Does a D.E. Pool Filter Clean My Pool Water the Best?

Diatomaceous Earth pool filters or D.E. filters are the most efficient pool filter money can buy!

D.E. filters use a powder that is made from cremated krill and other sea urchins. Inside a the filter tank there are filter grids. These grids are covered with a canvas type of material. The covering on these grids will filter your pool water by itself but when they get dirty the grids remain dirty and cannot be backwashed clean. The D.E. powder is a sacrificial coating that protects the grids from the dirt that is filtered out of your pool water. 

The process of backwashing is completed by using a valve whether rotary, push/pull, kick, or spin style. The pool pump is turned off while the valve changes position from filter to backwash. The pump is turned back on when the valve is in the backwash position. Water flow through the filter is reversed and disposed of through the sewer. This process takes place for 1 minute to 1.5 minutes. Then the pump is turned back off to switch the valve back to the filter position. The final step is to add D.E. powder back into the filter through the pool skimmer while the pump is running. ** Always follow the manufacture’s recommended procedure.**

A D.E. filter requires 1 pound of D.E. powder per 10 square feet of filter area. (A 48 square foot filter requires 5 pounds of D.E. powder.) Many people do not add the D. E. powder back into filter after backwashing and results in needing unneeded pool repairs. When this happens it is necessary to take the filter apart and wash the grids manually.

Also when the pool water does not clear up, the pool stays dirty, the automatic pool cleaner ceases to work properly, or when adding D.E. powder after backwashing you visually see the powder coming back into the pool through the returns then your filter has damage inside. If you have a pool service company then get hold of them. They will diagnose your filter’s internal damage and fix the internal problem if you so choose. 

In order to act upon the damage inside your D.E. filter turn the power to your pool pump off. Second, open the air relief valve open and place the backwash valve into the backwash position. Third, remove the clamp, clamps, or bolts holding the two filter halves together. Fourth, remove the grid assembly. Fifth, disassemble the grid assembly. Sixth, using a hose and nozzle wash the grids, top manifold, grid retainer, inside the filter tank, and filter tank O-ring. Seventh, inspect all the filter internals for holes, cracks, or even missing pieces. Eighth, replace all necessary parts. Local swimming pool stores or online stores are great resources for swimming pool parts. Ninth, reverse the entire process. Finally, add D.E. powder into the pool skimmer while the pump is running with the backwash valve in the filter position. ** Always follow the manufacture’s recommended procedure.**

D.E. filters are great pool filters for pools that do not have high volume of debris that gets into the pool water. So if you have lots of vegetation then this filter is not for you. They do filter down to as fine as 2 microns! A micron is the thickness of a human hair! D.E. filters produce the clearest sparkling water worthy of bottling!