Don't backwash on a schedule. Backwash on pressure.

Check your pressure gauge. When it reads 8–10 psi above the clean baseline, that’s your cue.

Peak season means more swimmers, more sunscreen, more debris — so you might hit that number every 5–7 days. But if you backwash on a fixed schedule, you’ll either waste water (too often) or choke the filter (not enough). The gauge doesn’t lie.

Set your baseline right after a fresh backwash. Mark the “clean” pressure with a grease pencil or a sticker. Then wait until it jumps 8–10 psi. That’s the sweet spot between efficient filtration and unnecessary water waste.

Listen to your filter, not the calendar.