I searched a bit and didn't find an answer to a simple question - why do most pool setups push water through the filter rather than pulling it through? In other words, why is the filter downstream from the pump rather than upstream?
I recently came across the "skim filter" - a product sold for AG pools, in which the filter cartridge is in a cylindrical container just below the skimmer. Here the filter will clearly precede the pump, so it obviously can be done. Some of the smaller pump/filter combo units for smaller seasonal pools also pull the water through the filter.
Filter first would protect the pump from debris, which sounds good... So there must be good reasons why it's usually done the other way around.
Edited to add: I've uploaded the picture a second time, so it will show up directly in this thread. Not sure if there is a way to link the same picture from two different threads, but I couldn't figure out how to do that.
I recently came across the "skim filter" - a product sold for AG pools, in which the filter cartridge is in a cylindrical container just below the skimmer. Here the filter will clearly precede the pump, so it obviously can be done. Some of the smaller pump/filter combo units for smaller seasonal pools also pull the water through the filter.
Filter first would protect the pump from debris, which sounds good... So there must be good reasons why it's usually done the other way around.
Edited to add: I've uploaded the picture a second time, so it will show up directly in this thread. Not sure if there is a way to link the same picture from two different threads, but I couldn't figure out how to do that.