Sand filter for new pool?

[chillin1]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and soon to be new to pool ownership - my liner pool is going in next summer. We are currently in the finalization stage for all the pool components, and I'm struggling with what type of filter to go with. I've been told to go with sand because it's so easy to use, and it will filter great as long as you keep your water chemistry good. The pool company recommends DE because it filters the smallest particles and keeps the water the clearest, but they will put in whatever I want. I've researched filters extensively on this forum, so I'm aware of the basic differences and the ways people try to get better filtering from sand (add DE to the skimmer, use different media, cover the skimmer baskets with socks, etc), and I'm comfortable using chemistry and SLAM to take care of algae and the such while letting my filter take care of dirt and debris, but I have no actual experience at this point.

My pool will have a heavy "kid" load (lots of sunscreen, oils, dirty bodies, etc) so my questions are as follows:
1. Can sand be made to filter out the small oil particles from the sunscreen, body oil, etc., or will those just keep circulating and collecting in my pool with a sand filter?
2. Can any of the alternate methods of improving the filtering ability of the sand (add DE, use zeo, glass, etc) really get the clean clear water that a DE filter can? What is recommended to get the best filtering from sand?
3. If I'm going to all these lengths to make a sand filter do the work of a DE filter, am I better off just going with a DE filter and dealing with the maintenance?

My liner pool is 20x44 and around 27,000 gallons with a VSP. It's in a wide open yard without any trees really close to it (not much shade), but lots of trees/brush/woods in the farther out surrounding area.
The sand filter offered is Pentair Tagelus 100D. The DE filter is Pentair FNS.
I live in the midwest, so pool season is basically May - September (on a good year). The pool has an autocover that will be on it any time people aren't in it, but the pool will be used daily in the summer with a high people load many of those days.

If any more information is needed, please let me know. I'm just looking either for confirmation that sand can/will filter all the small nasties from dirty kids out of the water (and the best method for doing it), or that my situation dictates using DE and dealing with a higher maintenance level. Or a different option?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! So let's address those questions:
1 - Oils, body lotions, etc can impact ANY filter. It's just the nature of potions getting into the water. How much it effects them depends on the amount and your chlorine level to help breakdown those products. I wouldn't base my decision on a type of filter solely on that issue.
2 - Pool sand is the most recommended product here at TFP for sand filters. We do have members who use other media, but for decades sand has done just fine and never goes bad as long as a pool owner doesn't let junk like floc or clarifiers contaminate it. A good sand deep clean every 1 - 2 years is all that's needed. Adding DE is a personal choice, but in most cases not needed.
3 - While technically DE filters to the highest degree, the difference in water quality is negligible to most. As long as the water is maintained per TFP guidance, your water will be clear and enjoyable to the eyes (visually) and pleasant to the skin while remaining sanitary to bacteria you can't see.

We keep it easy here. Which type of filter you get varies on personal choice, water consumption, local area (backwashing), etc. Whichever type you get, go large if you can so reduce the intervals between cleaning. Good luck!

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[YippeeSkippy]

I personally like the simplicity of sand filters. There is a trick one can use to improve the filtering aspect of sand by adding a bit of pool DE powder as a top dressing to the sand. It lasts only as long as you go until you backwash the sand filter, but its easy to add new DE powder again.

I like that sand filters can also be used to lower your water level a bit when you turn its dial to one of the functions such as backwash, rinse or waste.

Maddie

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

I will give the counter argument that I like my DE filter. I end up backwashing maybe 3 times in a season. A backwash takes me maybe 15 minutes. At the end of the season the filter gets opened and cleaned and ready for pool opening.

With a short season and closing the pool your filter is not a high workload item.

 

[Foxer]

I’ve got the same question. I was originally going to go with a sand filter, but I think I’ve settled on a cartridge filter instead.

In my city you can’t backwash water from a saltwater pool into the storm drain. I’d just have to go into my yard, which I don’t think would be great. Maybe it wouldn’t be that big of a deal though, not totally sure.

Either way, a large cartridge filter seems like it would function pretty well.

 

[sktn77a]

In my city you can’t backwash water from a saltwater pool into the storm drain. I’d just have to go into my yard, which I don’t think would be great. Maybe it wouldn’t be that big of a deal though, not totally sure.

In your case, a sand filter may not be the best choice but I think in most cases, the sand filter is the easiest to maintain (and none of us like pool maintenance)!

 

[chillin1]

Thank you all for the quick responses! I guess I'm just concerned that I'm considering a new pool with "old" sand filter technology instead of "new" DE filter technology. Maybe that's not the case.

@ajw22 - I appreciate your comments about DE maintenance not being a big deal if you have a short season, so that's something to consider too.

@Texas Splash - how does a pool handle oils and lotions then? Do they pass through all filter types and you just have to rely on the chemicals to break them down, or are they actually caught in the filter as long as the filter type can filter that small of particles? I'm not clear on the process of ridding the pool of oils and lotions, so that's where I'm getting stuck on filter choice. Maybe it has nothing to do with filter type?

Thanks!

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Cartridge for sure. I would never use a messy medium like sand or DE. Search the forum for "sand in pool" and "DE in pool" and you'll get many results. You'll never find "cartridge in pool". Search for "multiport valve problem" and you'll get results. Cartridge filters don't need a multiport valve.

