Information on Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Filters

DE filters are similar to sand filters, in that the water passes through a mesh filter (not just in grid form but also in cartridge form) coated with diatomaceous earth powder, which traps any debris.

You will know it’s time to clean your DE filter once you see the pressure gauge rises by 8-10 psi above normal. DE filters also require backwashing to be cleaned. NOTE! There IS a Pentair cartridge style DE filter that cannot be backwashed.

How to back wash a grid style DE filter, simply turn off the filter and switch the valve to the “backwash” position. Once the water flows through clear, you can replace the valve back to its normal position and recharge the filter in between cleanings.

Depending on bather load and landscape load, you will  need to remove the DE filters and rinse them off with a hose to remove the DE powder. Once you have done that, you can put the filter grids back in and refill the pump with new DE powder and turn the pump back on to recharge the filter to factory DE load.