Like Your Pool Pump, Your Filtration System Is A Essential Item To Maintaining Water Clarity. So Its Time To Clean Your Sand Filter / Cartridge Filter. It May Sound Difficult, But There Is No Way Around It When Owning A Swimming Pool. So By Following This Guide, We Hope To Make It As Easy As Possible.

The two most common types of filters found in Australia are sand filters & cartridge filters. Both have their benefits, so it really comes down to personal choice and preference.

SAND FILTERS:

Sand Filters are commonly filled with filtration sand (like zeolite or diamond brite) or glass media. They filter the water by pushing the water down through your filtration media, filtering out all impurities like dust, dirt & oils. then returning clean water back to your swimming pool. Over time the filtration will become clogged & need cleaning. The process of cleaning a sand filter is commonly known as backwashing.

Most Sand Filters On the market will have 6 different valve positions. Filter, Rinse, Backwash, Recirculate, Rinse & Closed. Our Following Illustrations are Of the Zodiac ZT650 but should suit most sand filters.

FILTER – Normal Filtration Position. Suction Is Coming From The Pool, Water Is being Pushed Through The Filter, Getting cleaned & returning clean water back to your pool

BACKWASH – Cleans Filter By Reversing The Water Flow & Sending The Water Out Your Waste Line.

RINSE – Used After Backwash To Flush Dirt From The Valve. Also, Re-compacts Your Filtration Media

WASTE – By-passes Filter, Used For Vacuuming To Waste Or Lowering Water Level

RECIRCULATE – Returns Water Back To Your Pool Without Being Filtered

CLOSED – Shuts Off All Flow To Filter Or Pool

Now that the basics have been covered Its now time to clean your Sand Filter. Just simply follow this step by step guide:

1.  Turn OFF Your Pump
2. Push Down On MPV (MultiPort Valve) Handle & Rotate Around To Backwash
3. Turn Pump Back On & Backwash System Until Sight Glass Runs Clear (Roughly 2 Mins)
4. Turn OFF Your Pump
5. Push Down On MPV Handle & Rotate Around To Rinse
6. Turn Pump Back On & Rinse System Until Sight Glass Runs Clear (Roughly .5-1 Mins)
7. Turn OFF Your Pump
8. Push Down On MPV Handle & Rotate Back To Filter & Resume Normal Operation.

Please make sure that the handle locks into each position properly.

CARTRIDGE FILTERS:

Cartridge filtration is an effective trouble-free proven method of filtration. Pool water enters the filter and passes through a polyester single element cartridge. Suspended particles are trapped and the water is returned to the pool. As the build-up of dirt in the element increases, so the water pressure rises and the flow decreases. When the pressure gauge reaches an unacceptable level, the element must be removed and cleaned (spray washing with a common garden hose is generally sufficient or try using the WaterWand Pro)

Again this step by step & Illustration is Of A Zodiac CF Cartridge Filter but should suit most systems on the market.

Cleaning Process:

1. Turn OFF Your Pump
2. Unscrew & Remove Air Bleeder
3. Unscrew The Locking Collar & Lift Out Your Cartridge Element
4. Stand Cartridge Filter Up & Start Washing Out Your Filter. Use Either A Garden Hose And Nozzle Or A WaterWand Pro.
5. Rotate Cartridge & Wash From The Top Down. We Repeat This Process Twice
6. Cartridge’s May Need To Be Soaked In A Degresser/Descaler.

Re-Assembly Process:

1. Re-Install Filter Cartridge
2. Before Firmly Placing Cartridge Lid Back On Make Sure O-Ring Is Clean, Lubricated & Correctly Sitting In Groove
3. Screw Down The Locking Collar. Be Careful To Not Over Tighten
4. Screw Down Air Bleeder & Then Turn Back Slightly
5. If Necessary Make Sure To Prime Your Pool Pump
6. Turn Your Pump Back On
7. Close the air bleed valve when all air has been expelled from the system

Lastly, The Biggest Question We Recieve Is How Often should I clean my Filtration System? Beliefs on this vary depending on who you talk to. Most Commonly you monitor your systems pressure gauge, & clean the system when the pressure begins to rise. In our experience its good practice to get into a routine of cleaning your filtration system every 4-6 weeks.