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
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