Best Swimming Pool Filter of 2023

Picking the best of anything is wide open for debate and picking just one pool filter as the best for every pool is nearly impossible. Since filters vary by region the choice of the best pool filter will also be very regional. For example, I love the Pentair Quad D.E. filter but if you are in an area where very large amounts of dirt in the pool are common you will not think the Pentair Quad D.E. filter is the best. If you have a 12,000-gallon pool the new AquaStar Pipeline filter may be the best filter for you, but if you have a 35,000-gallon pool maybe not. 

Each of the three filter types is vastly different in how they work but they all essentially do the same job. D.E. is always going to give you the best filtration with cartridge a close 2nd and sand a distant 3rd. But a sand filter makes up for that is how easy it is to maintain and operate whereas a D.E. filter can be a real pain. 

D.E. Filters

Best filtration down to 3-5 microns

Uses Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) or Perlite to coat the grids

Quad cartridge-type filter and Perflex (Bump Filters) are available 

Backwashing in between cleanings is a plus

Cleaning them can be a real pain

Cities may fine you up to $10,000 for D.E. on the street

Cartridge Filters

Filter down to 10-20 microns

Easy to clean – simply take the lid off and hose them off

Bigger is better and the 4-cartridge types are my preferred version

Can’t backwash in between cleaning

Offer the largest filtration area in square feet. 

Easy to maintain

Sand Filters:

Filter down to 30-40 microns

Easy to use

Backwash when PSI goes up by 10 PSI from clean PSI

No need to take apart and clean

Sand can last for years and sometimes over a decade

Can have water quality issues due to the inability to filter down to a finer micron

Preferred filter for Commercial application and dirt-prone areas

Overall I think the filter size is a bigger factor in water quality than the filtration type. Here is a good example of this from my pool route. A customer had a 25,000-gallon pool with a 36 sq ft D.E. filter on it. 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 that the pool wasn’t like swimming in the ocean! The flow increased dramatically and all the issues I had with the pool disappeared overnight. So upgrading to a larger filter can really move the needle if your pool is experiencing water quality issues.

So how would you get a good size comparison between the three filter types? I think you have to work off of a ballpark figure since all of them filter the water in a different way. Here is the best guess chart for you:

36 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to a 200 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 150-200 lbs. Sand Filter

48 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to a 320 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 250-300 lbs. Sand filter

60 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to a 420 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 350-400 lbs. Sand Filter

100 sq. ft. Quad D.E. Filter is equal to 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 very small but highly effective. In fact, 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 down to just 15-20 microns and a Sand Filter down to 30-40 microns. So if you are just comparing filters by how well they filter down D.E. is the winner. If you are looking at the sheer filtration area then 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 basically to filter, even though the surface area is greater 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 of course, change the sand every few years. But you don’t need to take it apart and clean it every few months, nor do you need to recharge it every time you backwash it. The sand that is in their stays in there and you couldn’t ask for an easier filter to maintain. If you are looking mainly for ease of use then a Sand Filter should be your first choice.

Each filter type has its good points and drawbacks. There probably is no perfect choice but if you go with the largest filter for your pool based on the gallons of water, the better off you will be. The larger filter allows for a better flow rate, better overall filtration, and better water quality. Although the upfront cost may be more it will pay for itself over the years in time and fewer chemicals used to maintain your pool. Think about the time you will save with a larger filter in cleaning the filter and also the energy cost as you can run the pool less with a larger filter. And finally, with a larger filter, you will not struggle to keep the chemistry balanced and therefore will use less shock and algaecide over the years.  So a larger filter is a win-win across the board.

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The Best Salt System for Your Swimming Pool of 2022

Picking the best salt system is very tricky. I like a lot of them from the Jandy TruClear to the Circupool RJ Series. THE CMP (owned by Jandy now) is great! The Ichlor is not bad either and Pentair seems to have fixed all of the initial issues. 

I default to what is best for your pool rather than push a brand. If you have a pool of 30,000-40,000 gallons the Circupool RJ Series or the CMP and even the IntelChlor IC60 would be good choices. But if you have a pool of 20,000 gallons or less the Jandy TruClear would be a great fit. 

