Great pump but the pool should have connectors as ours doesn't have them hence it's a bit problematic to get water flowing into the pump and push trapped air out. I eventually attached a weight to hoses to avoid inlet hose going up to the surface. The filter can be easily cleaned with a sprinkler and in theory should be replaced every e.g. 4-6 weeks but in my opinion it can last longer if maintained every two days or daily.