May 2022 – johnli

POOL FILTERS: HOW TO CHOOSE AND TIPS FOR USE

One of the most important components of the pool filter is the filter. It is the main mechanism for cleaning and purifying water, and plays a crucial role in keeping water crystal clear and suitable for bathing pool plans. The filter is responsible for removing impurities that, sometimes, we only realize they exist when the pool has already lost all its beauty and healthy appearance.

Although there are different types of filters for swimming pools, they all work in the same way: the pool water is sucked into the skimmer and sump thanks to the power supplied by the pump, and passes into a tank or reservoir that contains a special filter material filtered out. He then returns to the pool, completing a cycle. Depending on the use, a complete cycle of the pool water per day is recommended.

What we mean by “cycle” is the passage of all the water in the pool through the filter, a process whose duration depends on several factors: the size of the pool (in other words, the amount of water), the power of the pump / motor, and also the capacity of the filter used. When choosing these components, all these factors must be taken into account, so that the duration of the cycle is not excessive (about 8 hours is recommended for a residential pool).

FILTER TYPES

There are three different types of filters:

Sand filters. Sand filters are by far the most popular and, at the same time, they are also the ones that require the least maintenance. Sand is a natural filtration agent used by nature, and this principle applies to this filtration system. The water is cleaned by passing through a sand tank. The great advantage of this purification mechanism is the durability of the filter, which could last even ten years, although it is advisable to change it after seven. By allowing backwashing, it is also extremely easy to clean.

Cartridge filters. Cartridge filters base cleaning on replaceable cartridges, which last about a year and need to be cleaned every week. Its operation is similar to diatom filters, except that the filtration is carried out on the basis of manufactured materials. The great advantage is the ease of cleaning and installation.

Diatom filters. Finally, the diatom filters, the top of the range. Diatoms are fossilized microscopic beings that act as filtering agents, with unprecedented efficiency: they work like micro-sponges, allowing water to pass through and containing dirt that is not even visible to the human eye. Unfortunately, this efficiency comes at a cost, and the price of the equipment is higher than previous filtration alternatives. On the other hand, they also allow backwashing, so cleaning is also simple.

WHICH TO CHOOSE?

Quality differences aren’t as important as other factors, like budget, willingness to do regular maintenance, or even what’s available in your area.

The capacity of the pool and the power of the pump must be taken into account. These elements will then need to be reconciled with the size of the filter to obtain a cycle of reasonable duration. An always important suggestion is to oversize to avoid problems: if you come to the conclusion that a filter with a capacity of 15 m3 / h is necessary, it will be a good idea to choose a model with a higher capacity (the same with the pump, which has which always compensated with the filter).

In terms of efficiency, and all other things being equal, diatomaceous earth filters are the most effective, with a filtration capacity of around 7 microns. Next we would have the cartridge filters, with about 20 and, finally, the sand filters, with 60. A micron is one millionth of a meter. For reference, the human eye is only capable of identifying objects up to 35 microns (a grain of salt is approximately 100 microns).

CLEANING AND WASHING

In order for the filter to perform its function correctly, periodic maintenance must be carried out, which in most cases is reduced to washing it. The frequency of this procedure varies depending on the use of the pool, although the best indicator will be if you consider that the water does not seem as clean as before (a sign that the filter needs to be cleaned).

In the case of sand filters, a good indicator that the filter needs to go through the cleaning process is the increase in its pressure (see pressure gauge). Following the manufacturer’s instructions, the filters must be washed when the pressure gauges indicate this sealing pressure.

As for the cartridge filters, cleaning is simple: just remove the cartridges and use water jets to remove the dirt that has accumulated.

Sand and diatomaceous earth filters generally offer backwashing (or backwashing). With backwashing, the direction of water circulation in the filter is reversed and, with this, the filtered materials are expelled to the drain. Backwashing is the most effective way to clean pool filters. The frequency will be given by the conditions of the pool, pools surrounded by grass, sand or earth will need more filter cleaning than pools surrounded by concrete or cement.

Backwashing is a simple process:

– Deactivate the pump.

– Move the selector valve to the backwash position.

– Restart the pump.

– Let the water run for a while until it comes out cleaner (see selector valve viewfinder).

After washing and before putting the filter into operation, it is mandatory to perform a rinse to resettle the sand and evacuate the water that still contains impurities through the drain. After the washing operations, it is necessary to purge the air contained in the filters. To facilitate this operation, the filters can be equipped with automatic purges.

In the case of automatic selector valves, the process is even simpler, since they automatically detect that the filter requires washing (monitoring the filter pressure) and activate the process when necessary.

A very good advice that contributes to respecting the environment is to take advantage of the water that is lost during the washing process. The soil acts as an excellent natural fertilizer (as long as the chlorine level is not higher than 3 ppm), so it can even be used to water your garden or lawn.

SOME ADDITIONAL TIPS

– Stop the pump beforehand for any operation carried out with the valves or filters.

– Clean the filters once a week, even in winter.

– Replace the filter material a little earlier than indicated by the manufacturer.

– Always clean the pre-filter, the basket and the rest of the components.

Losing weight with the keto diet

A few weeks ago we told you about the ten essential foods in the ketogenic diet or keto diet and we talked about the benefits of this type of keto shopping list. Its success is such that more and more people decide to follow it for a few months, with results that are visible to everyone.

