“DE” in the swimming pool and spa service and repair field stands for diatomaceous earth. It aids in the filtration process of pool water and is comprised of chemically inert, fossilized organisms – so basically, it’s a powdery substance similar to dinosaur bones (who knew, right?).

Let me break it down. There are three types of filters used for pools: sand, cartridge, and diatomaceous earth (DE). It is a common thought in the industry that DE filters are the best for residential pools due to their size and efficacy. It really does the trick in getting the very microscopic particles out of your pool water due to all of the tiny, sponge-like organism’s that it is comprised of. The food grade DE has a laundry list of household and consumer uses such as toothpaste and is often used to filter syrup and honey.

As I eluded to earlier, there are two grades of DE available – food grade and pool grade. The Swimming pool DE found in pool filters is heat-treated (calcined), partially melted, and chemically treated. Both “swimming pool” grade and natural diatomaceous earth come from the same fossil strata, but they are processed differently. DE filters are recognized as being one of the best water polisher’s available and are an effective way to filter your pool water.

Happy Swimming!

Pinnacle Pool & Spa
Serving the Greater Sacramento Area
(888) 994 -7665 (POOL)