Best Hayward Cartridge Pool Filters Reviews
Keeping your pool clean is always a hard work. There are numerous pool cleaners available on the market, varied in features and functions to help clean up your pool water.
You can also use a pool skimmer to collect floating debris. Instill a water test kit to explore containing harmful contaminants then use a chlorine dispenser and a sufficient dosage of pool chemicals to disinfect the water to improve its quality.
Another method to screen out pool contaminants and deeply clarifying your pool water is equipping your pool with a filtering system, composed of a pool pump and a pool filter.
Hayward Pool filters vary in types. I bet you’ve known that cartridge pool filters are among the most common types. Why? It is due to their simple design and ease of use.
However, choosing the best cartridge pool filters from various brands and models is harder and more tiring work. So let my reviews about the best Hayward cartridge pool filters give you a hand.
Hayward C1200 Swim Clear Plus Cartridge Pool Filter
Hayward XStream CC1000 Pool Cartridge Filter
Hayward C3030 Swim Clear Cartridge Pool Filter
Hayward C225 Star Clear Micro Cartridge Pool Filter
Hayward W3C500 StarClear Cartridge Pool Filter, 50 Square Foot
Why Do You Need a Cartridge Pool Filter?
To maintain a sanitary swimming environment, regular cleanup for your pool is required.
Some argue which possesses the best filtering system, among cartridge filter, sand filter, and DE filter. Each type has different outstanding points indeed.
And when it comes to the cartridge filter on my current reviews, it works more efficiently than a sand filter while less expensive than a DE filter.
A cartridge pool filter is respected for its easiness in design, usage, and maintenance. Not to mention its perfect filtering ability when it can trap and remove twice as much dirt and debris as a sand filter can.
Another plus point is no backwashing involved. It means instead of backwashing, you just need to rinse the filter cartridge regularly after use to remove all the contaminants it caught before.
With this unique feature, you can save a significant amount of money for water usage. Don’t worry, a cartridge filter requires straightforward and simple steps for maintenance, I will give you instruction later on my reviews.
This type of pool filter is generally ideal for anyone who is craving for energy and cost-efficient tools but still preeminent in functioning.
Finding the Best Cartridge Pool Filter – Buying Guide
A wise consumer is the one who is always interested in how to choose a product that suits his needs. There are some factors you will need to consider before deciding what Cartridge Pool Filters you should buy. This buying guide will help you to find out the most suitable one.
In-ground/Above-ground
Most people who buy Cartridge Pool Filters will consider the differences between in-ground and above-ground ones. So to help you shop easily, I will describe a few downsides here.
The main difference between above ground and inground pool filters is size. In-ground pool filters are designed to control large pool volume which processes up to 10,000 gallons of pool water per hour so they are larger to allow a high flow rate of water.
Meanwhile, above-ground pool filters are smaller than in-ground ones with the size from under 3000 gallons to over 20000 gallons that help them suitable for any kind of above-ground fools because of their various styles.
Pool Pump Capacity
Because the fool filter is directly related to the pool pump capacity, it is vital to choose the filters that are appropriate to the pump. If the pool pump capacity is too high or too low for the filter capacity, it will put great pressure on the filter and cause damage.
To be able to choose the right filter, the best way that you need to do is to determine the capacity of the pool pump according to the formula for calculating the GMP index. For example, if your pump capacity is 50GPM, the selection of filter equipment must range between 50GPM and 65GPM to operate effectively.
That means the filter flow rate must be rated at least the same GPM as your pump, or higher. With pool filters, it’s best to choose the larger size to make sure it can handle the pressure of your pump.
A helpful rule of thumb is to get a filter with at least 1 square foot per 10,000 gallons pool capacity.
Pool Size
On the current market, there are many kinds of cartridge pool filters that are designed for different pools depending on the size of them. As a result, when buying filters, people should acknowledge the measurement of their pools to find out which is most suitable.
Knowing the volume of the pool is also a mandatory rule to choose an appropriate swimming pool filter. Once the volume of the pool is calculated, it is easy to measure the rate flow through the filter in a certain time unit. Usually, we will measure within 1 minute.
Therefore, if the flow rate of the filter is too much and the operating pressure is too high, we need to use another type of filter with a higher capacity. This will ensure a stable and efficient operation for the pool filter.
How to Clean Cartridge Pool Filters?
It is required to clean your pool cleaner regularly to prolong the lifetime of your product. But how?
The filter cartridge, containing many folds, is responsible for catching all the dirt, debris and other particles. I mean, this department is the dirtiest part and we need to take it out then give it a very deep shower.
Now, let’s get started.
Step 1: Lift the filter cartridge out of the filter housing.
Don’t forget to first turn off the pool pump to stop water flow through the pool filter.
Release pressure built inside the filter by turning the air relief valve counterclockwise. Water will start spraying out until you notice the pressure on the pressure gauge goes to 0 psi.
Turn the locking knob counterclockwise until the pool filter head becomes looser and you can lift the filter head straight off the filter body. But remember, your first-time cleanup might be a little bit hard as the O-ring seal is tightened and you need more power to break it.
Now you can see the cartridge lies inside the filter body, just remove it straight out from the filter housing.
Step 2: Give it a shower
Use a garden hose with full stray nozzle to clean the cartridge from top to bottom. Remember to spray straight down, focus on the areas between the pleats so that all the debris and dirt stuck on the pleated folds will slip down and be removed out from the bottom.
Rotate the cartridge and redo your work again and again, also check inside the cartridge until it looks totally clean.
For deep cleanup, some folks use TSP solution (or some other filter cleaners) with proper dosage according to their instructions, to chemically clean the filter cartridge.
Step 3: Reassemble the filter housing
A useful tip for every cleanup is rubbing a thin coat of lubrication around the O-ring, which will make it more durable over time.
Now just replace the cartridge straight down into the filter body. When replacing the filter head, make sure the O-ring was set properly.
Wanna know whether all the parts are reassembled appropriately or not? Tighten the locking knob clockwise, turn on the pool pump and let the air relief valve open. If there’s a steady stream of water spraying out, congratulate, you’ve done a great job.
