Aftermarket Pump/Filter Systems for your Intex Pool

Some users have decided to take advantage of the extra power, features and reliability of pump/filter systems from conventional in ground or hard-walled pools. The pumps are more powerful to circulate the water more quickly. They are also quieter and will probably last longer than Intex pumps. You may be tempted to use the most powerful pump available, however this may not be the best idea because your hoses & fittings may not be able to handle the extra pressure from the pump. The ideal pump for your pool combines quietness, reliability, and flow that is slightly higher than the pump included with your pool kit.

Cartridge Type Pool Filters

The first kind of pump/filter system used in conventional or hard walled pools are known as cartridge type. They are very similar to the filtering system included with your Intex pool kit. They use a filter element made of paper that you clean or replace as needed. Frankly, these don’t offer many advantages over the system included with your pool other than the fact that they use larger elements that don’t need to be serviced as often.

DE Filters

The second type of filters are called dimetrius earth (DE) filters. DE filters consist of a canister filled with a special sediment that traps the dirt, slime, debris and algae in the water as the water is pumped through. DE filters offer very good performance and will filter out particles of very small size. However, in some cases the sediment is able to pass through the filtering system and ends up in your pool. The sediment is very fine and is a very dark brown color. It can be difficult and unpleasant to clean out of the pool. DE filters must be backwashed at various intervals and eventually you will need to replace the sediment.

Sand Filters

The third, and most popular type of filters are sand filters. Their construction & operation is similar to DE filters. Sand filters use a canister filled with sand. As water is pumped through the system, particles are trapped in the sand and removed from the water. However, as suggested by the name, sand filters simply use sand rather than DE to filter the water. If sandĀ gets into your pool, it’s not as troublesome to clean up as it is with a DE filter. Sand filters must also be backwashed on occasion and eventually the sand must be replaced.

Summary

As noted earlier, pump/filter systems from conventional in-ground on hard walled above ground pools generally offer better performance, better reliability and easier maintenance. However they are quite a bit more expensive than the pump that came with your pool. Additionally, these systems use hoses and fittings that are of a different size than the ones that came with your pool. So, it’s necessary to install fittings that will adapt from the Intex sizes to the conventional sizes.

 

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