Know How Many Hours to Run a Pool Filter

As all pool owners know, it's a complete system that needs maintaining so that your cement pond stays crystal clear and refreshing. Water clarity is a combination of maintaining the chemical balance of your pool, and proper filtration. This article will help you get a handle on your filtration needs, and how long the filter should be run for optimal effect. Read on!

Steps

  1. Use this equation: (Pool Volume ÷ Filtration rate) x 2 = Hours to run filter. This will tell you how many hours to run your pump to filter the water a full 2 times. Let's break that down:
  2. Know the volume of your pool. How long you run the filter depends on the size pool to filter ratio.
    • If you have a small filter you will need to run the filter longer, depending on how many gallons the filter can process in a given time.
    • Calculate the volume of your pool by multiplying the length x width x average depth in feet
    • Multiply this number by a standard multiplier which is 7.5 for rectangular and square pools and 5.9 for other shapes. Example 16*32*5*7.48= 19,149. This would give the volume of the pool in gallons for this 16x32 pool that has an average depth of {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}.
  3. Determine the flow rate of the pump. Include the resistance to flow in your plumbing system.
    • The pump manufacturer can tell you the flow rate for certain resistances.
    • You can estimate your pool plumbing resistance to be 20ft/lbs for small pools, and 40ft/lbs for large pools or installations where the pool pump is far removed from the pool area.
    • Waterfalls and elevated solar systems will cause the ft/lbs resistance in the line to increase.
    • An average 1 HP pump will move about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} per minute. This would be {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} per hour.
  4. Calculate the turnover rate for your pool. The minimum recommended turnover for a pool is two complete turnovers in any 24 hour period.
    • For example, using a pool volume of {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}, and a filtration rate of {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} per hour:
      • (Pool Volume ÷ Filtration rate) x 2 = Hours to run filter
      • (19,149 ÷ 3000) x 2 = 12.766, or about 12 hours and 45 minutes for two full cycles.

Tips

  • Add your chemicals at night when the sun is not depleting the chlorine in your pool
  • Regularly examine the water for bugs, plant material, dirt, and other contaminants. Skim the surface with a net, and vacuum the bottom and sides.
  • Use a pH and chlorine tester to see how much chlorine is in the water if the pool has an automatic feeder.
  • Test your pool's balance regularly. Your pool supplier will have a good selection of testing kits and chemicals. Ask them for recommendations for the best kit for your needs.
  • Run your pool pump at night for cooler operation of your pump

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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