The beauty of cartridge filters is their simplicity. Just a thorough rinsing whenever the pressure gets high. Then no maintenance for the next several months. There’s nothing easier than that. Pool is perfectly clear regardless of filter type so I’ll go with the lowest maintenance and cost
I was so impressed with cartridge filters I built my own for my pond. Interesting listen. Always find some information in your videos that carry over between ponds and pools. Anything more than 10 micron filtration seems a little obsessive to me.
My pool is equipped with D.E. quad 60 sq/ft and multiport valve, during off season I throw in a set of 4 cartridges 320 sq/ft, they hold very well during the winds, however if the pool is packed with dirt I manually vacuum it to a waste, otherwise I let the sweeper take over. Right before summer I throw back the D.E. cartridges for more efficient filtration.
Thanks for the podcast, tired of my Pentair FNS 60 and dealing with DE and grid leaks. I like the size and look of the Aquastar. My pool is 25000 gallons and I'm in San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. I see that Aquastar is in Ventura which is only about 70 miles away. Do you still think this filter is a good upgrade?
Hi David, have you tried Optimum filters? Prices for filters have gone up tremendously. My last purchase for 4 Pleatco 420 was $170.00 now it’s $360.00
Im a pool pro, I find those Amazon cheapy filter to be a waste of time and money. The water flow is horrible, and you will need to wash/clean them very very often. You might be able to get away with them if you have a very dust/leaves/debris free area around the pool, but I will only install Pleatco, Pentair Hayward or Filbur cartridges.
Why not run a Sand filter, and add a stage of DE or Cartridge AFTER it? This way the DE or Cart will last much much longer before needing to clean or change. Sort of like the Ausi thing you add in front. If sand is easiest and cheapest, what the heck are we doing?...Just use a nice size sand, and then add a finer cleaner after it..DONE!
Would you say that taking the CPO would equip you with all the tools you would need to launch your own pool route? My problem is I know nothing about repairs and from what i understand that's a big profit margin in the industry.
😊 The CPO will give you basic pool knowledge and water care information great for weekly cleaning. It will not give you repair information on equipment.
It's best to work for a company while learning the trade. About 30% of people who jump right in cold don't make it very long. None of it is "rocket science" but there is a LOT you'll need to know. Rookie mistakes can really cost you.
Why not make a DE filter the same shape as the Cartridge filter membranes? Or just better quality materials in a DE grid.... There is no advantage of cartridge if they just applied the shape to the grid membrane. They should also make a chamber that cleans DE, and you can recycle it. The industry has to get less greedy and make more long term solutions and promotions of pools, as more and more people end up closing their pools and growing their own organic greens food...Which is a good thing, but not so much for enjoying hot weathers, but even that has been taking a hit from climate changers. So..Maybe pools are just something not expected to have? IDK? The DE grids, IF made better, they can last 5+ years or more, if they improve, and a sack of DE is $9-20 tops. You can even use some cheap perlite. Also, DE filter grids is only replace if it is leaking. If it takes long for a cartridge filter...Forget it! it would be the only reason I could see. DE filter is easy to deal with, other than the one I have the 72sq ft stainless tank with the long grids.
You make some good points about being able to clean DE filters and recycle the DE. I would like to see a self cleaning DE filter. The DE filter shaped as a cartridge already exists. Its made by Pentair and its called "Quad DE". They are horrible in my opinion especially if you have dirt and debris nearby, they clog up very very quickly. They are however the easiest to clean, but they have the smallest filter capacity of all. Cannot go wrong with the correct size paper cartidge filters.
