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:
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
Visit
my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/
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