Are sand filters enough? Do I need chemicals and/or a salt water pump too?

[rnacker1016]

Hi! We recently ordered this pool and are waiting for it to come. I've got the yard, and leveling figured out. My only question left is the filter. Is the included sand filter good enough? Should I also get a salt water system as well?

With the sand filter, I'm going to use glass media. Just still confused about needing a salt water system, chemicals, or just the sand.

I see Intex sells this sand and salt filter/pump, should I just go with this and ditch the one it comes with by default? If I get this, I'm going to use the glass media, but do I also need to put salt somewhere?

Thank you!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Hello! Welcome to TFP
Its perfectly okay to start out with the one provided with the pool. I would suggest pool sand (#20 silica) over glass media.
The Salt System is how the pool gets its daily dose of chlorine- You can buy the system (adding the appropriate salt and stabilizer) and let it work for you. Or you add a daily dose of Liquid Chlorine such as found in the pool section of Walmart.

You may later decide to buy up a larger pool and pump.

Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

Smaller seasonal pools can see just as much enjoyment as their larger counterparts. In this guide we'll show you how to maintain your temporary pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Maddie

 

[rnacker1016]

Hello! Welcome to TFP
Its perfectly okay to start out with the one provided with the pool. I would suggest pool sand (#20 silica) over glass media.
The Salt System is how the pool gets its daily dose of chlorine- You can buy the system (adding the appropriate salt and stabilizer) and let it work for you. Or you add a daily dose of Liquid Chlorine such as found in the pool section of Walmart.

You may later decide to buy up a larger pool and pump.

Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

Smaller seasonal pools can see just as much enjoyment as their larger counterparts. In this guide we'll show you how to maintain your temporary pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Maddie

Thank you!

So the included filter would be fine to use as long as we used chlorine with the pool. If we didn't want to use chlorine or any chemicals, I'd buy that pump I linked and then salt and sand?

It looks like I'd need about 115 pounds of sand dumped directly into the pool and mixed around, and then 77 pounds of sand into the filter mixed with a little bit of water. Does this all sound right?

 

[Donldson]

If we didn't want to use chlorine or any chemicals

Nothing will prevent the necessity of a sanitizer in the water (salt pools are chlorine pools where the chlorine is made on-site) or chemicals to adjust the balance of pH, TA, and CYA. With 5000 gallons of water it's not the kind of pool you want to be dumping regularly to keep the water safe and fresh.

Welcome to TFP!

 

[rnacker1016]

Nothing will prevent the necessity of a sanitizer in the water (salt pools are chlorine pools where the chlorine is made on-site) or chemicals to adjust the balance of pH, TA, and CYA. With 5000 gallons of water it's not the kind of pool you want to be dumping regularly to keep the water safe and fresh.

Welcome to TFP!

Thanks for the reply! So do you think the sand + salt pump would be OK?

 

[Donldson]

The filter is a bit small for that size pool, but that mostly means backwashing more often. On the whole though a sand filter with saltwater chlorine generator is an excellent choice for water management.

Just be careful you don't fall in to the trap of "set it and forget it" with salt pools, once dialed in it is less work than a manually chlorinated pool but still requires monitoring and keeping on top of any changes to the water chemistry. Too often they are sold as systems that don't require any work and it's a sure way to a green pool and early death for the salt cell. A little preventative maintenance goes a long way.

 

[rnacker1016]

The filter is a bit small for that size pool, but that mostly means backwashing more often. On the whole though a sand filter with saltwater chlorine generator is an excellent choice for water management.

Just be careful you don't fall in to the trap of "set it and forget it" with salt pools, once dialed in it is less work than a manually chlorinated pool but still requires monitoring and keeping on top of any changes to the water chemistry. Too often they are sold as systems that don't require any work and it's a sure way to a green pool and early death for the salt cell. A little preventative maintenance goes a long way.

Hmm ok, thanks! I thought the one I linked would be good considered it was larger than the one they include.

Going to place the order now and get going!

 

[dBsooner]

Thanks for the reply! So do you think the sand + salt pump would be OK?

You don’t need the salt water generator at first. Just go with what Intex gives you at first. It’s a little more maintenance by adding liquid chlorine daily, but you also get the feel for how pool water chemistry works. Also, SWGs can be hard to dial in at first, especially for first timers.

No matter what, you will have chlorine in the pool. That’s what sanitizes the water, making it safe. Whether you get that chlorine from adding it yourself from a 1 gal jug you can get for $3-6 and use about 1-2 gallons a week, or you use a salt water generator, you’ll still be using chlorine in the pool.

Either way, you’ll want to get a good test kit to keep an eye on your water chemistry. Depending on if you get the SWG or not, will determine which kit is recommended. The TF-Pro or TF-100 for non swg or the “Salt” versions of both if you do.