Of course, I am all for making things easy so if you have a Pentair Intelichlor cell and want to upgrade, the iChlor would be easy and fit in the same spot without any replumbing needed. You can even use the same power unit or if it is attached to automation you can just purchase the cell only (with the special retrofit union). If you have a Jandy Aqaupure cell you can purchase the TruClear with the unions and it will fit right in the same area that your old cell came out of. You will need the new power unit however so it is not exactly plug-and-play like the Pentair iChlor.

I like the Jandy TruClear because it is affordable and more importantly the replacement cell is under $500. It also has a nice clear plastic top that will allow you to see if the cell plates have calcium buildup and you can also check to see if chlorine is being produced by the way of bubbles bouncing around the top of the clear window.   It does not have a salinity meter which means you will have to purchase a digital salt meter. Not a major drawback. 

You don't save any money when you convert to a salt pool. It cost a lot more than using Chlorine or Bleach in your pool. Factor in the cost of the unit plus installation, say $1,500, and then a new salt cell every 3-5 years at $500, and the salt to start at $150 and you’re looking at over $2,000 for the first 5 years. And this is a low estimate in some regards.  You would have to spend over $400 a year on chlorine to match that number. Typically, you are not spending over $100-$200 a season for your chlorine.

 I am pretty honest about the true benefit of a saltwater system, the fact that it adds chlorine to the pool without you having to do anything. This means no more trips to the pool store for shock or liquid chlorine. It is a great time saver for sure. But for me, that is the only benefit.

With that said, a saltwater system is a preference. And if you can absorb the cost of the system and don't mind the extra overall cost of a salt pool, then it is the way to go. I mean who wants to add tablets and liquid chlorine or shock every week to their pool? With a Saltwater Generator connected to your pool equipment, you can set it and forget it. Of course, there is some maintenance required like cleaning the salt cell, making sure the salt level is good, and setting the output to the correct setting to chlorinate your pool, but for the most part, it is much easier than trying to maintain a steady chlorine reading during the season by manually adding chlorine to the pool.

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Mako Vacuum System Bags Updated for 2023

 I have been using the Mako Vacuum System Bags for a few years now and these are very good quality aftermarket vacuum systems bags at affordable pricing. The owner Reggie is always making changes to improve his product and I must say the new 2023 version is the best yet.

Some new features are updated material, a thicker rub area (the color portion of the bag), and a much more robust cord lock. The cord lock is now designed to lock in the rope in two locations and to lock it in extremely tight. If the previous version allowed for a bag to sometimes come loose and be blown off (so frustrating) this new design will not have that issue. 

So you will sacrifice some fine dust cleanup when you use these bags but overall you will gain a longer-lasting bag. If you are currently using a 100-micron bag you will not notice much difference going to the 120-micron bag (MX-120). If you are using a 200-micron bag, I would suggest trying the MX-140 which is 140 microns and will give you the same durability plus a better micron rating. The “Standard” bag is 80 microns and a great choice for my area where we get light leaf debris and fine dirt. These 3 bags are the best sellers and I think they are the perfect micron rating. 

These bags feature a convenient updated drawstring lock that is a universal fit to all vacuum systems. The bags will work on the Riptide, Bottom Feeder, Hammer-Head, and Power Vac as well as any Leaf Baggers and Leaf Master. The universal fit is great if you own more than one vacuum system as you can easily interchange the bags between the systems. At one point Mako bags were making the bags for the Bottom Feeder Vacuum before Unicel started to make the bags. So you know you are getting a manufacturer-level product in these bags. 

Reggie the owner makes the bags here in Florida and is well-known in the pool industry. His bags have always been top-notch and if you have any issues with them he is happy to help you. You can order directly from their site at: https://makobag.com/

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A Brief History of Robotic Pool Cleaners with Sean McDermott of BWT

I was around when the 1st generation of robotic pool cleaners hit the market. They were dumb, hard to clean, and unreliable at best. And very expensive. But a lot has changed in 15 years and today’s robotic pool cleaners are smart. Easy to clean, very reliable, and affordable. 

