Vacuum to waste or through filter?

[mbec]

Hi!

I'm (hopefully) nearing the end of my SLAM and have been vacuuming everyday to waste and it's a bit cumbersome doing that and then having to refill the pool. I have a sand filter without any DE added - can I vacuum regularly through the filter to remove the dead algae or do I need to keep vacuuming to waste to make sure it gets out for good?

 

[VinnyinNJ]

You can vacuum to the filter, just watch your pressure as it will probably increase. You'll need to backwash but that's less water than vacuuming to waste.

 

[duraleigh]

I am not a huge fan of vacuum to waste. "To waste...." can be useful sometimes but you paid for your filter to catch debris and it will. If it is visible to the naked eye, your filter will catch it.