What FILTER should I buy?

[petes914]

27,000 gal 3M Quartz Plaster/Gunite inground pool, Bleach. I've had a Hayward SwimClear C4025 cartridge filter (four cartridges) for 10 years now and have probably replaced the carts 3 times. I'm having issues again with the cartridges, even though they look new after washing with a garden hose, the pressure steadily rises over a couple hours. I'm thinking rather then spend $200 again on cartridges, maybe its time to try a new filter. It seems the DE filters offer the best filtration however require more maintenance then a sand filter. The sand filters seem a little more economical as well therefore, I'm kind of leaning towards sand.

What should I get? And how do you size the DE and Sand filters for my application? What type of control valve should I look for? What else do I need to know?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mas985]

You shouldn't need to replace the cartridges that often. I have the same filter and I am on my 9th year. A few questions about your maintenance:

What is your pump make/model?

How often do you clean the filters and how much PSI rise do they have when you clean them?

What is your process when opening the pool?

Do you have a filter bypass?

What is the main reason for replacing the filters (e.g. tear/rip)?


Filters clogging isn't always an issue with the filter. It could be your chemistry.

 

[jcpooldog]

Sand filters can make maintenance a whole lot easier. If maintained correctly, a pool with a sand filter will look just as clean and clear as with a cartridge or DE.

 

[petes914]

You shouldn't need to replace the cartridges that often. I have the same filter and I am on my 9th year. A few questions about your maintenance:

What is your pump make/model?

How often do you clean the filters and how much PSI rise do they have when you clean them?

What is your process when opening the pool?

Do you have a filter bypass?

What is the main reason for replacing the filters (e.g. tear/rip)?


Filters clogging isn't always an issue with the filter. It could be your chemistry.

I have a Hayward Northstar pump. I think its a 1.5HP- 2HP (not positive which) I've cleaned the filters 3x's in the last month or so. When I take them out they look practically new. I hose them down with water/strong spray nozzle, put them back in fire it up and the pump basket completely fills with water....its even hard to tell there is water in there because there is no bubbles at all, completely filled and you can practically surf the return water. Returns are aimed to the top. After a few hours I notice the return water is half what it was and the pump basket is only half full and the pressure in the filter has gone from below 20PSI to over 30PSI. I have no bypass but could easily plump one. Is it OK to run the pump past the filter through my new heater? The filters have only one season on them Pleatco PA100-N. They have 160 Pleats each. No tears, look new. Last 9 years been using the 3" tablets in a Hayward chlorinator, after finding this sight I'm now using the bleach 8.25% although I've never been able to keep Chlorine in my pool. Whole other issue.

 

[mas985]

Last 9 years been using the 3" tablets in a Hayward chlorinator, after finding this sight I'm now using the bleach 8.25% although I've never been able to keep Chlorine in my pool. Whole other issue.

Actually, that could be part of the same issue. It really sounds like you have chemistry issues and not filter issues. With that size filter, you should be able to go and entire season without cleaning the filter. I go 12 months between cleanings. It sounds like your filter is getting clogged with algae.

What is your current CYA level and FC level?

 

[ps0303]

12 months between cleaning?? WOW, I've never heard or seen that.

 

[mas985]

Where have you been? I and many others have been taking about long cleaning cycles for years.

I think Richard, aka chemgeek, is also on a 12 month schedule. But there are several others with large cartridges that are on a 6 month cleaning cycles.

BTW, that is with only a 1 PSI rise too.

https://www.google.com/search?num=1....1.1.0....0...1c.1.48.serp..1.0.0.mzgKVXeMzfE

 

[petes914]

Actually, that could be part of the same issue. It really sounds like you have chemistry issues and not filter issues. With that size filter, you should be able to go and entire season without cleaning the filter. I go 12 months between cleanings. It sounds like your filter is getting clogged with algae.

What is your current CYA level and FC level?

CYA is 40 and like I said, I've never been able to keep chlorine in my pool. Its 0. Last weekend, Saturday, I put 12 pounds of 68% Cal-Hypo and it raised the Chlorine level to 3.0 but that only lasted one day. The water was pretty cloudy. It cleared up the cloudiness pretty good but the next day, no chlorine reading.

- - - Updated - - -

CYA is 40 and like I said, I've never been able to keep chlorine in my pool. Its 0. Last weekend, Saturday, I put 12 pounds of 68% Cal-Hypo and it raised the Chlorine level to 3.0 but that only lasted one day. The water was pretty cloudy. It cleared up the cloudiness pretty good but the next day, no chlorine reading.

My pool water has never been green (Algae). I have a Coverpools automatic safety cover so when we're not swimming, its always covered so really no debris or rain water gets in it either. And it gets VERY little use (one child). So I'm not ever sure what a pool with algae looks like. How do you test for Algae?

 

[mas985]

Try this: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/126-defeating-algae

 

[petes914]

Try this: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/126-defeating-algae

Hmmm....When the pool was very cloudy (milky) I shocked it with 12 lbs of Cal-hypo over a day or two. As it started clearing I noticed the filter pressure went way up. Wonder if the Algae was dieing and therefore clocking up the filter?

 

[GreatCanadian]

"CYA is 40 and like I said, I've never been able to keep chlorine in my pool. Its 0. Last weekend, Saturday, I put 12 pounds of 68% Cal-Hypo and it raised the Chlorine level to 3.0 but that only lasted one day. The water was pretty cloudy. It cleared up the cloudiness pretty good but the next day, no chlorine reading."[/B]

There it is. You definitely have algae. CYA around 40 and "no chlorine reading". Your filter is clogging because it's doing exactly what it is designed to do. Filter the dirt from your water. In this case, algae.

 

[petes914]

Thanks for the info. I poured 6 gallons of 8.25% bleach in the pool last night. This morning I had a FC reading of 3.0 The water also looked clearer and the pump basket was full again with water. The filter pressure around 25psi. It was over 30psi yesterday. I didn't have anymore bleach (off to Costco today) but I did have more Cal-Hypo. I broadcasted 3lbs in, I'll take another FC reading this evening and tomorrow hose off the cartridges again, hopefully for the last time this season.

Still, I have a hard time keeping Chlorine in the pool. In the last 10 days I've added 12 gallons of 8.25% bleach and 15 lbs of 68% Cal-Hypo to finally get the 3.0 FC reading. Is that normal? For a 27,000 gallon gunite/plaster pool that is UNCOVERED for maybe only 5 hours a week, what is a "normal" amount of bleach to add per week? My CYA reading is always around 40. I started adding the Cal-hypo shock because I thought it would raise my FC level dramatically which it did not. I was hoping it would help raise my CH a bit, currently at 100 but it didn't. I ended up adding 50lbs of Peladow last night.

 

[GreatCanadian]

Yes it is normal. But when you have killed all the organic contaminants you will not use much chlorine at all in comparison. The more you keep on top of the SLAM, the sooner you will conquer it. But it can take copious amounts of chlorine to achieve this. You are not following the guidelines for the SLAM process. You will use far more chlorine the way you are trying to do it. When you added the 6 gallons last night did you test? And then test an hour or so later and add chlorine again to shock level? Or test before sunrise in the morning? If not, you have no idea how much chlorine was used up over night.