Is Sand Filter Better Than Cartridge

Which puddle filter is amend for your puddle? Sand or Cartridge? It's a adept question with some serious financial implications, simply before nosotros can reply information technology completely we need to ascertain a few terms.

Microns

Pool filters are rated by the size of the particles and debris they can take hold of. The smaller the particles, the amend the filter. Pool filters use microns every bit their measurement. So what the heck is a micron?

A micron, as well called a micrometer is a measurement in the Metric System. It equals one-millionth of a meter. Meters remember, are only a little bit shorter than a thousand. That's nice but it's hard to visualize, then let's make it a little more than practical.

A human hair is fifty microns in diameter. Have 1 of the hairs out of your brush or rummage and examine it. A cross-section of it is 50 microns. And then, when we talk nearly the size of debris a pool filter can catch, call back that and use it for comparison.

swimming pool filter room — Image credit: Christine Bird, Shutterstock

Surface Area

Pool filters are also rated past their surface surface area, that is, how much surface is available for water to catamenia over or through to catch debris. The more than surface area is available, the amend the filter will work. Makes sense, right?

Considering of differences in the fashion they're constructed, sand and cartridge filters have very dissimilar numbers for their surface area. Most sand filters volition have between 3 to seven square feet of area, while cartridge filters will average between 200 to 500 foursquare feet.

Sand

If you await at the silica sand used for pool filters under a microscope, each grain volition look similar a tiny boulder with sharp, jagged edges. Sand is very porous, and the precipitous edges on the grains of sand catch particles and debris as water carries them through the filter. Sand filters will normally catch debris in the twenty-xl micron range.

Every bit time goes on, the edges on each grain of sand will gradually wear down until they resemble smooth river rocks. At that point, they won't catch much debris and information technology's time to supercede the sand. This happens about every 5-8 years. Sand is inexpensive only it'due south also heavy. This means changing it is a lot of piece of work. Let yourself a couple of hours to do it right.

Cartridges

cleaning swimming pool cartridge filter — Prototype credit: DF1, Shutterstock

Cartridges have a porous membrane that water can period through. The fabric is what catches particles and debris. These catch much smaller particles than sand filters do in the x-15 micron range.

The membranes in cartridge filters wear out much faster than sand does, so they have to be replaced every 1-iii years. They're much more expensive than sand so the cost volition be more than. They're very lightweight though, so irresolute them is a breeze.

Sand Filters: Pros & Cons

Sand filters were the first type of filter invented for swimming pools. A filter usually consists of a round or oblong tank on a stand up. A multiport valve is on top. The tank has to be filled with several hundred pounds of filter sand, i.east., silica sand. How much will depend on the size of the filter.

Dissimilar size pond pools volition need different sizes of filters. For instance, a 10,000-gallon swimming pool volition need a sand filter that is rated at 3.0 square anxiety, while a 40,000-gallon pool will need a sand filter that is rated at 6.9 square anxiety.

Water from the puddle is pushed through the filter, which cleans it. And then the h2o is pumped back into the puddle. As debris and strange particles accumulate in the filter, the pressure required to button h2o through the filter volition gradually increment. Once information technology reaches twice its normal operating range, it's time to make clean the filter.

This is accomplished by turning the setting on the multiport valve to "waste matter". The water will flow in the reverse management it normally does, washing the debris out of the filter and squirting it out a valve on the filter. This water either goes into your yard or a drain pipe. This procedure is called backwashing, and it lowers the water level in the pool.

Once y'all've finished backwashing you'll have to add new h2o to the pool and balance the chemicals in the water.

Overall, sand filters are inexpensive, easy to use, and maintain. They're dependable and long-lasting.

Cartridge Filters: Pros & Cons

These filters look a lot like the air filter in your car just taller, so they're tube-shaped. They fit downwards inside a 2-piece tank that has a removable top. These are commonly tall and slender compared to a sand filter.

Similar a sand filter, different size pools will need different size filters. A 10,000-gallon pool will need a cartridge filter that is rated at 100-200 square anxiety, while a forty,000-gallon pool will need a cartridge filter that is rated at 500+ foursquare feet.

Because cartridge filters have such a large surface area for catching debris, they don't demand about as much pressure as sand filters do. Lower pressure means less work for your pump, which translates into less wearable and tear on it, thus extending its workable life.

Cleaning a cartridge filter is like shooting fish in a barrel. When the water pressure at the pump reaches 10 PSI, it's time to clean it. Accept the superlative off the tank and remove the filter. Then wash information technology off with the garden hose. Put the filter back in the tank and secure the top.

Overall, cartridge filters accept a higher initial cost than sand filters and the cartridges themselves are more expensive than sand. This is balanced by the ease of cleaning them and the fact you don't lose h2o by backwashing, then having to add more water.

Conclusion

If toll is an event, choice the sand filter. They've been around a long time and are a pop option. If ease of use and maintenance are your priorities, and so the cartridge filter is the choice for you.

Either ane will give you years of enjoyment and clean water in your swimming pool.

Featured Image Credit: Ralf Geithe, Shutterstock