Pool Filters for Your Above Ground Swimming Pool

Overview

The main purpose of your above-ground swimming pool is to remove debris that gets into it. This debris could be stuff that has fallen in from the outside of the pool. (Don’t forget to use your swimming pool cover!) But it is also an important part of the process of cleaning your pool along with your swimming pool chemicals.

When the chemicals have done their job and bonded with an organic molecule such as a virus or bacteria, the filter then removes the results.

Types of filters

There are three basic types of pool filters available today – Sand, Cartridge, or DE filters. They all work on the same basic principle of running the water of the pool in through the filtering medium, and then returning the filtered water back to the pool.

Sand filters use sand to sift particles out of the water as the water passes through the sand. This type of filter has been around the longest. It also happens to be the least effective at removing very small particles. It can only filter down to about 20-40 microns.

Cartridge filters can filter out much smaller particles than Sand filters. Besides being able to clean out more particles from your above-ground swimming pool, these pool filters require less cleaning on an annual basis. And let’s face it, if you don’t have to spend time cleaning the swimming pool filter every 1-2 weeks, the greater cost of the Cartridge system starts to be more appealing.

DE filters use diatomaceous earth for the filtering process. DE is the fossilized remains of algae. DE makes the best material for pool cleaning because it is able to filter out debris down to 3-5 microns.

Costs of Filters

As you might expect, the relative costs of the filters ranges in the same order as listed above, with sand filter systems being the least expensive, and Cartridge and DE filters being in the same general price range. Don’t forget that you will likely need to look at your pool pump to make sure that it will be able to work with the filter type you are thinking about using.

Conclusion

Take the time to think about what level of cleaning you’re likely to need, what kinds of costs will fit your budget, and how much time of your pool cleaning time you will need to spend on your pool filter system and you will be able to decide which system will be right for you.

photo credit: billjacobus1