Let’s touch on the first big change, robotic pool cleaners used to just go back and forth in a mindless pattern. A lot like the Kreepy Krauly bouncing type suction side cleaners. If the pool got cleaned you were lucky that day. Today robotic cleaners have mapping technology and gyroscopes so they can clean a pool very efficiently by scanning and mapping the pool. With the gyroscope, the cleaner always knows where it is in the pool, whether it be the deep end, the step area, or the waterline. 

The older robots were hard to clean out because they had a cloth debris bag on the bottom which was awkward to clean and very time-consuming. I call them “robot diapers” and if you have ever cleaned one you will see that this description is accurate. The new robotic cleaners with few exceptions are top loading and the debris canisters are very easy to clean. Simply pop them out of the top and hose them off. This makes them much more appealing and they are fun to clean now.

Unreliable is a good word to describe the early generation of robotic pool cleaners. The seals were not that great, and water would eventually work its way into the motor, rendering the cleaner useless. Today the seals are so good you can leave the cleaner in a pool all week long and some of the seals are so good that they are rated for a 10-year lifespan. Robotic cleaners are much more reliable today and most are backed by a 2-year, 3 years, and even 4-year warranty. 

BWT is trying to break into the US market and technically they have always been in the US market under the Aqaubot brand name. BWT is the new parent company of Aquatron which was part of Aquabot for years. There was a messy split of Aqaubot when Fluidra bought Zodiac Pool Systems. In a nutshell, since Fluidra owned Aqaubot the European trade union wanted the company sold so Fluidra would not have a monopoly in the European market. Aqaubot consisted of two companies at that time, Aquatron and AquaProducts. Fluidra kept the AquaProducts line of cleaners and Aquatron was sold to BWT. BWT took the Aqautron robotic line and redesigned most of those cleaners. The confusing part of all of this is that BWT owns the Aquabot name even though it no longer contains many of the well-known cleaners like the T4, T2, and Aqaubot classic. It’s a bit confusing and BWT is going to move away from the Aqaubot name in the coming years. 

I’ve tested two of the new BWT cleaners and they do remind me of Aqaubot in the golden years. The RC60 and Cosmy are two solid cleaners and as they become more available in the US they will become popular choices. The RC60 is a powerful robotic cleaner that features a very fine top-loading debris chamber that will capture very fine dirt as well as leaf debris. The Cosmy is a very light cleaner weighing just 12 lbs but with the features of a larger robotic cleaner. To learn more about both of these you can watch my review videos.

BWT Cosmy the Bot 250 -Clean Your Pool In Style! Compact, Light-Weight, and Smart!: https://youtu.be/rOwFnGO6luc

BWT RC60 Robotic Pool Cleaner - App Control, Transport Caddy & Amazing 4D Fine Filtration! https://youtu.be/MmJ5py-4_Uo

Sean McDermott Director of Sales BWT US

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-mcd-bwt/

BWT’s social media profiles include:

https://www.facebook.com/BWTPoolus

https://www.instagram.com/bwtpoolus/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwt-pool-us

https://www.bwt.com/en/shop/Pool-Garden/

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Cleaning a CircuPool RJ Series Salt Cell

 Cleaning a salt cell is part of regular maintenance for a Saltwater pool. As the cell plate gets calcium build-up on it the salt production will drop and sometimes stop completely. I have cleaned just about every salt system out there and the CircuPool is an easy one to clean if you use its cell stand.

CircuPool Cell Cleaning Stand:

https://www.circupool.com/CircuPool%C2%AE-Cleaning-Stand-for-CircuPool-RJ-Plus-Universal-and-Si-Systems_p_94.html

Expected Maintenance

After the system has run for a time, your cell will eventually need to be cleaned due to natural mineral scaling. The system will notify you of this by turning on the “Cell Maint.” light. When illuminated, follow the cleaning instructions below under "Cleaning the Electrolytic Cell".The frequency of cleaning depends on your water chemistry and the Saturation Index of the water. For most people, cleaning is only necessary a handful of times per season. The more rapid mineral build-up is a sure sign of a chronically high Saturation Index; imbalanced chemistry can cause scaling to occur quite rapidly. Consult a pool professional for additional help.

