The private pool on the site is a source of inexhaustible joy and good mood, as well as a place where you can relax after a busy day. But in order to keep it clean, it is worth paying utmost attention to its arrangement. You must admit that untimely water purification and its disinfection can turn the pool into a source of serious health hazard for swimmers.
To prevent this from happening, you need to be very responsible for the choice of equipment for water treatment. A properly selected filter for the pool will not only significantly improve the quality of water, but also save money on disinfection work. We will talk about ways to purify water and what equipment is used for this purpose.
Useful recommendations on the selection of filtering equipment, as well as the advice of experienced professionals are presented in our article. And the above photographs and videos will help you better understand how to independently conduct water purification in the pool.
Water Filtration Options
Water circulation and the use of filter systems are the key to the quality work of any pool. According to the method of water intake, skimmer and overflow pools are distinguished. In each of them, water is taken for cleaning from the bottom and from the top.
In this case, the fence from the bottom is the same for each type of pool, and the fence from the surface is slightly different.
Option # 1 - water filtration in an overflow pool
Water splashed outside the bowl of the overflow pool enters special drains, directing it first to the tank, and only then to the filtration.
The peculiarity of the pool is that the surface of the water is at the same level with the rim. The lion's share of pollution is initially located in the upper layer, so the dirtiest water gets into the drain.
With a large accumulation of swimmers in the pool, the maximum movement of water is achieved and its intensive splashing over the side is ensured along with the lion's share of pollution
If there is no movement in the pool, then there is no flow of water into the drain. In this regard, this cleaning scheme is ideal for stationary structures. It is not applicable for frame and inflatable pools.
Option # 2 - water filtration in a skimmer pool
Suction openings of stationary skimmer pools are located on the upper part of the walls. In frame and inflatable pools, skimmers are immersed to a shallow depth, hanging directly on the side.
The surface of the water with this method of sampling is 0.2-0.3 m below the top of the side. The main disadvantage of this water extraction is that due to the low location of the nozzles, surface contamination is poorly removed.
The in-depth arrangement of the suction nozzles of the skimmer pools often becomes the reason for the ineffective removal of surface contaminants located on the surface of the water mirror
No matter how efficient the surface cleaners work, some of the contaminants in any case will fall to the bottom in the form of sediment. To remove sediment, it is necessary to ensure the selection of water from below and its supply to the filter.
The problem is solved by constructing bottom drains, through which water is transported to filtering devices.
The number of wall and bottom water intakes depends on the volume of water in the pool, the degree of contamination, and the intensity of operation. In this case, the rule must be observed: 3 parts of water are supplied to the filter from the top, and 1 part is supplied from the bottom.
Bottom openings perform another important function - they provide full or partial drainage of water. This procedure is necessary for disinfection, mechanical cleaning of the walls, major work or conservation of the pool.
Option # 3 - cleaning with a filter unit
The water taken through skimmers and bottom holes is fed to a coarse filter, after which, under the action of a circulation pump, it is transferred to a filter station for finer cleaning.
Also, the system may have a bacterial cleaning agent (ozonizer, chlorine generator, etc.), a device for heating water. After passing through all stages, purified and heated water is fed into the pool bowl.
Filtration is an excellent way to purify water from impurities, in this regard, the presence of a high-quality filtration plant is an integral part of any pool
The input zone of purified water is determined by the type of pool. In overflow varieties, injection zones are located at the bottom, and in skimmer ones, from the side opposite to the location of the skimmers. Such placement of injection zones provides better circulation of water and its uniform cleaning.
What to look at when choosing a filter?
The main criterion that should be followed when choosing a filter for the pool is the throughput. This value is calculated in liters or cubic meters of water, cleaned by the system per hour of operation.
With the help of modern filters for pools, even microscopic inclusions can be eliminated, not to mention large particles. The degree of purification is determined by the filtration rate and the type of filter used.
At a lower speed, the maximum degree of water purification is ensured. In this case, the basic rule must be observed: the entire volume of water must pass through the filtration unit at least three times.
The water passing through the filter unit is devoid of small inclusions of various kinds of garbage. Moreover, purified water is safe for bathing not only adults, but also the younger generation
When choosing a pump, it is necessary to focus on the volume of the pool. It should be borne in mind that an increase in the rate of passage of water through the filler leads to a decrease in the quality of treatment. Obviously, for a powerful pump, you need to select a filler with a large capacity.
