Cartridge Pool filter Myths

Cartridge filters are your top choice for a pool filter. If you plan on replacing your current filter, sizing your new filter takes time. But it is straightforward. Here are some things to go by.

The first thing to note is that going with the largest filter size for your pool will pay off in almost every case. If you have a 20,000-gallon pool, you can get away with a 100 sq. ft. cartridge filter, but you will be cleaning it every month, and you may have water quality issues. Many pools in Florida work with these single cartridge filters, and they are indeed rated for that size pool, but I wouldn’t recommend such a small filter. That same pool with a 420 sq. ft. cartridge filter will take six months between cleaning, and you will have zero water quality issues and great flow. Water quality issues would be cloudy water, algae, and the like.

Here is an excellent example of this from my pool route. A customer had a 25,000-gallon pool with a 36 sq ft D.E. filter. We upgraded his D.E. filter with a 420 sq. ft. cartridge filter. The flow had increased so dramatically that we had to divert half of the return flow to the attached spa, so the pool wasn’t like swimming in the ocean! The flow increased markedly, and all my issues with the pool disappeared overnight. So, upgrading to a larger filter can move the needle if your pool is experiencing water quality issues.

How would you get a good size comparison between the three filter types? It would help if you worked off a ballpark figure since they all filter the water differently. Here is the best guess chart for you:

36 sq. ft. D.E. Filter equals a 200 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and a 150-200 lbs. Sand Filter
48 sq. ft. D.E. Filter equals a 320 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and a 250-300 lbs. Sand filter
60 sq. ft. D.E. Filter equals a 420 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and a 350-400 lbs. Sand Filter
100 sq. ft. Quad D.E. Filter equals a 520 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 450-500 lbs. Sand Filter

Since a D.E. Filter uses Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.), the filtration area is tiny but highly effective. D.E. Filters can filter down to 3-5 microns, making it the best filtration as far as microns go. A Cartridge Filter can filter to just 15-20 microns, and a Sand Filter can filter down to 30-40 microns. So, if you compare filters by how well they filter down, D. E. is the winner. If you are looking at the sheer filtration area, the Cartridge Filter is the clear winner. With filtration areas of over 500 sq. ft., nothing compares to it. But since it uses a cloth to filter, even though the surface area is more significant, it doesn’t filter as efficiently as a D.E. Filter.

For ease of use, a Sand Filter can’t be beaten. All you need to do when it gets dirty is backwash it and change the sand every few years. But you don’t need to take it apart and clean it every few months or recharge it every time you backwash it. The sand there stays there, and you couldn’t ask for a more accessible filter to maintain. If you are looking mainly for ease of use, a Sand Filter should be your first choice.

Each filter type has its good points and its drawbacks. There is no perfect choice, but you will be better off using the most oversized filter for your pool based on the gallons of water. The larger filter allows for a better flow rate, filtration, and water quality. Although the upfront cost may be higher, it will pay for itself over time and with fewer chemicals to maintain your pool. Consider the time you will save cleaning the filter with a larger filter and the energy cost, as you can run the pool less with a larger filter. Finally, with a larger filter, you can balance the chemistry and use less shock and algaecide over the years. So, a larger filter is a win-win across the board.

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