Cleaning the Electrolytic Cell

Once substantial deposits have built up on the titanium plates in the Cell, the “Cell Maint.” light will illuminate, and the mineral scaling must be removed. To do so, follow these steps: Important precautions: When cleaning the Cell always wear adequate protection, such as rubber gloves and eye protection. Always add acid to water, do not add water to acid. Always work in a well-ventilated area. Splashing or spilling acid can cause severe personal injury and/or property damage. Before removing the Cell for cleaning or replacement:

1) Turn off all power to all pool equipment, and close supply line valves if

applicable.

2) Unplug the Cell cable connecting the Cell to the Control Module.

3) Disconnect the Cell by unscrewing the Threaded Collars around the

PVC unions where the Cell attaches to the return line plumbing.

4) Remove the entire Cell from between the unions. DO NOT pull or hold

the Cell by its cable.

MAINTENANCE

Cleaning the Electrolytic Cell (Continued)

To clean the Cell of mineral buildup:

1) Attach Cleaning Cap or Cleaning Stand (sold separately, available at www.circupool.com) and orient the Cell vertically. Place on the ground and stabilize to remain upright and prevent spilling.

2) In a separate bucket, mix one part of muriatic acid into four parts of water. Pour this weak acid solution directly into Cell. Ensure that the cleaning solution fills the inside of the Cell.

3) Allow the solution to soak for no more than fifteen minutes.

4) Properly dispose of the acid solution, and use a hose to generously flush any remaining debris out of the Cell.

5) Look inside the cell to check that no debris or scaling remains. Repeat steps 2-4 if necessary.

6) Reinstall Cell into the PVC return line.’

Note: if you don’t currently have a Cleaning Cap, you can completely immerse the cell body in a five-gallon bucket. For instructions, see the guides listed under www.circupool.com/help. Note: If the mineral build-up is severe, more than one cleaning may be necessary to dissolve the remaining solids. Inspect cell plates closely with a bright light after cleaning. If you see any remaining scaling, debris, or physical blockages through Cell, repeat the cleaning process as needed. If “Cell Maint.” comes back on soon after cleaning, verify salinity and system cell version setting, then clean the cell again. 

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The Best VS Swimming Pool Pump of 2023!

Which is the best Variable Speed (VS) swimming pool pump? I do have my preferences for sure but nailing down the best VS pool pump and saying there is a legitimate winner is like trying to pick the best SUV or best full-size truck. Each has its pros and cons and I think the best way to pick the best VS pump is to think of it as, “the best VS pump for your situation.” 

If your pool equipment pad runs off of 115V (120V) then the best VS pump for you will be one that matches your old 1 hp pump. Let me unpack this for you a bit more. VS pumps feature Dual Voltage which means that the pump will automatically recognize if your equipment is running off of 115V or 230V and modulate the voltage. If you install say a 2.7 THP Hayward TriStar VS pump on a 115V equipment pad, it will modulate the voltage to 115V but it will also downgrade the total horsepower to around 1.85 THP. So why pay extra for a 2.7 or 3 THP VS pump when a 1.5 or 1.65 THP pump will suffice?

To make things even more complicated let's say you have a Jandy Aqualink automated system and you want to replace your single-speed pump with a VS pump. I highly suggest that you go with a Jandy VS pump and not even consider Hayward or Pentair. Not because a Jandy VS pump is better, but because it is logical to match the VS pump to the same brand automation. Just like if you were remodeling your kitchen and you purchased a stainless steel LG oven, LG microwave, and an LG refrigerator it would make sense to get an LG Dishwasher. If you have a Hayward or Pentair automation the same concept applies, go with a Hayward VS pump or a Pentair VS pump respectively. 