Why even consider sand, which filters worst and is a pain to deep clean? Or DE, which needs to be maintained at the correct level? Cartridges are easy to clean and never need backwashing. I open mine up and hose the cartridges down once a year and ignore it the rest of the year. The carts themselves last for years.

 

[tomfrh]

I’ve changed from sand to cartridge. Im sold on cartridges now. simpler and easier than the sand filter. Our sand filter used to clog up with gumtree flowers, and I was forever opening it to remove the gunk that wouldn’t backwash out.

I would love a DE filter though, for the ultimate in clarity.

 

[Texas Splash]

how does a pool handle oils and lotions then?

For the most part, your chlorine should breakdown the oils. The number of swimmers, amount of lotions, and if some might have been deposited closely to the skimmer before breaking down, then some may sit in the filter media for a while until the chlorine takes care of it. Lots of debates and threads here on TFP about which type filter to get. While there are a few legit reasons, often times it's just a personal preference.

 

[Newdude]

+1. Think of cars. We all have our preferences but any vehicle will get you to the store. Sure there are exceptions, like a long muddy driveway into the woods needs a 4X4 (drain restrictions make you go cartridge, or not being physically able to break apart a cartridge system for cleaning makes you lean towards DE/Sand).

But without any restrictions for most, the big 3 filter within a few microns of each other. Millionths of a meter……. .0000393 inches each. You’d be hard pressed to find those 10 microns. Lol.

 

[Newdude]

So we’ve covered the systems. (I’m a biased cart guy but thats already been proven irrelevant). But the size of whatever vehicle I choose is a HUGE factor. Try taking one of those smart cars to a wholesale club to stock up for a party and you’re gonna need 9 trips. Get yourself a honking whatever you get, and you’ll have more time between cleanings and it won’t matter that the spring pollen is insane next year. You’ll have ‘room’ to spare.

 

[chillin1]

@Newdude what you say makes sense. BTW, I haven't dismissed cartridge filters, I just thought they were mainly for smaller pools. Do you think they are a good option for a 27,000 gallon pool? The pool company uses Pentair so the cartridge filter I would get would be the Pentair Clean and Clear Plus with the 4 cartridges. I'm open to anything at this point, I'm just trying keep maintenance down but still make sure I have really clear water, especially at night with the pool lights on.
The impression I get from the pool company is that the sand and cartridge filters are ok, but if you really want good water, you go with DE. I'm a little scared of the maintenance of DE, so I'm trying to determine if I can keep really clear water with the other types of filters, or if DE is necessary if you really want the best water. There's just so much conflicting information out there, so I thought I'd ask people who have a lot of experience with pools on this forum.

 

[ajw22]

The impression I get from the pool company is that the sand and cartridge filters are ok, but if you really want good water, you go with DE.

Any of the filter types can maintain "good water". You can not tell from looking at the pool water what type of filter a pool has.

If you never lose control of your pool water then any filter will maintain it.

If you end up with dirt, mud, sand, dead algae or other particulates that need to be filtered out of the water then a sand filter is the slowest to clear water and a DE filter can be the fastest.

Pool companies like DE filters because they can backwash them in 15 minutes and clear any problems and be gone. A cartridge filter requires much more time to break it down and clean it so pool companies don't like them.

 

[Newdude]

Do you think they are a good option for a 27,000 gallon pool

Had mine on 35k gallons. Liked them so much I bought a replacement for the next build after moving.

The pool company uses Pentair so the cartridge filter I would get would be the Pentair Clean and Clear Plus with the 4 cartridges

It’s a Cadillac, no doubt.

There's just so much conflicting information out there

From the manufacturers and PBs who have certain ones to sell…….. you betcha !!! From us, with nothing to gain but good will…. We will tell you the +/-‘s of the styles and high five you either way. We all personally like one over the other, but there is no arguing that a bazillion of the other 2 are out there working just fine.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

If you're the type if pool owner who occasionally gets algae, the DE will capture it fastest but will require a babysitter to mind it almost because you'll be having to clean it out most often as the filter traps so much at once.

If you have cartridge filters they are the next fastest to trap the algae, but easier to clean out than DE filters. Get biggest cartridges you can.

If your sand filter is going to be the slowest to trap everything but the easiest to manage.

Maddie

 

[tomfrh]

You can not tell from looking at the pool water what type of filter a pool has.

How come people say DE provides the clearest water?

 

[ajw22]

How come people say DE provides the clearest water?

I dunno why people say many things.

My eyes cannot identify if particles smaller then 30 microns are in the water (sand filter), 10 microns (cartridge filter), or 3 microns (DE filter). If you can tell the difference and care about filtering out particles between 30 and 3 microns then you want a DE filter.

 

[tomfrh]

If you can tell the difference and care about filtering out particles between 30 and 3 microns then you want a DE filter.

I don’t know the answer to be honest. Some people say DE gives noticeably clearer water. Other people say there’s negligible difference in practice. I’d like to know the truth of it.

It seems a valid idea that 5 micron particles could result in reduced clarity, despite being too small to see the indivual particles. 5 micron is the size of fog particles.

Or maybe it makes no significant difference in practice. I really don’t know.

 

[wireform]

You can get a large sand filter thus having the ease of backwashing and when the water is nicely balanced add through the skimmer some DE until the pressure on the gauge goes UP 1 psi and that's without that much DE. It'll keep the water crystal clear.