Is glass for a pool filter worth it?

Author: Friday

Dec. 02, 2024

Filtration sand or glass: which one to choose?

You&#;ve been using sand in your pool filter for years, but you&#;re wondering about filtration glass? More and more people are turning to glass as a replacement for sand, but does it meet your needs? Choosing between these two filtration media may seem difficult, but our experts have looked into the subject to help you make an informed decision! 

Goto Tenroads to know more.

Please note that it is perfectly possible to use filtration glass in a sand filter. You won&#;t have to change your equipment if you switch from sand to glass.

Find out which filtration medium gets the edge based on the main selection criteria.

Appearance

When comparing sand and filtration glass, be aware that they look and feel very similar. When we think of filter glass, we tend to imagine pieces of glass that could be harmful if touched or stepped on, but this is not the case! In fact, filter glass is as safe to touch as filter sand.

Cleaning Ability

Filtration glass retains 4 times smaller particles than some traditional sand filtration media. This allows, among other things, to obtain a much clearer and crystalline water. It is easily visible to the naked eye. 

  • The sand will filter down to approximately 25-30 microns.
  • Glass can trap particles as small as 5 microns.

Glass is also known for its ability to reduce bacterial growth in water and in the filter. 

Advantage: glass

Environmental Responsibility

If reducing your environmental footprint is an important issue for you, glass has several advantages. First of all, the product itself is made of 100% recycled glass! 

Secondly, since glass greatly diminishes bacterial growth in the pool, the use of chlorine can be greatly reduced.

Finally, backwash is much faster with the use of filtration glass. Each backwash uses about 25% less water thanks to glass properties. 

Advantage: glass

Price

In general, filtration sand is less expensive than glass. However, since glass is more efficient, it is possible to get a better result without filling the filter to its maximum capacity, thus saving money. 

Nevertheless, sand remains the most accessible and affordable product in the short term.

Advantage: sand

Service Life

Filtration sand should be replaced every 3 to 5 years, depending on water and debris load passing through the filter.

Glass lasts about 2 to 3 times longer than sand, about 10 to 15 years. 

Advantage: glass

Backwash

Sand requires a longer backwash to clean dirt from the system.

Glass filtration media allows for faster backwashing because it is lighter and less dense. Faster cleaning means less water consumption.

Advantage: glass

Product Safety

Both sand and glass are safe for you and your pool. They do not react to cleaning chemicals.

It is important to note that glass is very safe to handle and does not present any risk of injury or damage to your equipment (filter and pool). 

Advantage: tie

The company is the world’s best glass filter for pool supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Verdict 

Cleaning Ability Glass Environmental Responsibility Glass Service Life Glass Backwash Glass Price Sand Product Safety Tie

If you plan to enjoy your pool for more than 5 years, glass is a better investment, despite the slight price difference. Its service life, eco-friendliness and ability to obtain a crystal-clear water make it the best choice in this case. 

However, if you are looking for an economical short-term solution, filtration sand can very well do the job. 

No matter what type of filtration medium you choose, it is essential for the filter to continue to clean the pool water properly, as many contaminants can get into it. If you wait too long between changes or if the media is poorly maintained, the filter can get clogged or fail to function properly, leaving your pool vulnerable to cloudy water, imbalances or poor circulation. For more details on this topic, here&#;s when and why to change your pool&#;s filtration medium.

Criteria to help you make a choice

Pool Size: Filtration sand is often recommended for large pools due to its ability to treat large volumes of water at a lower cost.  Glass is preferable for small pools (residential pools) because it provides better filtration quality with reduced maintenance.

Frequency of use: For a pool with infrequent or standard use, sand may be sufficient. However, for a family, condominium or frequent use swimming pool, filtration glass is recommended.

Budget: Consider not only the initial cost, but also the long-term savings on maintenance and water consumption before making your decision.

How to switch from chlorine to salt?

Of the additional options that exist, salt is often a popular choice.  If your pool is currently filtered with chlorine, here is a guide to helop you make the change easily.

Buy quality products

Now that you&#;ve made your choice, all you have to do is get the best product on the market! At Groupe Bellemare, we produce sand and glass for pool filters that respect the environment while being super efficient. 

If you have any other questions about filtration media, contact one of our experts!

Benefits of Glass Media vs. Sand Pool Filters

Glass Media for Pool Filter vs. Sand Filters

What if we told you there is a way to never change the glass media in your sand filter again? Well, we know a way! Dive in with us as we take a closer look at pool filter media and compare regular sand filter media to glass and the pros and cons for each.

Sand Filter Media

We will get into the way glass media works further into our discussion, for now we&#;ll begin with sand. For starters, sand will filter particles down to approximately 30 microns. Another nice aspect of sand is the physical size and make up; filters require less sand than glass-based media because glass media is a more condensed, finer material. To build on that, you'll need less sand and end up spending less money up front to fill your pool filter's required needs. However, you will need to replace the sand every 2-5 years depending on use, pollutants, and overall quality of media.

Every sand filter will need a different amount of media so be sure to follow the Manufacturer's requirements listed in your owners manual for maximum efficiency. With that being said, both media work in different but similar ways. Sand causes pollutants and particles to collide and become waste to be expelled from your filter later with a maintenance backwash.

So, sand is the cheaper option to get the job done, right? Let us talk about glass media first and THEN you can decide!

Glass Filter Media

Initially, glass pool filter media was entirely made of recycled glass or unwanted bottles with more researched options evolving over time. Glass media is just that, a filter media made from silica or very fine particles of glass. So fine in fact, glass will filter as low as 10-15 microns with ease. Like we explained earlier, density and volume play a huge role in filtering soluble liquids. Because glass is not as dense as sand, it allows for smaller microns to be filtered, even performing as efficiently as a Diatomaceous Earth filter. The media also lasts eight years or more!! Some glass media users have reported never needing to replace the glass at all which is another huge advantage of having a glass-based media.

The glass media that does need to be &#;replaced&#; is actually cleaned, and then additional glass is simply added to the existing glass. We mentioned previously that sand attracts dirt, pollutants, and undesirable particles by becoming stuck to them. Glass works the same way except it is negatively charged which causes the pollutants to become attracted and stuck before being released on backwash. Because of the efficiency of this filter style less water is expelled and wasted from the filter which actually leads to lower run time, less water wasted and less of a bill overall. Add in the fact you will not need to shovel out $200 or more dollars every 2-5 years for sand while having to literally shovel sand and we would say glass pays for itself!

 

How to Add Glass Media to a Pentair TR100 Sand Filter

Check out the video below to see how the glass is added to a filter:

With the information found in this guide, you'll be able to better understand your sand filter and make an educated decision to help extend the life of your filter for years to come! If you have any questions regarding the information found in this blog feel free to reach out to us directly. Our team of Pool Professionals is here to help you through every step of the process. Otherwise, just keep swimming!

Contact us to discuss your requirements of glass media for sand filter. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

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