However, this success does not prevent many from still not knowing how this diet works and making basic mistakes when it comes to eating. For this reason, we have gathered the most common mistakes we make when talking about the keto diet, starting with those people who decide to carry out this diet without being clear about what it is about.

We must not forget that the keto diet is based on the substitution of carbohydrates for healthy fats , in such a way that our diet is made up of more than 70 percent healthy fats and less than 10 percent carbohydrates, while the rest are proteins. These are the most common mistakes when talking about the ketogenic diet.

Does not cause constipation

Constipation usually occurs when there is a lack of fiber in our diet. It does not matter what diet we follow: if there is no fiber, we will be constipated. This does not mean that the ketogenic diet causes constipation: if we manage to ingest the necessary fiber we will not have any problems associated with the intestine.

The important thing is that there is a significant amount of fiber in the food we eat. For this reason, vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage or eggplants or fruits such as avocado cannot be missing from the keto diet. All of them are rich in fiber and are perfect for both following the ketogenic diet and going to the bathroom regularly.

Does not increase cholesterol

Historically, high-fat diets have been associated with high cholesterol levels and, therefore, with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, dozens of studies published in recent years have debunked these ideas, making it clear that healthy fats are far from bad for cholesterol.

Among those studies was a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that showed people on a low-fat diet lost less weight than those on a low-carb diet. And, in addition to losing more weight, people who reduced their carbohydrate intake also reduced their chances of suffering from cardiovascular diseases such as cholesterol.

Sweetener should not be abused

Sugar is one of the most forbidden foods on the keto diet. That is why there are many who are looking for substitutes to sweeten their recipes without having to resort to sweet sugar. The bad news is that not just any sweetener can be used and only a few such as stevia, erythritol or allulose should be part of our diet.

Because some of the most used products in the food industry such as fructose or aspartame are not so healthy. It is not that we should erase them from our daily lives but, in the long term, it is better that we replace them with healthy products for those cases in which we need a sweet taste, but we do not want to fill our recipe with sugar.

No need to cut out alcohol

The presence of alcohol is discouraged in ketogenic diets, basically because of the amount of carbohydrates it contains. However, that does not mean that we have to completely eradicate alcohol from our lives, far from it. What the keto diet recommends is that, until you adapt to the recommended levels of fat and carbohydrate intake, you do not abuse alcohol, but you do not have to cut it out.

The daily carbohydrate limit is set at around 20 grams per day. When our body adapts to this new situation, that figure can be increased up to the 50-gram barrier, approximately, so that we will be able to drink alcohol in a moderate way there. What is true is that drinks like beer or some spirits are high in carbohydrates and drinking them will cause you to come out of ketosis.

Ketoacidosis and ketosis are not the same

They are two very different terms, but they are often confused. Ketosis is achieved when following a healthy ketogenic diet, that is, low in carbohydrates and with the supervision of a specialist. The liver stops using glucose as an energy source and replaces it with fat. It is a safe process and should not affect our health as long as we are not diabetic.

However, ketoacidosis occurs when there is a lack of insulin in the body. In that case, blood sugar rises to dangerous levels and stored fat in the body causes an increase in ketones. When both circumstances are combined, acid levels in the blood can become unbalanced, but if a person is not diabetic, it should not happen.

Not a high protein diet

People who are new to the ketogenic diet tend to confuse it with a diet that is high in fat, but also high in protein. However, daily protein intake does not usually exceed 20 percent of total food, so it is not a high-protein diet, but rather a diet high in healthy fats.

The keto diet is one of the most successful today and, after having analyzed all these factors, you can decide if it is the one that most interests your body and your way of life. The most important thing is that you eat everything, that you do not miss any type of food in your nutrition and that you give your body the sustenance it needs.

Tips when buying gold and silver

We have done several articles on buying gold, whether it is physical gold or indirect investments in the form of ETFs, stocks or other alternatives.

Even so, doubts continue to appear and we want to give some brief advice to help our readers in buying gold ira.

We get quite a few doubts when it comes to buying gold, especially when it comes to physical gold, and we are going to solve the most recurring doubts, which also serve as advice for everyone when it comes to investing in gold or silver.

Better physical or paper gold?

The demand for gold increases in times of crisis, it is normal that in cycles of uncertainty those who invest in gold do so to protect themselves.

If we want to protect ourselves, it is normal for us to invest in physical gold, since we will have it in our possession and we will be able to convert it anywhere in the world into any currency without complications.

Paper gold is generally made on investments in ETFs and stocks, so that in the event of a collapse, the money we have invested in paper may disappear.

If the company in which we invest in gold goes bankrupt, it is unthinkable that they will give us our gold, in the case of an ETF, or our money if we have invested in shares.

The problem with physical gold is security, since storing it at home has its risks and if we invest large amounts in physical gold we will have to find a place to store it, a safe deposit box in a bank can be a good example.

What price should I pay for physical investment gold?

The price of gold can be consulted in real time through the Internet. That price is the official price, but jewelers and companies specializing in precious metals have to make money in the form of commission.

We will be at a reasonable price if we are charged for gold at a price 3% above the quoted price.

If we go to specialized companies such as Coininvest, or any other specialized store, we will see that they show us the purchase price and surely somewhere we will also see the official price.