flow where there is a coating, so the DE-laden water heads for the bare spots. Once they get covered. it finds another bare spot. Eventually it all gets covered. That's why it's important to add enough. When you shut the pump off, of course some DE falls off. When it restarts, the process begins again. In a perfect world, the heavy stuff - sand and such - will settle out while it's all being stirred up.
It's a sales pitch, but the transparent filter is pretty neat to watch. Jump to about 1:10
It's a sales pitch, but the transparent filter is pretty neat to watch. Jump to about 1:10
you mean less resistance where there is no coating, I assume? Or am I not understanding?
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and, maybe this is not the right thread, but...if the fiber falls off the grid every cycle, wouldn't that allow the various particles that were stuck to the fiber the chance to get mixed up and go through the grid?
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and, maybe this is not the right thread, but...if the fiber falls off the grid every cycle, wouldn't that allow the various particles that were stuck to the fiber the chance to get mixed up and go through the grid?
You are correct. Fixed.
Maybe a little. But the truly microscopic stuff actually passes through holes within the powder. DE or cellulose particles look like a sponge under a microscope.
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,761
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
I was using the fiber and I liked the way it really polished the water sparklingly clean. But then I left it a bit longer between backwashing. It became a gooey mess that wouldn't just backwash off. I did a breakdown clean on the filter and washed all away. It made me reexamine my thoughts about cellulose fiber in a pool filter. We are always trying to get all organic matter out of our pool and here we are introducing organic material. If you leave the fiber in the filter just a bit too long the chlorine in the pool water starts breaking it down (just like it does with leaves or other organics in the pool). The fiber begins to form a brownish sticky mass and since it's breaking down, I assume it's consuming your free chlorine and raising your CC. At any rate, after seeing what happens if it's in there too long, I switched back to DE.
I think I'll start a new thread to discuss this issue.
I think I'll start a new thread to discuss this issue.
Pool Clown
In The Industry
That is cool to watch, probably only if your a pool geek though. I hope that guy wasn't saying that only their product calved off the grids when the flow stopped. Years ago, i went to a Sta-Rite seminar, back when Sta-Rite was still Sta-Rite. They had a see through System 3 53sf to show how the DE calved. that was cool too.
I will say that, that product seemed to "clump" less than DE when coating, and appeared to be a more uniform coat.
I will say that, that product seemed to "clump" less than DE when coating, and appeared to be a more uniform coat.
The 48 square foot filter takes 5 to 6 lbs of de. 1 to 1.25 lb per 10 square feet.
<The 48 square foot filter takes 5 to 6 lbs of de. 1 to 1.25 lb per 10 square feet.>
No, that's not correct---right off the tin foil PLDE 48 plaque on the filter, and right out of the book--pre-coat 7.2 lbs.
No, that's not correct---right off the tin foil PLDE 48 plaque on the filter, and right out of the book--pre-coat 7.2 lbs.
Ok. That's what the manual says. Most of their other filter specify 1 lb per 10 square feet. Don't know why this one uses a little extra.