About a month ago, I replaced the stock Intex cartridge filter with the Intex sand filter. Haven't looked back. The pump much moves more water and the filter system "clearly" does a better job of filtering.
Really nothing to it.
When setting it up, take some time to get it located just right so the hoses run smoothly with out sharp bends. Once filled with wand and water, the filter will be heavy. Get the entire assembly on a solid base. I use a couple of large garden tiles from Home Depot.
You fill the filter with POOL sand. Don't use sandbox sand. Go to the pool store and buy pool sand. I used zeosand, which is supposed to provide much finer filtration. Slightly more expensive, but you only buy sand for the filter once in a blue moon.
I leave the cap on the waste port, since I don't leave the backwash hose attached all the time. The six way valve on the top of the filter lets you switch from filter to backwash without worrying about closing the plunger valves. In fact if you do close the plunger valves you have to be careful to open them before you turn on the pump. I've done that a time or two and stood there scratching my head trying to figure out why no water was being circulated.
I do a filter backwash maybe once every two weeks, depending on how much dirt and junk has blown into the pool.
I've also used Fiberclear added to the sand filter.
http://www.fiberclear.net/
Dump several handfuls of fiberclear into the skimmer basket, and it gets sucked into the sand filter. Fiberclear is a cellulose powder. Forms an added very fine filter layer on top of the sand, and really helps clean up dull looking water. One bag of fiberclear lasts for several applications. You can buy it a pool supply store.
After adding fiberclear, run the filter for 24 hours, watching the pressure gauage. When the pressure starts inching up and hits 5psi over normal, backwash. Because of the added filtering action, pressure will go up more quickly than usual, so keep an eye on the pressure gauge.
I'm a happy camper. Definitely would not go back to the cartridge filter.