Unicel vs. Pleatco vs. Filbur: Which Replacement Cartridge to Actually Buy (and the Same-Number Difference Nobody Mentions)
All three brands make quality US-market cartridges, and the decades of forum threads converge on one finding: matched by exact cross-re...
Pool Filter Pressure High? Read the Gauge Like a Pro (the psi Ladder + the Mirror Problem)
High gauge pressure means something downstream of the pump is restricting flow — and in cartridge filters, roughly 90% of the time it's...
How to Measure a Pool Filter Cartridge (But First: the Number on the Cap Beats Your Tape Measure)
Measure three numbers if you must: outside diameter × total height (end-cap to end-cap, including handles) × top and bottom opening dia...
How Often to Replace a Pool Filter Cartridge (1–2 Seasons, Decided by Three Variables and a Wash Budget)
Plan on one to two swim seasons per cartridge — roughly 1–2 years — adjusted by three variables: bathing load (how many swimmers and ho...
How to Close a Pool: the Pool Closing & Winterizing Checklist (Including the Climate Line That Decides How Deep You Go)
Close when the water drops below 60°F and stays there — closing while the water is still warm is the #1 cause of green openings. The co...
Pool Filter Cross-Reference: How Unicel, Pleatco, and Filbur Numbers Map to Each Other
Three lookup paths, in order of power: ① your cartridge's part number — Unicel C-xxxx, Pleatco PA/PAP/PAE/PXST…, Filbur FC-xxxx, or OEM...
How to Clean a Pool Filter (Cartridge Method, and the Pressure Washer Mistake That Silently Kills It)
Rinse at 45° with a garden hose — never a pressure washer, which shreds the pleat media and the filter fails silently while looking cle...
How to Open a Pool: the 8-Step Pool Opening Checklist (Plus the Printable and the Failure Preview for Each)
Open when the water holds a steady 60°F+ — not the first warm Saturday, the first sustained warm stretch. Then work this order: remove ...
Hot Tub & Spa Filter Care: Rinse Weekly, Soak Monthly, Replace on a Two-Cartridge Rotation
Spa filter care runs on a compressed clock — rinse weekly, deep-soak monthly, replace every 12–18 months — because a hot tub is not a s...
Sand vs Cartridge vs DE Pool Filters: Which System Fits Your Pool, Your Water Bill, and Your Temperament
The three pool filter systems trade along one honest axis — filtration fineness versus ownership effort: sand (20–40 µm, backwash-and-f...