Modern cleaning plants and filters are sold as a set, so there is no need to select a container for the pump or vice versa. Determining the filter performance is quite simple. To do this, the total volume of water in the pool must be multiplied by 2.5 and divided by 10.
For example, take a 10x4x4 pool that holds 80 tons of water. Calculate: 80x2.5 / 10 = 20 m3 / hour. The filtration unit for the pool should be selected based on the calculated capacity.
Types of Pool Filters
Depending on the material used for filtering, the following pool filters are distinguished:
- Mechanical;
- Chemical;
- Electrophysical;
- Combined.
Each of the presented filters can only partially solve the problem of water purification. That is why filtration systems consisting of several different types of filters have maximum efficiency.
No. 1 - mechanical filters for the pool
The following materials can be used as the filter element of mechanical filters:
- sand;
- woven or non-woven membrane;
- Activated carbon.
The principle of operation of a mechanical filter is quite simple - a membrane, layers of coal or sand, passing water through it, retain the lion's share of contaminants. The output is purified water, which has lost almost all impurities.
All pool filters that work on the principle of mechanical cleaning can be classified as follows:
- sand;
- cartridge;
- diatoms
This cleaning option is suitable for small pools up to 10 cubic meters. In large pools, in addition to mechanical cleaning, you will have to use a chemical one.
Sand Cleaning Filters
Sand-filled filters are the most affordable and easiest cleaning systems. As a rule, the filter consists of a closed plastic container with two openings designed for water inlet and outlet.
Most often, the tank is filled with quartz sand, which serves as a filter material.
Factory-made sand filter pumps are used for purification and recycling of purified water in inflatable and frame prefabricated pools. Change the sand in the unit every five years
Organic impurities and mineral salts are easily trapped in the filter layer of silica sand. The same thing happens with chemical compounds that result from pool disinfection.
The disadvantage of this filter is the ability to retain particles not exceeding a size of 20 microns. Service life - no more than 3 years.
It is possible to increase the life of a sand filter to 5-6 years and increase the degree of water purification by replacing quartz sand with glass. Combined filling with a heterogeneous composition, in which alternating layers of gravel, gravel and sand are successively located, has proven itself even better.
The sand filter for the pool is easy to maintain; cleaning is carried out by flushing with the help of a reverse pump.
Another advantage - the sand filter is easy to make with your own hands. The homemade assembly process is discussed in detail in this article.
Calcium deposits can be eliminated with the help of special means introduced into the filter for several hours with the pump turned off. At the end, you need to carry out a standard washing procedure.
A higher degree of cleaning with a sand filter can be achieved by arranging successive layers of pebbles, gravel and sand
The low cost and ease of maintenance of the sand filter makes it the most versatile and widely used pool owners. However, it also has significant drawbacks - large weight, impressive dimensions.
As an example, consider a sand filter with a Bestway pool pump.
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A filter with a pump filled with sand as a filter material consists of 2 main parts and a hose system
All hoses are attached using plastic fittings. Twisting and dismounting is done manually, without the use of tools
Any sand should not be used, only a variety intended for swimming pools. Sand is poured to the top edge, but so that it does not accidentally fall into the central tube
To adjust the operation of the ozonizer, a timer is provided, which is controlled by a plastic handle
The top of the device is a control valve. water inlet and outlet hoses are attached to it
The control valve is controlled by a large plastic handle, which is rearranged, depending on the selected mode, to various positions
The pressure gauge must be monitored for the entire time that the pump is running. When the arrow reaches a critical point, a backwash should be performed.
Connecting the hose to the pool is easy: insert the end of the hose into the outlet of the pool and tighten the union nut. There is a plug inside the pool to prevent premature drainage.
Sand Filter Design
Sand for filling the filter
Ozonizer control system
Filter control valve
How to control the control valve
Pressure gauge
Attaching the hose to the pool
Models from the same manufacturer may differ in design and function, so you must read the instructions before installation.
Actual prices for sand filters:
Cartridge filters for the pool
The role of the working element of this cleaning system is performed by the thinnest membranes from propylene plates.
