Pool Filters have only one job- to clean the water that has passed through it. Once the larger pieces, like leaves and acorns, are retrieved in the pump basket, the smaller items are removed from the water by passing through a media inside of the filter- either sand, DE (diatomaceous earth) powder, or a cartridge. Each media must be maintained in a particular way to keep it running well and strong. Crystal clear and sparkling clean swimming pool water. This is the end result of an efficient and well maintained filter.

Sand Pool Filters
Probably the easiest filters to own and maintain. Having very few internal parts and a lot of sand and/or pea gravel, there is little you need to do to keep this filter running strong all season. Backwashing the filter once a week - or more often if the water is very dirty - is the most maintenance you need to perform. Sand usually lasts anywhere from 8-10 years, although it may need to be changed sooner if the sand has "channelled." Channelling is when the sand is pushed aside by the water which makes a path down from the top to the bottom of filter without actually going through the sand resulting in the water not getting cleaned.

DE (Diatomaceous Earth) Pool Filters
DE Filters have been long known as the filter which removes the finest particles out of your water - right down to a few microns! In a diatomaceous earth filter, water from the pool passes through filter grids coated with diatomaceous earth, a fine powder made from the chemically inert, fossilized remains of sea organisms called diatoms. With DE filters, weekly filter recharging is required. Each time you "bump" the filter, you need to add some more DE powder to the filter, generally through the skimmer.

Cartridge Pool Filters
These fit somewhere in between the performance and maintenance required for a sand or DE filter. The cartridge inside the tank must be removed and rinsed off each week to remove the debris from the element. It is recommended you replace the cartridge each year. You could also have a spare cartridge element on hand so when one is being cleaned, the other can be installed - no filter down time!