Rx Clear Filter Balls

[chiefwej]

My son had to clean his cartridge filter several times per year. I introduced him to hair nets and now I try to remind him to clean once a year, whether or not it’s needed. Hair nets take over 90% of the debris out of the water before it gets to the filter. It’s sure a lot easier to pull one out of each skimmer and toss it every few days vs breaking down the filter several times a year to get to all that dirt you didn’t remove with a hair net.

 

[chiefwej]

I use the “tower” baskets with hair nets. The tower just unscrews, you wrap a hair net over it, and screw it back ito the basket. Then make sure the edges of the hair net are over the top of the basket. Simple, and I added a weight in the middle of the tower which keeps the basket in place without the need for a rock or additional weight. Here are photos I just went out and took of the process. It’s very simple and quick.

 

[chiefwej]

It helps to buy the bouffant type hair nets to provide a little extra size for the tower type basket. Your Amazon suggestions are about to get really interesting.

 

[Arizonarob]

Chief, that’s good stuff right there. Thanks for taking the photos!!

Does the hairnet get torn when screwing the tower back on? Could you wrap the tower in say... a skimmer sock, then zip tie it at the top and bottom to provide additional filter protection?

 

[chiefwej]

Hair net doesn’t tear. I simply center it on the tower and hold it in place with one hand while screwing the basket onto the bottom of the tower with the other.

 

[Pool_Medic]

Run away from the filter balls! They will damage your laterals if you don’t cover them with sand. They are recommended to be removed monthly and washed in your washing machine. Really? What fool is going to do that.

Did I say run away? LOL

PS....yes I’ve tried them, do not use, sand is way better, the appeal of filtering down to 10 microns isn’t proved either. If you want fine filtering go to a cartridge or de.

 

[HeyEng]

Actually Eng, it just dawned on me what that tower is. That’s an aftermarket basket from This
company, so that handle may not come off.
So you may need to grab a couple of regular baskets like the one in my picture to achieve the same end result.

Yeah, it's attached in a way in that makes removal near impossible without breaking anything. I am not a mechanical engineer, but I did turn wrenches on airplanes a number of years ago, so I can figure out most things mechanical. I think I will just order a couple of new baskets and be done with it. The current hairnets that I have do cover the entire basket (and tower) and although it forms a "tee pee", the pump tends to suck most of the net into the basket (and the debris with it), so it's still pretty effective.

 

[jtpipkin]

for what it's worth, I had a 'Skimmer Angel' handle on my old basket. Couldn't really figure out how to work around it when I started using skimmer socks. I ended up putting the basket in the sock rather than vice versa. It worked, but what a pain to clean both and was doing so daily. Was a little concerned about the sock being 'sucked off' and into the return, but felt like it was snug enough that I tried it. Never had an issue, but I'd trust a tight skimmer sock more so than a looser fitting hairnet.

 

[cfherrman]

Well just for info sake of a post in page 1, yes you can add a bypass line to reduce the rate into your filter, I haven't seen anybody do it yet so there might be some hang ups with it. I have a two speed 4 hp pump that I might do that with if I can't find a proper pump in a couple months

 

[HeyEng]

for what it's worth, I had a 'Skimmer Angel' handle on my old basket. Couldn't really figure out how to work around it when I started using skimmer socks. I ended up putting the basket in the sock rather than vice versa. It worked, but what a pain to clean both and was doing so daily. Was a little concerned about the sock being 'sucked off' and into the return, but felt like it was snug enough that I tried it. Never had an issue, but I'd trust a tight skimmer sock more so than a looser fitting hairnet.

I personally wouldn't risk putting the hairnet on the outside of the basket...I know how my luck can go!

 

[chiefwej]

The tower basket I’m using is this one.

Amazon.com : GVT SP-HP Skimmer Basket, White : Swimming Pool Skimmers : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : GVT SP-HP Skimmer Basket, White : Swimming Pool Skimmers : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

The central tower twist right out of the basket, which makes it easy to use with hair nets. See my photos back in post #42.