They successfully trap organic particles from 10 microns in size, mechanical salts and salts of mineral origin. The efficiency of water purification with a cartridge filter is almost double that of water purification with a sand filter.
The main advantage of the cartridge filter is that it is easy to remove from the bulb and rinse, and, if necessary, replace it
The cartridge filter is a box or flask with a hinged or removable lid, inside which a cartridge is installed. The flask also has a small plastic bag designed to store filtered debris.
The main advantages of a cartridge filter:
- Compactness;
- High degree of water purification;
- Duration of operation;
- Lack of backwash function.
After contamination, the cartridge should be removed from the flask and rinsed. Depending on the volume of the pool, the life of the cartridge varies between 3-12 months. For effective operation of the cleaning system, you need to have a stock of several replaceable cartridges.
Often, modern cartridge filters are mounted in one housing of a portable cleaning system, hence another name for cleaning equipment comes from - filter pumps.
Despite the high degree of cleaning and ease of maintenance, cartridge filters are less popular sand filters, due to their higher cost.
Actual prices for cartridge filters:
Diatomite Cleaning Filters
Diatom (diatomite) filter is the most expensive among mechanical cleaning filters.
Diatomite, a siliceous sedimentary rock composed of weakly compressed or slightly cemented hollow shells of ancient microorganisms and decomposition products of algae similar in age, acts as a filtering element.
Before use, diatomite powder undergoes heat treatment - it is calcined in an oven at a temperature of 1200 degrees for at least a day. Such processing allows not only eliminating all traces of organic matter, but also obtaining an excellent finely dispersed filter mixture of a uniform composition.
Using a diatom filter, not only the maximum purification of water in the pool occurs, but also its enrichment with silicon, which is due to the special processing conditions of prehistoric organics, whose age is millions of years
Diatom filters are available in two versions. In the first case, the filter device is similar to the sand aggregate device. The only difference is that instead of quartz or glass sand, diatom powder is used.
In the second case, the filtering unit is a system of cartridges sequentially located in one housing through which water is pumped. Such a device allows maximum purification of water, removing pollution from it, the dimensions of which are only 1-2 microns.
Diatomite (kieselguhr, mountain flour, infusorian soil) is a loose or slightly cemented sedimentary rock, passing through which the water is not only purified, but also enriched with silicon
Due to the ability of diatom powder to enrich water with silicon, its use for cleaning can reduce the use of chemical cleaners by 75-80%.
As you know, silicon water has high healing and anti-aging qualities. That is why, such expensive diatom filters effectively compete with cheap sand cleaning systems.
Actual prices for diatomite filters:
No. 2 - chemical water treatment
In chemical filtration, water is purified by exposure to reagents. Depending on the model of the filter, one to several cleaning operations can be performed.
Chemical water purification helps to neutralize microbes and bacteria, with its help it is possible to make water more useful by saturating with oxygen
The greatest efficiency can be achieved with complex chemical filtration of water:
- chlorination;
- bromination;
- iodization.
Pool owners most often use chlorine as the bacterial protection - the cheapest and most effective disinfectant.
The main disadvantages of chlorine:
- unpleasant odor;
- causes allergies;
- does not destroy spore-forming microorganisms;
- able to create toxic compounds (chloramines and chloroform).
Despite a number of disadvantages, chlorine remains the most popular chemical water purifier. It quickly disappears, so after a few hours there is no trace left of it in the pool bowl, which means that there is an unpleasant smell and allergy. Toxic compounds are easily removed during complex cleaning.
In terms of cleaning efficiency, bromine is not inferior to chlorine. True, its cost is much higher, but there is no smell. With the right dosage, bromination of water is absolutely safe for humans.
In the process of cleaning with bromine, unpleasant odors are removed, bacteria, fungi and viruses are destroyed, the hardness of the water remains unchanged, high cleaning efficiency is achieved when the pH value of Ph deviates towards an increased acid content or, conversely, alkali.
A special category of water purification chemicals is represented by special flocculant preparations. Their main task is to consolidate small pollutants and fat residues to the sizes at which they can easily be captured by mechanical cleaning filters.
When a cloudy suspension appears in the pool, flocculants are used to eliminate it. They stick together small particles of pollution and contribute to their precipitation.