 

[PoolStored]

Get the saltwater generator and don't look back. They are not hard to use and sure beat lugging jugs.

We have lots of users complain, or have issues with AGPs because the filters are undersized. Get the largest filter you can afford.

Avoid the glass media. Use sand. Make sure to backwash the sand sufficiently when you charge it.

Enjoy the new pool!

 

[VinnyinNJ]

A lot of people have sand filters, as was said a bigger filter means less back washing. Both filters you listed are the same GPH but the one you listed separate has a salt water chlorine generator (SWG) built in. I guess someone who knows about this system could tell you if the SWG is enough for a pool this size. If the SWG is not sized correctly you will have issues with the pool's water. You may want to think about a separate SWG vs this so if you ever go bigger than what you are buying it probably will work OK; one issue though is price - nothing will come close to the price of the filter and SWG combo.

Read up on water care basics - Pool Care Basics Archives before you buy anything. Nothing is maintenance free, everything requires us to do something to it. Get a good pool testing kit either Taylor or here: TFtestkits.net You won't need a salt test kit if you don't use a SWG but you will need one if you decide to get that filter/SWG combo or a separate SWG.

Don't put anything "special" into the water, just use liquid chlorine (or SWG) and again read up on what is needed to balance the water - chemicals and the proper levels for your pool water volume size.

 

[duraleigh]

We have lots of users complain, or have issues with AGPs because the filters are undersized. Get the largest filter you can afford.

Avoid the glass media. Use sand.

Get a bigger filter.......you will never regret it. Get sand instead of glass, you will never regret that, either.

 

[Bperry]

Thank you!

So the included filter would be fine to use as long as we used chlorine with the pool. If we didn't want to use chlorine or any chemicals, I'd buy that pump I linked and then salt and sand?

It looks like I'd need about 115 pounds of sand dumped directly into the pool and mixed around, and then 77 pounds of sand into the filter mixed with a little bit of water. Does this all sound right?

Just to make sure, you don’t put sand directly in the pool. Sand only goes in the filter. Salt goes into the pool if you are using a salt water chlorinator.

 

[dBsooner]

Just to make sure, you don’t put sand directly in the pool. Sand only goes in the filter. Salt goes into the pool if you are using a salt water chlorinator.

*EDIT*
I just realized I responded to bperry’s statement. Not a question from the OP. I was outside vacuuming the pool in 92 degree with 40% humidity. Obviously didn’t pay attention. So, my post is more of a “reiteration” of what @Bperry said. Lol. I apologize for any confusion.
*end edit*

Never put sand in the pool. It’s in the filter. The filter has parts of it to prevent the sand from getting into the pool.

Salt is introduced with a lot of chemicals, especially liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite). The SWG has a salt cell in it and uses electricity to make chlorine.

 

[rnacker1016]

Thank you everyone! Also, @duraleigh and @VinnyinNJ would you recommend this one instead?

Amazon.com

 

[VinnyinNJ]

The filter is sized for a 7000 gallon pool and your pool appears to be slightly under 5000 gallons. I don't know intex at all (I do have a couple of intex floats!) so I really can't answer with 100% certainty. Typically you want a SWG that can handle 2x the size of the pool, my SWG can handle about 1 1/2 x my pool. The filter you just posted is almost 1 1/2x so it will probably work. Again, I may be totally wrong only because I don't know intex products.The first separate filter/SWG said up to 8000 gallons ... I am always suspicious when something says "up to".

The problem comes from run time for the SWG. If you run the pump 24/7 and if you need to run the SWG at 100% for the same amount of time the cell may give up much sooner (it's never good to run anything at 100% all the time, especially consumer based products). You do have to run the pump long enough to have the SWG generate enough chlorine for daily loss and keep your minimum free chlorine above a specific amount which is based on the amount of stabilizer in the pool.

Hopefully some can give you a yes/no answer.

 

[PoolStored]

Thank you everyone! Also, @duraleigh and @VinnyinNJ would you recommend this one instead?

Amazon.com

The intex you are linking outputs 5g/hour = 120g/day = .26lb/day = 6.2 FC in your pool in ideal conditions. I'm in Ohio and can use up to 5.5 per day in the summer. May be taxed to keep up.

I'd go with the 15,000. It will not work so hard and likely last longer. In any case, get the biggest filter and SWCG you can afford...

Amazon.com

 

[rnacker1016]

Just to make sure, you don’t put sand directly in the pool. Sand only goes in the filter. Salt goes into the pool if you are using a salt water chlorinator.

Oops just realized. I meant 115 pounds of salt in the pool.