Do the pool filters with sand work as well as the new ones with the paper cartridge filters?

Question

The paper cartridge filter is expensive and we are considering switching over to the older sand filter.

Answer 1

I say no

Answer 2

Sand is the best, so I'm told by pool owners.

Answer 3

I have a DE (diatomaceous earth) filter and it is great.

I only have to service it twice a year (pool is screened)

I have friends with sand and filter elements and they work on theirs a lot more than I do! The filter unit itself probably costs more, but I think it is worth it. Not only easy, but DE filters out much finer particles than any other type of filter.

Answer 4

Are they really paper?  Or are they polyester?  Poly filters may look like paper but can be cleaned and reused many years!

You're welcome!!

Answer 5

Cartridge filter seems like a good choice for several reasons: 1. They are much smaller 2. They tend to pick up finer dirt 3. They are manually cleaned, so no pool water is used (sand filters are backwashed. This uses lots of pool water)  But it does require period cartridge replacement.

However the disadvantages are: 1. For them to work properly again, they must be let dry after cleaning. 2. The Western Australian Health Department says that pool water should be completely replaced every two years. By backwashing a sand filter, you are always replacing the water.

If a sand filter breaks it is more expensive to repair than a cartridge filter because 9 times out of 10 the top of the sand filter where the pressure guage is will leak and that means replacing that whole part or the whole sand filter.Most cartridge filters are 2 pieces, a top and bottom half with an rubber O ring in the middle. Most of the time you can buy the top half or bottom half separately saving you money on repair cost, and what usually happens is that the O ring is damaged due to the chlorine in the filter and or the weather.

Sand is much cheaper and less likely to become plugged with dead algae. The media (sand) only needs to be replace roughly every 10 years.

Answer 6

It depends on if you use regular silica sand(no) or an alternative media (glass or zeobrite-yes!)  heres a page with sand filter media info: http://www.swimming-pool-information.com...