Filtration

The filter has a big responsibility - it must remove the undissolved (and some dissolved) debris from the water. The more debris it removes, the easier job other products have focusing on bacteria and algae. If the water is poorly filtered, some products are consumed much more quickly. When these products are exhausted, algae and bacteria begin taking over.

Problems due to inferior filtration can be prevented by:

Properly sizing the filter to the pool

Filters are sized to a pool in two ways...

Allowing for adequate filter surface area based on the size and volume of the pool.
Matching the filter size to the pump's capacity.

Allow the filter to run long enough

Many pool owners find it less expensive to operate the pump and filter 24 hours a day, than to have to deal with the cost and inconvenience of the problems associated with inadequate filtration. A compromise could be struck somewhere between the two:

In summer, operate the system a minimum of 10-12 hours a day.
In the winter, your filter system should run 6-8 hours a day.

Routinely clean the filter

Routine cleaning of the filter, to remove loose dirt and debris, should be performed as dictated by the increasing pressure in the filter. An operable pressure gauge is an invaluable tool to indicate when it is time to wash this debris off the filter. Although it is necessary to backwash the filter weekly for at least 5 minutes. Additionally, twice a year, it will be necessary to chemically remove oils, and other stubborn residues with liquid filter cleaners like Strip Kwik®.

Keep the water balanced to prevent scale formation!

Proper water balance will ensure the water is neither corrosive nor scale forming. The pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and water temperature all have a role in determining the overall water balance. Scale formation is likely to show up in heaters and filters first, then inside plumbing and on pool surfaces. When scale forms in the filter, the filter becomes clogged and is incapable of adequately filtering the water. Though this condition is not likely to happen "overnight", any one of these water balance parameters if not maintained in their respective ranges could cause scale to form. BioGuard's Scale Inhibitor is formulated to prevent scale from forming when the water balance conditions would normally cause scale to form.