Replace entire filter or just bottom?

[AZLynn]

Depends on your rate of evaporation and if you used any pool store type bags of cal-hypo shock. In your area, pool covers help to reduce evaporation and subsequent refills, and some owners supplement with water from a water softener. In the Aug time frame, collect rain from those evening monsoon.s

Water softener is on my wish list but I don’t have one now. I have a solar pool cover but rarely use
It. Maybe it’s just the evaporation. I have not used cal-hypo so it’s not that.

 

[mknauss]

Your evaporation is less than ours but not by much. You can search Pan Evaporation rates and I believe Tucson is on it. I suspect you evaporate close to your entire pool volume each year.

You have a SWCG. So do be aware you will be adding salt if you get the sand filter. Backwash will reduce your salinity. Also be sure where you are going to back wash to can handle the salt.

 

[AZLynn]

Just to add one more thing. I just looked at the plans from when the pool was built and they are dated 2006 so the pool is 14 years old. I bought the house in 2014 so the pool and equipment is not as old as I thought.

I have a drainage wash behind my house so I can backwash into that.

 

[chiefwej]

I currently have a DE filter. My son, (who lives across the street) has cartridge. My best friend and neighbor has sand. Both my son and I have SWG, but my friend does not. If I were to replace my filter now, I would go with a cartridge.
Here is my reasoning.
I am not so concerned about how fine it filters, or how difficult it would be to clear a green pool. All three types filter fine enough to produce crystal clear water, and in the 15 years I’ve had this pool, I have only seen a tiny tinge of green once (when my SWG failed). I would not want a sand filter, because the amount of water discharged during the frequently required backflushing. That lowers my salt level, my CYA, my borate level and means I would constantly be replacing chemicals, and rebalancing the water. I currently use hairnets in my skimmers and use a robot to clean the pool, in order to minimize the debris going in to my filter, (and thus maximize the time between backflushing). To avoid the constant rise in CH, (due to the hard Tucson water, and very high evaporation rate) I have my auto fill connected to my water softener. As a result, I backflush about twice a season and haven’t had to drain the pool in about 5 years. I would prefer a cartridge filter and NO backflushing.

My friend‘s sand filter works for him, because his is not a SWG pool. The frequent backflushing actually works in his favor, lowering his constantly rising CH and CYA levels.

 

[AZLynn]

Well right or wrong I’ve decided to go with the sand filter. It comes with the glass media without an extra charge so I will get that too. I think it will be easier for me to maintain and clean than the cartridges. I have to hire someone to clean them now. Since my pool doesn’t have a heavy load I don’t expect to have to back flush as often as others might need to. If I’m wrong next time it needs to be replaced I can always go back to cartridges and back to paying someone to do it for me. Since my evaporation rate and calcium are high I think backwashing will actually help the chemistry.

 

[AZLynn]

Of course now I’m starting to second guess myself yet again. Exactly how much water is discharged during backwashing? Keep in mind I do not have a water softener so I already have to do partial drains every couple of years to keep the calcium levels below 1000. I can’t imagine it’s going to add up to the same but I’m not sure how much the additional chemicals would end up being.

It is cheaper in the short term to replace it with what I already have but over the next 10 years as a data point it appears to be more expensive because of filter replacements and having to hire someone to clean the filters for me.

I am stuck in analysis paralysis and a cracked filter housing that is getting larger. I suppose I won’t know for sure until I actually use it. I’m familiar with the cartridges and my water bills with that.

 

[borjis]

I only need to backwash my sand filter once, sometimes twice a year. Takes around 1/4" of water at most, including rinse.

Having said that it's possible it's less dusty where I live.

 

[AZLynn]

So I have cancelled the new sand filter and am calling other places to get suggestions and quotes. I also want to have a service come brush the walls and empty baskets and whatever for me so it's a good time to ask people about their rates I guess.

My normal pool guy is irritated with me, rightly so of course. I keep changing my mind. I know I need to do something. I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

 

[AZLynn]

Update. I have not replaced anything yet.

The crack has gotten worse and on Thursday afternoon there was a small stream of water coming out so I turned everything off. I’m currently floating triclor pucks to hopefully keep it from turning green. I can always drain some if necessary.

I have now decided against the sand filter.

I talked to two different pool cleaning companies and they both suggested sticking with the cartridge or upgrading to DE. I’ve done some research on DE and it appears you have to add DE when you backwash too not just when you clean it. If that’s incorrect please let me know.

Obviously the easiest thing to do is to replace with what I have. I’m leaning more and more in that direction.

So having said all that and considering my pool is 12000 gallons with no water features, is there a Pentair DE filter that would filter better than a Pentair clean and clear plus 420 and fit in the same footprint as the clean and clear?

 

[ajw22]

Have you considered the ...

Quad D.E.® Cartridge Style Filter

The Highest Water Clarity with the Lowest Amount of Fuss. Quad D.E. Pool filter combines the finest pool filtration available for the most sparkling clear water with the convenience and easy-cleaning features usually found only in a cartridge filter. Four easily accessible and removable D.E...

www.pentair.com

Cleaning the Quad D.E. filter couldn’t be easier. You have three options: backwash and recharge like a traditional D.E. filter, remove and rinse off the cartridges, or simply remove the lid, leave the cartridges in place, open the drain plug and rinse.

