How long should my filter pump run?

How often should the filter be cleaned?

Is there something other than chlorine that can be used to sanitize our pool?

What is the difference between DE filters and Cartridge filters?

What are my options for heating the pool?

How long should my filter pump run? The entire volume of your pool needs to go through your filter at least 1 1/2 times per day, no matter how large or small your pool is. The filter run time may very from pool to pool depending on the pump size, plumbing size and filter. A general rule of thumb is 6 to 8 hours pre day will filter the water 1 1/2 times. The water needs to be filtered thoroughly for water clarity, and to reduce microbes and algae. If a pool has high use and is heated, filter run time should be increased. Commercial pools that have heavy use and are heated are run 24/7. (BACK)

How often should the filter be cleaned? We clean your filter twice a year. This usually happens in January and June. The reason for this is we need to get rid of the debris that has built up in the filter. We like to clean them in January to get rid of the algae and debris accumulated in the filter from the Santa Anna season and the summer season. The cleaning in June gets rid of your winter storm build up and gets you ready for summer. Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) filters can be back washed 2 to 3 times between cleanings but this still doesn't get rid of the dirt that is imbedded in the filter grids. Cartridge filters need to be cleaned more often because you can't back wash them. Of course some filters need emergency cleaning because of severe storms, algae issues or if your filter size is inadequate for your pool volume. (BACK)

Is there something other than chlorine that can be used to sanitize our pool? Yes. Mineral Purification. This is a natural process using Zinc, Silver and a heavily isolated copper element - nature's own purifiers. These minerals are added to your DE Filter (sorry the mineral system is not recommended for use with cartridge filters) where they kill algae and bacteria during the filtering process. This process still requires extremely small levels of chlorine in the water about as much as in our tap water here in North County. The mineral system feels quite nice on the skin and doesn't have the adverse affects on your hair, skin and bathing suits that high levels of chlorine does. While we highly recommend mineral care for your pool it is not the best choice for a family with high traffic use of their pool. In these cases chlorine is far more cost effective. With high pool use the filter will need to be back-washed more often then a moderately used pool, when this cleaning process is performed the mineral charge that collects in the filter grids is lost and will need to be recharged after the back-wash. Bottom line: minerals are very affective and feel great but they can be a bit more expensive.(BACK)

What is the difference between DE filters and Cartridge filters? A D.E. filter utilizes grid system that is coated with diatomaceous earth powder. This is a very effective method of filtering because D.E. filters remove particles as small as 3–5 microns from your water. Cartridge filters on the other hand use one or more paper membrane cartridges that remove particles to about 10-20 microns. (BACK)

What are my options for heating the pool? (BACK)