Hi,
My old and knackered DE pool filter finally broke a few days ago and after a chat to the local environmentally friendly pool shop thought about getting a cylcone pool filter with a cartridge filter instead of a sand filter. Anyone tried one of these before? Any experts out there who rate or hate them? The shop guy told me they are apparently better at water conservation and easy to maintain but then he is trying to sell it.

Cheers

when ever the poolman has been round to repair somthing he has allways told me a sand filter is the way to go rather than what i have the cyclone type GARY

Hi Gary,
Did he say why the sand filter was better? There isn't a whole lot of unbiased info on the web about cyclone + cartridge filters, most of it is from companies selling them so any info from someone who has one or knows about them would be useful.

Cheers

Chris

Don't know about Cyclone but we have a cartridge filter and it's brilliant. Doesn't need gallons of water to clean it out, just take it out and give it a rinse. Very little to do. Works a treat. Shame it's been too chilly to get in all year

I've got a cartridge filter. They are easy enough to clean, but I think you need to replace them once a year. I haven't changed mine yet, it's overdue and I believe it's about $100 or so.

The biggest problem I have is the whole system is closed so I can't backwash the pool in winter - if I need to drop the level I have to disconnect the pump line and put a coupler onto a hose to pump water out.

[Having said all that, I think my installation is rather mucked up - that's what happens when you use Freedom pools and don't know anything about pools. Don't get me started on the bust solar heating that failed after 13 months and still doesn't work - but I'm damned if I'll get them into fix it].

We've never been advised to change the filters yearly Hubby just rinses them out every few months. Why do you need to backwash the pool?

[At least I think it's called backwashing !!!]

With the amount of rain that's been hammering down in Perth in July, I had to pump some out of the pool as the water level was too high and well above the top of the skimmer box - any higher and it would be at the level of the seal between the pool and edge paving - one more REALLY good downpour and my patio would be VERY wet.....

As for the yearly change, that's what I was advised at the start. It depends on the amount of crap in the pool I suppose - I've had problems with sand etc in my pool due to its location so the filter after nearly 2 years just isn't much good now.

OK. Don't think it's called backwashing. We just call it draining some out I can see the problems that would be caused with sand. Our only problem is with leaves but they don't get as far as the filters so the occasional rinse off is all we need.

Our sand filter is fine but the dial switching mechanism is stuffed - does not engage and now leaks. Which means this winter our pool has not been vacumed . ;-)

I think we might go the cartridge route as I can wash it out and it will take up less space. The deck got repaired with a new piece of 4x2 right over the dial, so it's difficult to lock and move it.

Even if a sand filter, and DE probably is, is better than cartridge I still think convenience might swing it for us.

Thiss what the cyclone is supposed help with, it goes before your filter and vortexes the water removing all the main crap before it reaches the filter. All the bits float to the botoom where you can just drain them off. It is described here:
http://www.directpoolsupplies.com.au/category227_1.htm