Hayward SwimClear Plus Cartridge Pool Filter

The Hayward W3C12002 StarClear Plus (120 Sq. Ft.) is an outstanding single-cartridge pool filter. It allows for a large turnover of many gallons of water per hour and has a huge cartridge filter. I have used Hayward products for years and they hold up well to the South Florida sun. Their products resist UV damage, corrosion, and extreme weather, making it ideal for me! Cleaning is a snap and filter access is super easy. Simply unscrew the heavy-duty locking knob, remove the top lid, and spray off the element with a garden hose. If you want a reliable, hassle-free cartridge filter that delivers exceptional filtration performance without the mess of backwashing, the Hayward StarClear Plus 120 Sq. Ft. is your choice, so look no further! It is simple to install, easy to service, and built to last for years. One hundred percent recommend!

Crystal clear water, takes time to get there but great results. Draw back is it don’t come with the threaded 2 inch adapters for the pipes

Our old sand filter gave up... so I asked around ... the pool guys wanted to sell me a larger 4 cartridge filter for $1200. Then I asked a neighbor about his ... he has a 13000 gallon pool and 3/4 horse pump and this filter and has never had a problem . I have a 26000 gallon pool and 3/4 pump... this filter works amazing... my pool guy said it was too small, he is full of hot air because my return pipe is only 1 1/2 inches in diameter and you cannot push more than 60 gallons per minute through a 1 1/2 inch pipe anyway... no matter how much horsepower you have so this filter is perfect for my pool, it was very green and took two days to clear up after we replace the sand filter with this new cartridge filter... you just have to wash the filter out a little more often than you would with multiple cartridges. It’s very easy to wash the cartridge out. Whenever somebody wants to sell you something that’s bigger, ask them why and what the benefits are because if you only have a certain size return pipe only a certain amount of water can circulate through it no matter how large the filter is.

Update: Purchased this in 2017, and got less than 4 years of service out of it. That might be acceptable, but my prior Pentair performed well for probably 15 years and I expect better quality from a good name like Hayward. I still agree that this filter cleans the water VERY well, but that's where my happiness stops. Over time it became impossible to latch down the lid completely and securely (latch system is a long metal rod that you screw the top down onto). It has been leaking for several months, just a steady small stream. This week it blew out completely, and it took several inches out of the pool level before I noticed. Unfortunately, it sprayed directly into my electrical control box (on/off switch for the pump). We reseated the lid two more times, and it blew out the side both times, before we placed an order for another Pentair. We're done with Hayward filters. Poor design caused it to fail MUCH earlier than it should have. Prior review: Bought this to replace another brand filter. It was easy to hook up and cleaned the pool water much quicker than I expected, and much quicker than our old filter system! Unlike other reviewers, we had no problems with the pressure gauge being damaged. It arrived intact, and in perfect condition. However, I could see from the packaging how the pressure gauge could easily be damaged, as it sticks out from the top of the lid and has very little protection in that position from the packaging. Overall, this is a perfect filter for our roughly 15,000 gallon pool and I expect we'll get many years of service out of it. We also have a Hayward in-line chlorinator, and it has been a real workhorse, too. I'm going to switch all of our equipment to Hayward now!

I ordered this filter as replacement for an older cartridge filter of similar manufacture. The old filter worked well, but after almost 20 years the casing cracked at the bottom. The new filter is physically smaller, which I was not sure would work as well, but has larger filtering area (175 sq. ft. versus 140). The filter was ordered Saturday and was received Wednesday, which is very good for free shipping such a large item across the country. While the pool had not had a running filter in almost a month, the new filter made the water sparkling clean in no time. The pressure drop through the cartridge is low (lower than with the old filter), which makes it easy for the pump and increases the water flow. Installation was very easy, even though I had to rerun the pipes because the inlet was in a different location from the old filter. Only issue: the pressure gauge housing was broken (but still functional) when the filter was received. It is obvious the packaging is OK for the filter itself which is quite rugged, but not for the gauge which is fragile and sticks out at the top. It is absolutely not protected. I have contacted the vendor and they quickly responded offering to send a replacement gauge by mail. I did not rate 5 stars simply for the packaging, particularly considering that I have read many reports of broken gauges for this particular product. I would think it would be the manufacturer's interest to fix that problem sooner rather than later.