New to cartridge filter

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hartg5

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Jun 29, 2010
4
I have cared for pools (not professionally) for many years and have had sand or DE filters. I just bought a new house an inherited a cartridge filter (Sta-Rite 3). The pool was clean when I first bought the house. I had not moved in and didn't care for the pool properly and it went very green very quickly. It seems like I got the water chemistry correct now, but the pool is still a little green and very cloudy. I don't know how old the cartridges are and know they need to be replaced very 2-5 years. Is there a way to tell when they need to be replaced? It does not operate the way my other filters worked. The pressure starts off a 2 psi and goes to 10 pfiltsi. The filter never goes above 10 psi. At 2 psi the return water looked clean. At 10 psi the return water looked green (when vaccuuming up the algae).

My last pool had a DE filter and if the cartridges need to be replaced I am considering going to DE. I do not see any benefits to the cartridge filter. You don't need to backwash the filter, but you need to use fresh water to clean the cartridges. The cartridges also don't filter as fine of particles as the DE filter. Is there an advantages to the cartridges I am missing?

33,000 gal inground.

Thanks.
 
Welcome to TFP.

If the water is still green, you have active algae and need to get it killed before anything will clear up.

I doubt your system is really running at 2psi. I'd suspect you need a new gauge.
 
I've read the articles and this is really a puzzle.

I use test strips. I have been reading the forum and everybody recommends the high end test kits to get a more accurate reading. I've taken my water to get it tested and it is in the range. I have been keeping the chlorine at 15+ for the past two days and it is very cloudy.

How can you tell if the cartridges need replacing? Is 2 psi unrealistic? It also never goes above 10 psi no matter how long I let it run.
 
If your water is green the cartridges are not the problem. 2 psi doesn't tell us anything if we have no information about your pump, for example, two speeds, HP...

"in range" doesn't really tell us much and what the pool store thinks is "in range" is often way out of whack - they just honestly, don't have a clue a lot of the time. :blah:

What is your CYA level? 15+ doesn't tell us anything - especially if your CYA is higher than 50 - that is why we recommend the 'high end' kits - so you can take total control of your pool. It will pay for itself in one season, and it will last several. :)

Help us help you :wink:
 
Is 2 psi unrealistic? It also never goes above 10 psi no matter how long I let it run.
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Yes, 2psi is unrealistic and your guage is likely broken. If it's not, then you have a blockage on the suction side of your system.

That said, as John and FPM have indicated, your biggest problem is algae in your water.....not the filter.

If you shock the pool properly per the instructions in Pool School, you may find you don't need to change anything with your filter.
 
As you said, it is not an exact reading, but CYA is in range 30-50 and the pool store said it was 30. pH is 7.6.

My pump is a Hayward Superpump 1HP. I don't think the suction is blocked since the return jets have a lot of water flowing.
 
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