Our condo backwashes our pool 3 times a week. It is a large pool of 5000 sq meters.

I have just been informed that this is way to often. Any advice. I know little about pools but am on the committee so that's why I am asking.

I never managed to master the art of pool maintenance. It was cheaper to leave the job to someone who knew what to do.

This link might help you. It seems to suggest a short backwash every day.

http://voices.yahoo.com/daily-pool-maintenance-backwashing-pool-other-404883.html?cat=6

Lots of variables to consider. How many people use the pool and how often? The time of the year (rainy season/dry season) will have some effect. Type of filtration unit. Salt water/fresh water pool. BTW: I'm not an expert but a pool owner myself. I only backwash my DE filters once or twice a year and I have a large pool. I have 2 seperate filtration systems with seperate pumps, and chlorinators (salt water pool) along with a Hayward DE filter on each. I did this in the event that if something went wrong with one I could still keep the pool functioning at minimum levels.

Thanks for the replies.

i backwash once every 2 weeks. If i do it more seldom i seem to get more problems with dirty water. i have a saltwater chlorinator system.

i have a saltwater chlorinator system, in the skimmer I have a sock so no debris enters the filter, so I only back wash at the most six times a year.The pool is 9.5 x 4.5

I have a Sta-Rite Cristal-Flo High Rate Sand Filter. My pool is a salt water chlorinator pool of about 100 cu. m. I have two Sta-Rite pumps each fitted with filter basket.

The sand filter is fitted with a water pressure gauge and according to the owners manual that came with the filter "when the pressure is 5 to 7 PSI (34.5 to 48 kPa) higher than initial operating pressure, backwash filter". Following these instructions I find that the time between backwashes varies depending on rain, weather etc.

On your pool filter is a pressure meter, you should back wash when the pressure meter indicates it, which is in my case with a Zeolite medium in the filter about twice a year.

Backwashing to frequently may result in inadequate filtering since the filter media needs time to settle to function properly.

On your pool filter is a pressure meter, you should back wash when the pressure meter indicates it, which is in my case with a Zeolite medium in the filter about twice a year.

Backwashing to frequently may result in inadequate filtering since the filter media needs time to settle to function properly.

Agreed - my medium large pool only needs a backwash about once every two to three months. If I overstretched that (only done twice) I get a tell tale trail of grit-like particles around the return inlets at the pool bottom. Even by then my sand filter pressure meter has not gone into the yellow zone.