Choosing Between a Sand Filter or Cartridge Filter: Everything You Need To Know.

Alright, so I’ve been messing around with pool filters lately, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a journey. I started out not knowing a darn thing about sand filters versus cartridge filters. I mean, a filter’s a filter, right? Boy, was I wrong.

First, I did some digging online. Read a few articles, watched a couple of videos. Seemed like a lot of folks were saying sand filters were the way to go for bigger pools, you know, the kind you can actually swim laps in. And cartridge filters, those were apparently better for smaller pools and getting rid of those nasty chemicals that make your skin itch.

My Pool Situation

Now, my pool isn’t exactly Olympic-sized, but it’s not a kiddie pool either. It holds a decent amount of water. Initially I figured the cartridge system might be easier for me, but it turned out the sand option is also great for big pools, so I felt a bit confused.

Delving into Sand Filters

So, I started with the sand filter idea. I got myself a decent-looking one, hooked it up, and it felt simple enough at first. The water was going through, so that’s a good sign, I thought. It did a pretty good job at first, the water looked okay.

Cartridge Filter Experiment

But I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to see what the fuss was about with these cartridge filters. So, I swapped out the sand filter, got a cartridge filter, and set that up. These things are supposed to be better at catching the smaller gunk, you know, that cloudy stuff that makes the water look kinda meh.

My Observations

Here’s what I found:

• Sand Filter: Cheaper upfront, pretty simple to use. I was replacing the sand about every 4-5 years, but there was backwashing that I needed to do every week. It did the job for the bigger stuff.
• Cartridge Filter: A bit pricier to start, but definitely seemed to clear up the water better, especially with the finer particles. No backwashing is needed, which is really convenient. The cartridges need replacing more often, around every 1-2 years, which can add up the cost.

After messing with both, I gotta say, for my pool, the cartridge filter seems to be winning. Yeah, it’s a bit more work replacing those cartridges, but the water just looks so much clearer, way better than what I was getting with the sand. I really love the result I got.

Anyway, that’s my little pool filter adventure. It might sound a bit messy, but hey, that’s how you learn, right? By getting your hands dirty and trying things out. I hope my experience helps someone out there who might be confused about which way to go, sand or cartridge. Both have their pros and cons for sure. Just gotta figure out what works best for your own pool.