Swimming pool owners--filter usage question
 

We now have an above ground pool with a filter.


We don't like to leave items(except furnace, refrigerator,etc) running while we are at work.

Is it better to run the filter constantly or just a few hours a day?


Thanks,

If you are talking about the pump that circulates water through the filter, you don't need to run it 24 hours a day.

Anywhere from 4 hours to 10 hours a day depending on usage, but you should check with the pool and or filter manufacturer for more details.

I run mine 4 hours a day if the cover is on and 10 hours if it is off but it's a salt water pool and circulating water allows the chlorine generator to make chlorine.

I also have a programmable system with a two variable speed pumps for better efficiency and less sparktricity usage.

I run mine about 6 hours per day. You need to know what the flow rate is, and get 1 to 2 changes of water per day.

I also run the pumps when we're in the pool.

Filter run time and chlorine use increase in the summer. Ours here in hawaii runs 6 hrs. in the winter, 12/13 hrs. in the summer. Chlorine use doubles in the summer also.

Thanks guys.

I'll check the flow rate and adjust the run time as needed.

And run it during the day when algae grows.

The pump run time depends on a number of things including pump flow capacity, pool size, filter capacity/Flow rate, etc. The normal rule of thumb by the "pool men" is for them to claim ". . . you need to run it at least 8 hours . . ." THAT is hog wash!

The above described factors can be researched on the internet, but the true rule of thumb is to run the pump so as to turn the pool over at LEAST twice a day. This assumes that you maintain a chlorine residual of at least 2 parts per million (which is recommended). If you have a higher chlorine residual, you still need to turn the pump over at least twice for filtering purposes. Remember filtering and disinfecting (chlorine) are not the same AND this is the reason that it is so important to know the size of your filter.

Calculate out your pool volume, the volume you need to turn over multiply by two and you have the volume you need to move. Calculate your pump capability (variable pumps need to be calculated at maximum efficient flow based on power consumption).

You should see huge improvement in your pool clarity. IF you notice that the water quality is degrading (foggy etc.) you can adjust your pump timer up to an acceptable level. Algae is a completely different problem usually related to nutrients and that is another story (i.e. PH, Phosphates, type of disinfectant, quality of disinfectant etc.).

SO have fun.

I live in the middle of a very large farm field. Lots of dust and dirt!
I run my pump / filter 24/7!!!

In ground here. 16x32x6
I run my pump about about 8 hours a day. sometimes more if it needs it

How do you tell if it needs more running?

I have a large inground but it's in doors...it would be nice to just run it a few hours a day....

Guess I better figure out the volume and my pump rate.

I have a six year old gunite 38,000 gal pebblesheen pool. During the off season I ran the filter 3 hours and the cleaner (JetVac- I would prefer a Letro/Pentaire Legend) 30 min. In the warmer months I have increased the filter time to 6 hours and the cleaner to 45 min. I have fought a troublesome algae problem which was not a problem the first two seasons.

I added an inline clorinator several years ago. You add the 3 inch tablets and adjust a dial to maintain chlorine levels. Shock occasionally to oxidize chloraminies - (look it up!) Only problem with this is the chlorine dispersal is intermittent.

I am going to run higher chlorine levels (2 ppm) rather than the 0.5 ppm Nature2 system and skip that $120 cartridge. I will pay my teenagers to brush 2x/week. Another no increased cost change is to use TWO Three hour filter periods to circulate the water more frequently. This will slow those late afternoon algae blooms.

Have a swell swim season!

Wayne,

We had had an above-ground 16x24' Doughboy pool fpr 8 years. We have a Hayward sand filter that replaced the original Hayward cartridge filter. We run our filter every night from about 8pm until 7am during swimming season. We always run the filter during swimming sessions and when it's raining, especially if it's a thunderstorm and stuff is getting in the water.

Have you checked the phosphate levels in the pool? This is the food source for the algae. Your commment that the algae was not present for the first two years leads me to believe you may have a phosphate build up. The other thing is that your adding chlorine is another indicator, increases in CL and unstable PH are also indicators.

Is your pool an inground or above ground and how many gallons?

On a related subject. 18 months ago I bought a pool robot, specifically a Smartpool Nitro Wall-Scrubber Model NC71 this thing is amazing, it climbs the walls, and will pick up acorns and leaves. You can get one for around $650. To me, it was worth every penny.