 

[AZLynn]

Have you considered the ...

Quad D.E.® Cartridge Style Filter

The Highest Water Clarity with the Lowest Amount of Fuss. Quad D.E. Pool filter combines the finest pool filtration available for the most sparkling clear water with the convenience and easy-cleaning features usually found only in a cartridge filter. Four easily accessible and removable D.E...

www.pentair.com

Cleaning the Quad D.E. filter couldn’t be easier. You have three options: backwash and recharge like a traditional D.E. filter, remove and rinse off the cartridges, or simply remove the lid, leave the cartridges in place, open the drain plug and rinse.

That is one I’m looking at. My understanding is that they need to be backwashed monthly and cleaned completely twice a year depending on how dirty your pool gets of course. It also appears you have to add DE both times so I would be adding it monthly and twice a year? I’m not clear on how I would know how much to add monthly though. Would it be the same so I would essentially be adding the same amount of DE monthly? Seems like it would add up cost wise. Or does backwashing take the place of taking it all apart? Maybe I’m confusing my DE filters and all I would need to do is backwash or disassemble as needed but still add DE after cleaning?

I have a friend who has one and they clean it a few times a year based on the pressure. I didn’t ask if that was just backwashing or disassembling though. If I can do either that would be pretty sweet. But would it fit in the same footprint as my clean and clear?

 

[ajw22]

AZ is a different environment the NJ. I backwash my FNS 60 DE filter every 3 months or so. You backwash based on a rise in filter pressure not time, and not every month. TFP guideline is to backwash when filter pressure rises 25% fromc lean filter pressure. I go a bit over that and from my normal 18 PSI I backwash when pressure gets around 28 psi. That is when I see my spa spillover flow dropping.

I think you will be backwashing a lot less then you expect with that filter. @JoyfulNoise is in Tucson and has the Quad DE filter.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I clean my Quad once per year and I don’t backwash. If a filter is undersized relative to a pool’s volume, pressure rises will be faster. I suspect your friends are over cleaning their filters based on a pool service recommendation or their pools are very dirty with lots of debris. The Quad is a very easy filter to care for.

 

[AZLynn]

I clean my Quad once per year and I don’t backwash. If a filter is undersized relative to a pool’s volume, pressure rises will be faster. I suspect your friends are over cleaning their filters based on a pool service recommendation or their pools are very dirty with lots of debris. The Quad is a very easy filter to care for.

They do it based on rising pressure not a set schedule. They live in a more rural area than I do and have a lot more vegetation too. Since you are familiar with Tucson they live in the foothills of Mount Lemmon on about 3 acres of tamed but natural desert landscape. I live in an older established subdivision so not a postage stamp yard but not acreage either.

 

[AZLynn]

My pool is only 12000 gallons. I currently have the clean and clear plus 420. Would the Quad 60 clean at least as well as that? Or would I need the quad 80?

 

[AZLynn]

Another thing to add. At some point I plan to have a water softener installed and based on some posts on here I now have the idea of having it hooked up to my auto fill for the pool too. I don’t think that would impact filter selection but thought I would mention it just in case. Posting this on the other thread too in case it would affect automation.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Use WaterTec, they are the best. Check out the link in my signature. I detailed my softener install with autofill hook up.

I live out on the east side past Houghton on a 1-acre lot. I have 16k gallons and a Quad100. Get the biggest filter you can afford. There is no danger in upsizing. If you use hairnets in your skimmer to catch the visible debris and pollen, your filter will never need backwashing.

Well now with the Bighorn fire raging, my guess is they’ll be dealing with higher particulates. If they have no vegetation directly around the pool, then there should be minimal debris. If they’re not following the TFP method of pool care then small amounts of algae can grow, the pool will still look clear, but the filter will load up faster. That’s the tell-tale sign of an early algae problem - higher FC loss and rising filter pressure.

 

[AZLynn]

Use WaterTec, they are the best. Check out the link in my signature. I detailed my softener install with autofill hook up.

I live out on the east side past Houghton on a 1-acre lot. I have 16k gallons and a Quad100. Get the biggest filter you can afford. There is no danger in upsizing. If you use hairnets in your skimmer to catch the visible debris and pollen, your filter will never need backwashing.

Well now with the Bighorn fire raging, my guess is they’ll be dealing with higher particulates. If they have no vegetation directly around the pool, then there should be minimal debris. If they’re not following the TFP method of pool care then small amounts of algae can grow, the pool will still look clear, but the filter will load up faster. That’s the tell-tale sign of an early algae problem - higher FC loss and rising filter pressure.

thanks will all of the quad DE ones fit my footprint?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The body of the Clean & Clear’s are exactly the same as the Quad’s.

So why are you switching to a DE filter again? Most people go the other way, DE to cartridge.

 

[AZLynn]

The body of the Clean & Clear’s are exactly the same as the Quad’s.

So why are you switching to a DE filter again? Most people go the other way, DE to cartridge.

I’m not sure I am going to DE. My cartridge housing is cracked so I have to replace it. I’ve been trying to decide if I wanted to change to something else or not. I’ve ruled out sand but someone suggested DE. I will probably just get the same thing I have again but wanted to understand my options a little better first.