All About D.E. Pool Filters
D.E. Pool Filters are a popular filter
choice for a pool filter type and they are the most efficient pool
filters as far as water clarity and fine filtration. D.E. filters can
filter down to as little as 5 microns making them the most effective
pool filter on them market. In this Podcast I go over the benefits of
a D.E. filter, the drawbacks and I offer some tips if you own a D.E.
filter or are thinking of installing one.
There are three main types of D.E.
filters on the market today. The most common is the traditional grid
type D.E. filter which consists of a Top Manifold, 8 grids in a
circular pattern and a bottom manifold. This is the type made by
Pentair, Jandy, Hayward as well as off brand makers like Waterway.
Pentair makes a unique D.E. filter known as the Quad D.E. Filter and
this filter consists of up to 4 cartridges instead of the vertical
grids. They also make a Quad D.E. Filter for their Sta-Rite brand.
The last type is made by Hayward and is often referred to as a “Bump
D.E. Filter” and is their Perflex D.E. Filter. These filters are
usually found on above ground pools and are not very popular in my
area.
What makes the D.E. filter so effective
is the D.E. itself or Diatomceous Earth, that is used to coat the
grids. This white powder material will filter out dirt, viruses and
bacteria as well as fine particles allowing for crystal clear water
to flow back into the pool. If you have ever cleaned a D.E. filter
you will notice that the D.E. will be coated with dirt and algae as
well as fine debris, leaving the grids clean and white underneath. A
cartridge filter cannot do this by design as the dirt, algae and
debris will stick to the pleats in the cartridge material themselves.
The D.E. acts as a type of secondary media or you can even look at
the D.E. as a shield that absorbs all of the filtered particles
allowing for clear water to return to the pool.
There are some drawbacks to D.E.
Filters that you need to be aware of. The first drawback is the D.E.
powder itself. It is messy and if you have an all cement deck it can
be a pain to clean up after cleaning or backwashing your filter. D.E.
is also banned by many cities and if they find you expelling D.E.
into the street they will fine you anywhere from $10,000 or more.
Some cities even ban installation of D.E. filters entirely.
Another drawback is that if a grid or
manifold has a tear or crack, the D.E. filter media will blow right
back into the pool. Even the smallest tear will allow large amounts
of D.E. back into your pool. This will turn the water cloudy and also
create poor filtration leading to algae growth and the chlorine
zeroing out. A simple fix is to take the filter apart and replace all
of the torn or broken parts. But be aware that a D.E. leaking back
into your pool is a common issue with a D.E. Filter.
A couple more of the benefits of a D.E.
filter is that you can backwash the filter in between cleanings and
that you only need to clean a D.E. filter once every 6 months in most
cases. Backwashing a D.E. filter is easy and this will expel dirt,
algae and particles from the filter allowing the filter to run
efficiently again. Since the D.E. in the filter traps dirt and
particles so effectively the filter can go a long time in between
cleanings. Typically you will clean a D.E. filter less often then a
Cartridge Filter.
The Podcast covers much more on D.E.
filters and below is a list of video links on D.E. Filters.
D.E.
FILTERS:
Diatomaceous
Earth (D.E. Filter):
basically this filter type uses D.E. to filter out the dirt, bacteria
and viruses. It is the best filtration, down to 5 Microns.
The Good:
-
Filters down to 5 Microns or less - excellent
-
Can be backwashed in between cleanings
-
Only have to take it apart and clean it every six months (In most
cases)
-
Grids are long lasting and durable
-
Water clarity is very good
The
Bad:
-
Can be a pain to take apart and clean
-
D.E. is messy and gets everywhere
-
Grids can tear and leak D.E. into the pool
-
Filtration Sq Ft. is limited
-
D.E. is banned in some areas and huge fines can occur if it is in
the street.
D.E.
Filter Tips, Tricks & Troubleshooting Playlist:
http://youtu.be/G4Z21aoJI0g
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