Should I consider a different filtration system?

[Ripper70]

**This question was part of a thread from last season that was never answered but came after my fellow TFPers helped me out of a jam and the thread died. I'll be opening our pool for the season next week and before I start I still wonder if I should consider making some changes.

I'm wondering if there might be some value in changing my filtration system to another type. Part of my regular pool problem is that, although I have no trees on my property, I have a neighbor with a huge pine tree with a number of branches that overhang my yard. The tree sheds pine needles all year long. And I mean allot! I'm always conflicted leaving home for more than a few days because I know that, if I do, my skimmers will be clogged with pine needles by the end of day one and I'll return home to a pool with little to no circulation and an algae bloom in the works. Gets frustrating.

Over time the pine needles break into smaller pieces and make their way through the system into my filter tank. Backwashing helps somewhat, but much of the debris remains in my system. The picture below shows the kind of debris I pulled from the filter tank yesterday after a deep cleaning and flush.

Do you think that there's a more effective filtration system that would better handle the pine needle issue? Maybe a cartridge filter system would be better? I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Richard320]

A hairnet or a nylon stretched over the skimmer basket will catch that stuff long before it gets to the filter.

 

[splashpad]

I second the skimmer nets (bulk hair nets on amazon), I actually think the sand filter is the better option for situations like that, the needles I would think might damage or get lodged in the cartridge or DE filter.

Maybe try something like a pooldevil too? We swear by ours and I am not into gimmicks! lol (We have lots of neighbor tree foliage year round!) Not needles thankfully!

 

[skimmerswimmer]

I second the skimmer nets (bulk hair nets on amazon), I actually think the sand filter is the better option for situations like that, the needles I would think might damage or get lodged in the cartridge or DE filter.

Maybe try something like a pooldevil too? We swear by ours and I am not into gimmicks! lol (We have lots of neighbor tree foliage year round!) Not needles thankfully!

+1

A Poolskim might be right up your alley...

 

[steve1staf]

+1

A Poolskim might be right up your alley...

Hair nets work great! Here’s the link:

Amazon Hair Nets

 

[setsailsoon]

So sorry you didn't get an answer last year. I agree with the others, a skimmer filter is what you need. Hairnet seems to be the most popular and practical solution for this. Ideally you get the big stuff there so your filter loads with the smaller particle size. Also, I even though more people use cartridges I don't see this as a reason to switch. Both do a great job when sized properly.

Chris

 

[Ripper70]

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll give the Poolskim a whirl. I've tried the skimmer nets without much success. They worked okay but still clogged up the skimmer basket just as quickly and were trashed in about 2 or 3 days. The hairnets seem like a less expensive alternative and I'll keep them under consideration. Thanks again for the valuable advice.

 

[splashpad]

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll give the Poolskim a whirl. I've tried the skimmer nets without much success. They worked okay but still clogged up the skimmer basket just as quickly and were trashed in about 2 or 3 days. The hairnets seem like a less expensive alternative and I'll keep them under consideration. Thanks again for the valuable advice.

The pool devil is a fraction of that price, and doesn't clog, since it's on the return