Filter Info

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Pool filters remove dirt and impurities from pool water and are a core component to a swimming pool. Without a filter, the water wouldn't stay clean.

There are three basic types of pool filters - sand, cartridge, and diatomaceous earth (D.E.). You should familiarize yourself with all of them, but be sure to learn your specific system inside and out.

Sand Filters

Sand filters are the most common filter type used with swimming pools. They consist of a tank or vessel filled with a special grade of sand and usually come equipped with a multi-purpose valve, used to control water flow in and around the filter system. This valve is what makes sand filters so popular, offering flexibility that other filter systems do not have.

Cartridge Filters

Cartridge filters use pleated paper-like filters to trap dirt and other impurities in the pool water. With the ability to trap finer particles than sand, these systems offer an advanced level of cleaning and can reduce the need for clarifiers and other chemicals used to clear the water. For an indoor pool that isn't exposed to a great deal of leaves and other heavy debris, cartridge filters are great choice. For an outdoor pool sand is most recommended and D.E. offers the higher quality filtration, but requires more maintenance.

Diatomaceous Earth Filters (D.E.)

D.E. filters are similar to sand and cartridge filters but use a finer filter media. Called D.E. Powder, this material has the consistency of flour, and is derived from the dried skeletons of a tiny water plant, called diatom. Coating a series of grids inside the tank, it has the ability to trap impurities up to three times smaller than other filter medias. Although these filters offer the best filtration, cleaning and replacing the grids inside the tank can be labor intensive, and they are composed of far more internal parts than sand or cartridge systems.