Didnt expect the sand filter to change my sunday routine this much

Started by Sam Whitaker · · 3 replies
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#1
Random thing that surprised me this week, switched over from the stock cartridge to a real sand filter back in spring and I'm just now realizing how much time it gave me back. Used to be a whole sunday production pulling that cartridge, hosing it down, letting it dry, kids asking why the pool's cloudy for a day. Now its just a backwash for like two minutes and done. Should've clocked this months ago honestly.

Guess what got me was I didn't buy it for convenience, just figured it'd filter better for the algae we get in july. Turns out the time savings is the actual win. Mines been solid all season, worth it just for getting my sundays back, buddy. Anybody else make that switch and have the same reaction

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#2
Backwashing in two minutes versus babysitting a cartridge all day, no contest, Sam. Mine's a vinyl inground so sand's all I've ever run, but I believe every word of that Sunday math.
#3
Only thing I'd push back on Sam, two minutes of backwash still costs you water and a little chemical rebalance after, so it's not quite the free lunch it feels like, up here in Ohio I'm refilling a bit more than I used to with the cartridge setup. Still worth it for July algae though, I'll give you that.
#4
Bill's right about the water and the rebalance after, I noticed that too when we had a sand filter at the old house up in Michigan before we ever moved down here. But the thing that one left out is how much of that water loss you make back just not babysitting a cartridge all day in the heat, down here in Sarasota a cartridge sitting out to dry on a July afternoon practically shrinks from the sun, and you're still out there fiddling with it.

Mine's a cartridge still, I never made the switch, and some Sundays I do envy you fellas with the two minute version. But between the screen cage keeping most of the junk out and the morning swim routine, by the time I'm done with my laps the filter's the last thing on my mind anyway. Good luck with it Sam, sounds like you got your Sundays back either way.