Backwash Valve on Cartiridge Filter for FiberClear

[Zephyros]

Hi All,
I've read dozens of posts on the pros and cons of the Quad DE Filter vs the Clean & Clear Plus Cartridge Filter, I'm leaning towards the convenience of the Cartridge filter. That said, I've also read all the pros and cons of using Cellulose Fiber in your filter (FiberClear, ZeoFiber, Jack's Fiber Stuff, etc.) and if used in the right amount has good water polishing benefits as well as protects the cartridges, filters our algae, etc.

The combination I think I'd like to go with is the 420 square foot Clean & Clear Plus Cartridge Filter and use the Cellulose Fiber with it. I've read that coating the Cartridge Filter with Fiber, especially during startup, keeps the cartridges from getting stained. Even the Clean and Clear Plus Manual recommends using 1/2 pound of DE for each 100 square feet of filter area for startup. Using this formula for the DE, and going by FiberClear's rule to use 1/8 the amount of Cellulose, I would use 6.3 ozs of FiberClear for the 420 square foot Clean & Clear Plus Cartridge Filter.

Any comments on my above assumptions?

Now to my real question, from what I've read backwashing the FiberClear is quick and easy (with the exception of "geekgranny's" challenging environment of silt). So that leads me to believe I should go ahead and plumb in a backwash valve with my new setup, using the Jandy 8034 Neverlube Backwash Valve. Does this sound okay? From what I've read you normally don't plumb a backwash valve with cartridge filters, would this arrangement damage the cartridges when I'm backwashing out the FiberClear?

If so, would I be better off staying with the Quad DE 80 filter, but use it like a cartridge filter with the FiberClear? Of course the square feet of surface area is only 80 square feet as compared to the C&C Plus 420 square feet. The benefit of staying with the C&C Plus 420 is that if I get tired of messing with the FiberClear or I find I don't need the polish, I can just stop using it.

Any comments and ideas are greatly appreciated.
Best Regards, Tom

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I'm pretty sure it's going to inflate your cartridges like like giant corrugated balloons, and thoroughly destroy them. The cartridges in the Quad DE filters are specifically made to withstand backwashing, whereas the standard carts in the Clean & Clear are not.

I am a bit hesitant to buy into the super-water clarity talk about DE filters. My parents have one, and their pool is no clearer than mine. Duraleigh I'm sure will be more than happy to direct you to his pictures of water clarity with his sand-only filter.

I would suggest just using the regular cart filters for a while, then try adding the suggested DE to see if you notice a difference. I bet you won't.

 

[vln]

I could have never used my pool without my new DE filter. The old cartridge one always left it super cloudy and green. There was no way in the world you could get rid of algae with it.

 

[Jack]

I have a quad DE filter and when it was first installed the media was not being completely backwashed out. I talked to Pentair and they sent me a backwash update kit and now the cellulose backwashes out very well.

I think you need to determine if you have the updated filter or one of the older ones.

 

[dmanb2b]

I could have never used my pool without my new DE filter. The old cartridge one always left it super cloudy and green. There was no way in the world you could get rid of algae with it.

It wasn't the filter that caused the water to go green. Yes DE can can filter down to 5 microns, but there are plenty here running cartridge and sand filters with no issues. You either had a mechanical issue with your old filter and/or algae.

With proper water chemistry either of the 3 filter types will suffice just fine and the only time you will notice a visible difference in water quality is at night with underwater pool lighting.

 

[Zephyros]

and now the cellulose backwashes out very well.

Thanks to everyone for the input, I checked with Pentair and found out that the Quad has an internal backwash manifold while the C&C Plus does not, so you really can't backwash the C&C Plus.

Jack, how do you like the combination of your Quad with Cellulose? Does the cellulose clean off the cartridge grids easily when you backwash? And what about when you take it apart for complete cleaning do they clean off easily?

Thanks, Tom

 

[Jack]

Hi Zephyros
I have to confess, I actually have a service company taking care of my pool. They only break down the filter twice a year and since the owner is a customer and friend of mine we do talk often. He has converted the majority of his DE filter customers to cellulose for the ease of care and the environmental aspect. Just keep in mind, all cellulose products are not identical and the have characteristics that differ somewhat.
Jack

 

[taekwondodo]

On most of the pools we service, we have about a 70/30 Cart/DE mix - and while I will agree that if the pool is well kept you can't really tell the difference, I will say that most of the pools we get are Crud and green when we get them and we can turn a green pool clear much, much faster with a DE filter.

We also use perilite as a DE media and switched to that about a year ago - costs about the same, less concern than DE, and backwashes better. Cost of a new DE vs. a new Cart are similar, but you can't BW a cart.... which leads into the discussion of why do you need to wash/bw a cart if the pool is well kept and never needs to filter out Crud generated from a poorly kept pool in the first place?