I am considering a sand filter with glass. Havent decided on the filter system as of yet, but gathering info. Have asked several people with pools and most say DE filter. Pool will be approximately 35K gallons. Thoughts?
sand filter w/ glass
- Thread starter thewoodlands
- Start date
Pentair Tagleus TA 100D 600 lb sand filter is the size I would suggest if you have enough room at the equipment pad.
Eco-Glass is very expensive. Often 3X the price of sand and never a cost effective proposition. Regular pool sand works fine. If needed, a coagulant clarifier normally works and in some instances when more is needed, a little DE in the filter will clear things. I try to avoid adding DE.
Scott
Eco-Glass is very expensive. Often 3X the price of sand and never a cost effective proposition. Regular pool sand works fine. If needed, a coagulant clarifier normally works and in some instances when more is needed, a little DE in the filter will clear things. I try to avoid adding DE.
Scott
Welcome to TFP! Congrats on the new pool as well!
If you could give us a little more information, we can give you better advice on your filter choice.
Where do you live (in general)? What kind of environment: City/Country? Trees Nearby? Dogs Swimming? Water use restrictions? Water Chemistry of tap water? Electric rates very high?
I have owned or cared for pools with all three filter types. I chose sand for my current pool, even though our water has very high TA. In my area, there is a lot of dust blown into the pool from farm fields, and my filter keeps the water sparkling. A sand filter is capable of dealing with high dirt and debris loads with very little maintenance. I found cartridge filters a royal pain to clean, and the very quality of high filter efficiency that makes DE filters good at clearing the water makes them a mess if you have very dirty water to try to clear, since they can need backwashing hourly. A lot of personal preference.
Check out the article http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_filter_comparison in Pool School about the different filter types.
If you could give us a little more information, we can give you better advice on your filter choice.
Where do you live (in general)? What kind of environment: City/Country? Trees Nearby? Dogs Swimming? Water use restrictions? Water Chemistry of tap water? Electric rates very high?
I have owned or cared for pools with all three filter types. I chose sand for my current pool, even though our water has very high TA. In my area, there is a lot of dust blown into the pool from farm fields, and my filter keeps the water sparkling. A sand filter is capable of dealing with high dirt and debris loads with very little maintenance. I found cartridge filters a royal pain to clean, and the very quality of high filter efficiency that makes DE filters good at clearing the water makes them a mess if you have very dirty water to try to clear, since they can need backwashing hourly. A lot of personal preference.
Check out the article http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_filter_comparison in Pool School about the different filter types.
Thanks for the replys. Here is what i'm looking at for equipment. TR100 (600lb) filter w/ eco glass. Intelliflo vs3050. I live in the woodlands texas, and the lot backs up to a greenbelt. Leaves, 3 kids, dog on occasion. kicking automated ecosmarte around, or salt. Oklahoma flagstone coping and moss rock for waterfall and weepers. was thinking about the ecosmarte to stay away from salt on the OK flagstone and moss rock. Dont beat me up too bad on that. i'm reading, but i have no experience with a pool.
thewoodlands said:
You'll probably want to steer clear of the Ecosmarte as well. Here's a thread about it http://www.troublefreepool.com/ecosmarte-t1690.html?hilit=ecosmarte
The Woodlands deals with HEAVY tree pollen during the spring. Turns everything lime green.
This is very true. Should i look at a different filter system with this pollen or will the sand filter with glass work?257WbyMag said:
Regular sand with a skimmer sock or old stocking will too. Pollen is fairly large as particles go.
Scott
Scott
Yes, sand and skimmer socks/stockings work very well. You will still need to brush the waterline and skim right after on a regular basis until the pollen drop stops.
Scott
Scott
Interesting thread.
All three types of filters (sand, DE, cartridge), properly sized and properly maintained are perfectly capable of keeping a swimming pool crystal clear. Adding "supplements" to their operations (DE to sand, skimmer socks, zeobrite, etc.) is a personal preference......not mandatory for the operation of your pool. If a type (sand/DE/cratridge) of filter was inadequate for pool filtration, it would've disappeared from the marketplace long ago.
Newbies coming to this forum should not be under the impression that their filters will not work unless thay have added something to them. Neither should they believe that there is one type filter that is clearly superior to the other two.
Poor water quality is frequently blamed on a filter when the issue is a matter of pool water chemistry. Incorrect maintenance of a filter (or improper sizing) is an occaissional issue but not as much as water imbalance. In any case, a pool owner should not assume a new or different type filter will have any affect on the clarity of his water. Solving his/her water chemistry and correctly maintaining his current filter is usually the answer.
All three types of filters (sand, DE, cartridge), properly sized and properly maintained are perfectly capable of keeping a swimming pool crystal clear. Adding "supplements" to their operations (DE to sand, skimmer socks, zeobrite, etc.) is a personal preference......not mandatory for the operation of your pool. If a type (sand/DE/cratridge) of filter was inadequate for pool filtration, it would've disappeared from the marketplace long ago.
