Filtering the Facts

Filtering a swimming pool effectively and efficiently is essential to removing fine particles of dirt, debris, algae and organisms from pool water. And how effective the filter system is depends largely on the type of pool filter media the pool owner chooses.

Traditionally, sand filters dominated the Australian pool market, along with DE (Diatomaceous Earth) filters, but now there's a whole host of new options ranging from glass beads and granular filters to eco-friendly systems – all offering extremely fine filtration.

"Granular filters were always the most popular pool filters, largely due to how convenient they are to clean," says Bryan Goh, group marketing director, Waterco. "All you need to do is regularly backwash the pool water through the filter media to remove all the trapped dirt and you're done."

In recent times, however, pool filtration systems that are economical to run and have the environment in mind are becoming increasingly popular.

"Over the past few years there has been a significant move to green solutions, with pool owners looking for chemicals and equipment that are more eco-friendly," Goh says. "And there's now significant pressure on the industry to develop energy efficient products, with a number of manufacturers including Waterco working to meet this demand."

It's easy being green
With energy bills skyrocketing and the threat of drought an ever-present blip on our radar, environmentally friendly pool products have become the preferred choice for new pool owners.

Catering to this growing demand is Waterco's Micron S602 ECO granular filter, which has been created with energy efficiency and water conservation firmly in mind.

A key addition to the EnviroPro suite of products, Micron ECO features unique ‘fish tail' laterals that ensure better water flow distribution through the filter's media bed.

"The effective coverage of the lateral system virtually eliminates any dead areas of flow and provides an even up-flow through the filter bed during backwashing," Goh explains. "The Micron ECO's backwashing time is reduced significantly, leading to savings of backwash water of up to 30 per cent."

Reducing flow restrictions of multispeed and variable speed energy efficient pumps significantly improves their performance, without increasing their energy requirements.

"The main aim of these pumps is to operate at the lowest motor speed settings to provide the minimum required flow for the swimming pool – without affecting the pool's water quality – to maximise its energy savings," Goh says.

Micron ECO's eco-friendly features is backed by robust construction, which sees an inner shell of fibreglass reinforced polyester resin strengthened with multiple layers of continuous strands of fibreglass filaments.

"Our digitally controlled filament winding machine faultlessly winds continuous strands of high quality fibreglass filament under controlled tension filament," says Goh. "This creates a seamless, one-piece vessel with refined consistency and superior quality."

Key features of the Micron S602 ECO:

• Energy saving 'fish tail' laterals
• Depth filtration
• 50mm multiport valve
• Improved water clarity
• Simple maintenance
• Fibreglass wound construction
• Ideal with low powered and energy efficient pumps
• 10-year warranty on tank, 12-month warranty on all other components

Click here for more information about Waterco's Micron ECO filter.


Good things come in small packages

For something that only measures 0.6mm x 0.8mm in size, Waterco's Glass Beads are a hot topic in water cooler conversations.

Manufactured from 100% virgin glass, Waterco's Glass Beads are therefore capable of providing outstanding water purity and clarity (filtration below 3 microns) while using 20% water for backwashing when compared to sand filters.

 "Unlike crushed glass, Glass Beads are spherical and do not have sharp edges, making them really safe to use," Goh says. "And, if there's ever a failure of the filter's laterals and glass beads flow into the swimming pool, they pose no risk of injury to swimmers."

Glass beads are also easy to install, enabling a rapid start up of the media filter. Plus its high purity means very little backwashing is required to cleanse the filter media prior to commissioning the filter.

Click here for more information about Waterco's Glass Beads.


Tuf as nails

With smart heating systems extending the swimming season and the outdoor room encouraging people to spend more time in their pool, today's filters are expected to work harder than they ever have before.

Take Exotuf from Waterco, which is considered the toughest thermoplastic granular pool filter available on the market today. In fact, it's rated even stronger than fibreglass wound filters.

"Exotuf offers superior strength and dependability and is designed to cope with the cyclic pressures of the modern day swimming pool," Goh explains.

"Unlike the majority of thermoplastic blow moulded filters on the market, the Extol filter vessel is precision injection moulded – a more precise method of manufacturing – resulting in minimal tolerances.

Pressure rated at 350 kPa, Exotuf is ideal for pools equipped with in-floor cleaning systems and high-powered pumps. Cleaning the filter simply requires turning the filter's multiport lever from the filter position to the backwash position.

Key features of the Micron S602 ECO:

• Multiport valve with ergonomic handle and quick connect barrel unions
• Multiport valve clamp provides 360° orientation of the multiport valve for simple installation and service
• Clear sight glass for backwash inspection
• Pressure gauge to determine the filter's capacity
• UV and corrosion resistant
• Hydraulically balanced flow distribution to maximise filtration and backwashing
• Large filter base for stable floor mounting

Click here for more information about Waterco's Exotuf filter.