How to Add D.E. to a QUAD D.E.® Cartridge Style Filter

Adding D.E. Or Diatomaceous Earth to the Pentair Quad D.E. Filter is a pretty straight forward task. But if you strictly follow the manual which is basically a cut and paste job from the Pentair FNS Plus filter, I think you will be adding too much D.E.. So I go over how much D.E. I add to the Quad D.E. Filters on my pool route.

I have a few Quad D.E. Filters on my pool route and I add less D.E. than the manual calls for. Since the inception of the Quad D.E. Filter I haven't had any issues with them and I think a lot of problems will stem from overloading them with D.E.. The Quad D.E. Filter has cartridge type “grids” inside. This means that the overall design of the filter is more like that of a cartridge filter. The cartridges are pretty similar in size to your standard cartridge filter but the Quad D.E. Filter cartridges are made out of a more similar material to the standard vertical D.E. grids. They are more cloth like then paper like.

I should explain why I use less D.E. in the filters on my route. First, my supplier was the first to test these filters when they first came out. He suggested that they need less D.E. than the manual called for. The Pentair Rep at the time also insisted because of the design the Quad D.E. needed less D.E. to run effectively. And last, evidence from years of charging the Quad D.E. Filter with less D.E. And the clarity of the pool water. Also the cartridges seem to last much longer when less D.E. is used.

For measurement purposes I am using the Aladdin 300 DE E-Z Scoop which is equivalent to a 1 lbs. Coffee can. Each scoop filled to the top is ½ lbs. of D.E.. This is because the dry weight of D.E. makes it lighter, so it takes 2 scoops of the Aladdin DE E-Z Scoop to equal 1 lbs. of D.E.. Confusing I know, but it is a fact that has been verified by the D.E. Manufacturer.

Here is a link for the Aladdin DE Scoop:

http://www.inyopools.com/SearchResults.aspx?KeyWords=alladin%20de%20scoop

also available on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-300-Scoop-Pool-Cleaning/dp/B00C405OW8/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=swimmingpooll-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=0e92412729be277a0b111bd869e00d52&creativeASIN=B00C405OW8

So Pentair calls for 6 lbs of D.E. for a 60 sq ft Quad D.E. filter which would be 12 scoops of D.E. from the Aladdin E-Z Scoop. I go 1 or 2 lbs. lighter so I only add 8-10 scoops. It is not a dramatic difference but from my experience going lighter makes these filters run much better. An 80 lbs. Filter requires 8 lbs. or 16 scoops and a 100 lbs. Filter needs 10 lbs. or 20 scoops. These are the manufacturer recommendations and you can add these amounts, but like I said, going lighter is much better.

I like to add the D.E. to a bucket and then mix it pour it into the skimmer while the pool is running. You can add it directly scoop by scoop to the skimmer, but I find the Quad D.E. does better if the D.E. is mixed in a bucket first. It seems to coat the cartridges better this way. If you decide to backwash your Quad D.E. filter you can recharge the D.E. with 1 or 2 lbs of fresh D.E.. I don't like backwashing these filters for two reasons. One is that it is pretty easy to take the lid off and just clean them off. And second, backwashing will shorten the life of the cartridges. The replacement cartridges are not inexpensive so the longer they last the better.

To learn more about the Pentair Quad D.E. Filter:

Quad DE Filter Cleaning: http://youtu.be/2aoP-eTpiMs

How to Install a Pentair QUAD D.E. Filter: https://youtu.be/3WardgaUOAQ

Pentair QUAD D.E.® Cartridge Style Filter Overview: https://youtu.be/5IpTl-TaMeY

Pentair QUAD D.E.® Cartridge Style Filter Assembly: https://youtu.be/KOeB1fQ2_74

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