3 types of filters and the Pros and Cons of Each
When it comes to keeping your pool clean, your pool filter is essential. Pool chemicals are great for killing bacteria, but when it comes to getting the real dirt, grime, and debris out of the water, your filter is what does the real work. Without a properly working filter, your pool will become hazy and fill with debris and who wants to swim in that? Yuck!
So how do you pick the right filter for your pool? It’s going to depend on the size of your pool, how much money you want to spend, and how much cleaning and maintenance you are willing to do. There are 3 main types of filters to choose from all of which have their pros and cons.
SAND FILTERS
Sand filters use sand to filter the water and pull debris from the pool. Most sand filters require 50-300 lbs. of sand depending on filter size. Silica sand is the most common type used in sand filters and can filter particles down to 20 microns. Often, filter sand can last up to 5 years before needing to be replaced. Sand filters are cleaned by a process known as “backwashing”, where the water flow is reversed by adjusting a lever on the filter and the dirt/waste particles are pushed to the top of the sand then flushed out through a waste pipe. Overall, sand filters typically require less maintenance and are the easy to clean since no filter disassembly is required for the backwashing process.
Sand Filter Pros:
- Lower cost
- Easy to clean and overall easy maintenance
- Sand lasts up to 5 years before needing to be changed
- No filter disassembly is required for the backwashing process
Sand Filter Cons:
- 20-micron filtration is the least effective of the three types of filters
- Backwashing and rinsing wastes water
- Must be backwashed much more frequently than a DE filter
- Building pressure decreases filter efficiency
- While replacing sand doesn’t happen often, when it does it can be very challenging physically, and may require the assistance of a hired professional
CARTRIDGE FILTERS
Cartridge filters are made of finely pleated sheets which collect debris as water is pushed into the tank from your pump and flows through the cartridge membrane. Dirt and debris are trapped in the filter cartridge while clean water returns into the pool. The larger filtration area of the cartridge allows the water to progress through and remove smaller particles. They can screen out twice as much dirt and debris as sand (down to about 10 microns). Maintenance on a cartridge filter is much easier than sand. Backwashing is not necessary with cartridge filters, eliminating water and chemical loss. Instead, you disassemble the filter and manually rinse the waste buildup off the cartridge with your garden hose and return it to the filter system. The cartridge inside the filter will usually last about 1-3 years before needing to be replaced.
Cartridge Filter Pros:
- Very inexpensive and easy to install
- Great choice for smaller pools
- Filters better than sand (contaminants as small as 10 microns)
- No backwashing; less water & pool chemical waste
- Easy maintenance – not difficult to take apart and clean
Cartridge Filter Cons:
- More maintenance than sand filters
- Lasts only 1 to 3 years before needing new cartridges
- Deep cleaning required 1 to 2 times per year
D.E. FILTERS
D.E. filters work by pushing water through a filter consisting of grid units coated in a fine powder known as diatomaceous earth, or D.E. Inside the tank, particles and debris from the pool are trapped in the D.E. powder all the way down to 5 microns, making D.E. filters the superior choice for filtration ability. D.E. filters, like sand filters, are cleaned through a backwash process, which flushes all material, including the D.E., off the grids and through a waste pipe. Because the D.E. is flushed out in the backwashing process, you’ll need to add more D.E. powder after every cleaning which makes it the most expensive and most maintenance-intensive option.
D.E. Filter Pros:
- Filters contaminants as small as 5 microns
- Can go months without needing to be backwashed or cleaned
- Grids can last for several years if cared for properly
D.E. Filter Cons:
- Highest cost filter
- Annual cleaning is maintenance-intensive
- D.E. powder must be added after backwashing and can be expensive if done frequently
- D.E. powder can be harmful if inhaled
When it comes to choosing the right filter for your pool, consider and rank what is most important to you among cost, maintenance, filtering ability. Do you want to invest a little more money for better filtering and cost more of your time for maintenance? Or can you sacrifice that filtering ability to save some of your time and money? Whatever you decide, we have the filters and accessories you’ll need to have a clean pool for years to come!