Filtration
The right filter is the one matched to what your water actually carries. Getting it wrong does not clog the filter — it clogs the emitters, which is far more expensive to undo.
Each type retains something different
Sand or gravel filters hold organic matter and algae in depth — what comes from a pond, reservoir, river or ditch.
Mesh and disc filters retain hard, fine particles at the surface. Their natural role is to finish the job the sand filter started.
Hydrocyclones do not filter: they separate sand by centrifugal force. First element in the head when the water comes from a borehole carrying sand, and the only one that cannot clog.
Order matters more than brand
Hydrocyclone first if there is sand, sand filter next if the source is surface water, mesh or discs last as a final safeguard. Reverse that order and the wrong element clogs every two hours.
Automatic backwash has a side effect
Self-cleaning heads keep filtration constant and save labour. But every wash cycle is an abrupt flow change in the network — one of the six moments when water hammer occurs. On a head that washes several times a day, that repeats a great many times per season. The cycle should be programmed with soft transitions and the network should be protected.
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