No. 3 - electrophysical cleaning filters
Electrophysical filters for cleaning pools have been used recently.
The main methods of electrophysical water purification in pools:
- ozonation;
- ultraviolet radiation;
- silver ionization;
- copper ionization.
Ozonation is considered one of the most progressive and environmentally friendly methods of water purification in the pool. Ozone has powerful oxidizing properties. When it passes through water, almost all bacteria are destroyed, while the composition of the water remains unchanged.
The main advantages of ozonation:
- destruction of bacteria and microorganisms;
- elimination of unpleasant odor;
- saturation of water with oxygen.
The disadvantages of the cleaning system include the need for a special installation and its high cost. When water ozonation, the ozone concentration should not exceed 0.03 mg / m3, an overdose can be harmful to humans.
Since the effect of ozone on the human body is not fully understood, water ozonation is prohibited in a number of countries.
Ultraviolet radiation is another way to effectively purify water, allowing you to completely abandon chemistry. When buying and installing an ultraviolet lamp, you need to consider that it only works effectively in purified water.
For the ultraviolet lamp to work effectively, it is necessary to purify the water as much as possible, in connection with this it is recommended to install the lamp directly behind the mechanical cleaning filter
When processed with ultraviolet rays, water retains all its beneficial qualities, but the effect is short-lived.
The method of ultraviolet cleaning is recommended to be combined with another reagent, since after the cessation of radiation, microorganisms entering the water multiply intensively.
Today, water ionization is the most advanced purification method. Ions of copper and silver are released into the water by the action of electrodes, to which a weak current is supplied. Copper ions inhibit the growth of algae, and silver ions completely destroy viruses and bacteria.
In the process of ionization under the influence of a weak current, microscopic particles of copper and silver are split off, which ensure effective purification of water from impurities, algae, viruses and bacteria
Ionization of water has the following advantages:
- copper and silver ions remain active for a long time;
- when using an ionizer and an ozonizer together, you can opt out of chlorination;
- after ionization, the water meets the drinking standard;
- lack of allergic reactions and odor.
In addition, copper ions contribute to the bonding of the smallest particles (play the role of a coagulant).
Disadvantages of water purification by ionization:
- poor combination with other methods of disinfection;
- the impossibility of a complete rejection of chlorination in large pools;
- To date, the effect of metal ions on the human body has not been fully studied.
The greatest distribution in large basins is the combination of ionization with chlorination. You can refuse a chlorinator by replacing it with an ozonizer, but the combination “ozonation - ionization” is rarely used due to the high cost of equipment and significant energy consumption.
No. 4 - combined water filtration systems
Combined cleaning involves the installation of a whole system of filters and devices. When choosing combinations, the influence of cleaning methods on each other, reduction and increase in their efficiency should be taken into account.
For example, a combination of ultraviolet radiation with the introduction of a solution of sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide or ozone works well.
The main steps to implement a comprehensive cleaning system for large pools:
- selection of primary and secondary pumps;
- installation of mechanical and chemical filters;
- installation of ionization, ozonation, UV;
- heat exchanger selection;
- preparation of premises for pumping equipment;
- complete set and assembly of the system.
It is important when designing a complex filtration system to carry out all the work before installing the pool. Otherwise, the laying of communications and connection will become much more complicated.
It is also important not to forget when designing to pay attention to the organization of proper ventilation of the pool.
The combined filter system requires a significant area and large financial investments, but at the same time provides the maximum purification of water in the pool
Sophisticated combined water filtration systems are used in large public pools of a stationary type. Only such systems can avoid periodic drainage of water and mechanical cleaning of the bottom and walls of the pool.
You may also be interested in information on how to choose a heat pump for a pool or how to choose the best robot vacuum cleaner for automatic pool cleaning.
Overview of sand filter operating modes:
Disinfection of the pool with submersible UV lamps:
An effective way to keep pool water clean:
The choice of a filtration system must be approached very carefully, since the health of those who bathe in the pool depends on the quality of the water.
If a good mechanical type filter pump can solve the issue of water purification in a small home pool, then a large system of filters and devices will already be required for large structures.
Have you arranged a home pool on your site? Tell us which filter you use for water purification and are you satisfied with the result. Maybe you noticed inaccuracies or inconsistencies in this article? Write us about them in the comments section.