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What is the "residential" flow rate for swimming pool cartridge filters?
Filter manufacturers size all three systems in accordance with the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 50 "Circulation System Components for Swimming Pools." Those ratings are as follows:
*High-rate sand - Max flow rate 25 GPM per square foot of surface area, normally sized between 15 and 20 GPM per sq. ft. A minimum flow rate of 11 GPM per sq. ft. is required to utilize the torturous path filtration of depth type filter media. Flow rates over 25 GPM can lead to channeling.
*Diatomaceous Earth (DE) - Max flow rate 2.5 GPM per square foot of surface area, normally sized at 2 GPM per sq. ft. Proper flow rate and pressure are essential to assure a uniform cake formation on the support grids.
*Cartridge - Max flow rate 1 GPM per square foot of area, can be sized between 0.25 GPM and 1 GPM per sq. ft.
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