Newbies coming to this forum should not be under the impression that their filters will not work unless thay have added something to them. Neither should they believe that there is one type filter that is clearly superior to the other two.
Poor water quality is frequently blamed on a filter when the issue is a matter of pool water chemistry. Incorrect maintenance of a filter (or improper sizing) is an occaissional issue but not as much as water imbalance. In any case, a pool owner should not assume a new or different type filter will have any affect on the clarity of his water. Solving his/her water chemistry and correctly maintaining his current filter is usually the answer.
Vitro Clean
Hiya Guys And Gals; Thanks for all the posts-some good info here. If any of you have had experience with a product called, "Vitro Clean"(recycled crushed glass) as a replacement media for sand, I would like to hear about it. Thank-You Wolfpack ;-)
Hiya Guys And Gals; Thanks for all the posts-some good info here. If any of you have had experience with a product called, "Vitro Clean"(recycled crushed glass) as a replacement media for sand, I would like to hear about it. Thank-You Wolfpack ;-)
get a hayward top mount filter, if you want something that filters better than sand try one of the zeo best or equivalent media.
Tagelus offers a somewhat larger surface area for filtering and results in a lower head loss.
The stand pipe up the center is schedule 40 pressure rated pipe, not the thin walled stuff Hayward uses and won't be crushed when someone accidentally closes the returns and turns the pump on.
The multi-port valve is a better overall quality and less likely to crack as it ages around the ports.
Zeo medias, I have found, will cake up and harden. When new, they work as advertised but after a few years, I have seen problems with channeling and the surface hardening up. Whether the homeowner did something to cause it, I can't be certain. I stick with sand as it's relatively cheap and works.
Scott
The stand pipe up the center is schedule 40 pressure rated pipe, not the thin walled stuff Hayward uses and won't be crushed when someone accidentally closes the returns and turns the pump on.
The multi-port valve is a better overall quality and less likely to crack as it ages around the ports.
Zeo medias, I have found, will cake up and harden. When new, they work as advertised but after a few years, I have seen problems with channeling and the surface hardening up. Whether the homeowner did something to cause it, I can't be certain. I stick with sand as it's relatively cheap and works.
Scott
I'm a total newbie when it comes to pools. For the initial time, I wanted to use a pool company to keep the chemicals correct in my pool until I got the hang of doing it on my own. They came out and inspected the system today and said they wanted to charge me almost double the monthly rate due to my filter being sand based. They said it will consume more chemicals to keep the pool clean, and therefore have to charge more. A pool repairman has recommended swithing the sand out with glass. The pool chemical company says they have no experience with glass media, so can't comment on whether it works better than sand or not. I'm at a loss on what my best course of action is to make the pool work correctly. Any opinions?
Find a new pool company.
Many people wouldn't notice a difference sand vs. cartridge/DE unless a light was on, IMO. The filter would affect the clarity to a point, but chemicals keep the water clean and balanced.
Glass is made from sand, I don't see their point.
Lots of people here to help you. Check your chemicals once per week and you've pretty much got it covered.
Many people wouldn't notice a difference sand vs. cartridge/DE unless a light was on, IMO. The filter would affect the clarity to a point, but chemicals keep the water clean and balanced.
Glass is made from sand, I don't see their point.
Lots of people here to help you. Check your chemicals once per week and you've pretty much got it covered.
Seconded, find a new pool company, If they start off with BS they will have no problem with telling you loads more un truths as time goes on.
The more I read the more I'm inclined to leave the sand and not switch to glass media, unless someone has a really compelling reason to do so. I understand the theory of it filtering more finely, more like DE, but then I see several stating that sand is just as good as anything else. I'm going to kick the company to the curb and follow the BBB method. I see no reason to pay someone to do for me what I can do for myself in a few minutes every day. On top of that, it appears my chlorine is going to ZERO in less than a week, and I can stay on top of this better myself by monitoring daily than a weekly service can do. I have a commercial Leslie's on the way home from work, going to stop by and get a FAS-DPD kit today and begin this NOW. The mustard algae was bad Saturday, when he came today to start treatment he found chlorine to be zero, then after he said they charge more to monitor sand filter systems he put 2.5 gallons of chlorine in to help me out until I can take over. Right now I have no committment to them, so there's no better time to take it over.
I'll get some specs on my pump and filter ASAP. The filter cannister is huge.
Thanks all!
I'll get some specs on my pump and filter ASAP. The filter cannister is huge.
Thanks all!
IMO...there is no reason to switch from sand...My property is surrounded by 60-80 ft trees...pollen heaven, but the pool is always clear. Plain old sand.