Let me step back to the THP of the VS pump and say you do not have an automated system. Matching your existing pump HP with a VS pump's THP is a pretty good rule of thumb. If you are replacing a 1 hp single-speed pump you can easily go with a 1 THP. 1.5 THP or 1.65 THP Vs pump. If you have a 1.5 hp single-speed pump you can go with a 1.5 THP, 1.65 THP, or a 1.85 THP VS pump. If you have a 2 hp single-speed pump you can go with a 2.7 THP or 3 THP VS pump. In the first two examples, a Pentair Superflo VST could be the best choice for you. The Pentair Superflo VS is one of my favorites as it is easy to program and very reliable. If you're looking at a 2.7 THP pump you may want to consider Leslie’s Jacuzzi JVS 2.7 THP or a Pentair Intelliflo 3 THP pump. 

I think choosing the best VS pump is situational. And to be perfectly honest all of the major manufacturers make really good VS pumps and it is more or less like choosing an SUV from Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes. There isn’t a lot that separates each from one another.

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Bottom Feeder Vacuum Cart - It Exists!

Advantage Manufacturing is the leading manufacturer of swimming pool service carts and portable filtration carts. From time to time they make some pretty cool custom carts like this one for the Bottom Feeder Vacuum. Why would you need a cart for the Bottom Feeder as it weighs about 12 lbs in total? To carry everything back to the stop with you as well as the Bottom Feeder. 

This was their first generation cart and you can special order the cart with the tray to hold the Bottom Feeder higher up. That way you can also put an empty HASA case in the bottom to carry back your chemicals. This one has the vacuum hose handle on it so I just simply put the Bottom Feeder on it when I want to take other chemicals back to the pool. But you can special order the bottom Feeder Cart to fit your needs. 

You can reach Advantage Manufacturing at 800-636-8866 and if you talk to Eben he will set you up with the Bottom Feeder cart usually in less than 48 hours. Here is a look at their standard service cart: https://www.advantageman.com/category_s/400.htm

Some things I like about the Bottom Feeder cart are of course the fact that you can carry everything back with you to the stop and it makes things very easy. Carrying the Bottom Feeder in one hand is not a real issue but if you are taking a lot back to the stop it can be awkward. The cart just makes your life easy. I also like this configuration because if you decide you need to manually vacuum a pool with your system vac, you can easily put your pool hose onto the cart and load it up with chemicals as well. 

Service carts come in very handy in my opinion and having one for the Bottom Feeder just makes a lot of sense to me. 

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My Predictions for the 2023 Swimming Pool Season

 These prediction episodes are for sure hit and miss as it is hard to account for future events that are of course unpredictable. So here is a shot at predicting the 2023 swimming pool season at the end of 2022.

Will chemical costs come down? There are more factors driving costs up than just supply and demand. It would be great if that was the only factor and all it would take in 2023 but there are labor costs, inflation, and possible strikes to consider. We have to factor in labor and fuel costs which generally go up each year and not down.

Inflation in the industry has been a big issue and I think we will see a leveling off in 2023. It can’t go much higher right? But higher fuel and labor costs will probably keep prices up. Will there be a slight pullback? Maybe in some areas like the 3” trichlor tablets. With leftover supplies from 2022 and the BioLab factory back online, I would assume trichlor prices would see a decline. Maybe not back to pre-2020 levels but off the highs of 2022. 

Will you need to raise the rates on your clients this coming Summer? More than likely the answer is still a yes because you want to stay ahead of inflation and I think prices again will maybe level off or increase with less severity. I would not advise you to let the foot off the gas when it comes to pricing and you should be going up at least 3-5% every year at the minimum. 

What about shortage? Hopefully, those days are behind us and everything will be in supply. The only real worry is that if we are heading into a Recession, suppliers and retailers might order less inventory thinking that what they have will be plenty to sell. It would be more of a pullback by distributors and not any manufacturing shortages. After all, you wouldn’t want to stock products if no one has the money to buy them look at what happened to Carvana with their overstock of used cars and a stock drop of 97%. No one wants to have too much inventory. 

2023 will look a lot like 2022 in my opinion barring any undue surprises. I along with many wish for some stability in the pool industry. Hopefully, 2023 will bring some of that with leveling off and declining prices, plenty of inventory, and no surprises. 

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