Pool filter sand chart by model

Hayward ProSeries sand filters

Hayward’s figures step up steadily, from the 50 lb S144T to the 700 lb S360T2. From the S210T upward they work out to about 90–100 lb of sand per square foot of filter area; the small above-ground tanks take less per square foot. The worked pages cover the three most common: how much sand a Hayward S244T takes, how much sand for a Hayward S210T and how much sand for a Hayward S166T.

Pentair Triton II and Sand Dollar

The residential Triton II figures are not whole bags (175, 225 and 325 lb), so you will usually have part of a bag left. Keep it dry for topping up later. The two commercial Triton models are listed for completeness; the TR140’s 925 lb is a delivery job, not a car trip.

Intex Krystal Clear sand filter pumps

Intex sells its sand units by pump size, and the sand amounts are small: one 50 lb bag covers the SX1500 or SX2100, two the SX2800 and three the SX3000. Worked pages: how much sand an Intex SX2800 takes and how much sand for an Intex SX2100.

Sand or filter glass?

Filter glass is a glass filter medium sold as a replacement for sand. It weighs less for the same volume, so a tank takes fewer pounds. Intex is the one maker here that publishes both figures, and across its four models the glass is consistently 70–71% of the sand weight.

• Intex lists glass as an option for every Krystal Clear sand unit, with its own amount.
• Hayward says in its product Q&A that it recommends only filter sand in its filters, so glass is not listed for Hayward models.
• Pentair’s brochures above list sand only. Check with the maker before switching a filter that does not publish a glass amount.
• Don’t mix them. Use one medium per tank, at the maker’s amount.

What grade of sand

Every filter in these tables is built for #20 silica pool filter sand, about 0.45–0.55 mm grains. Hayward’s manual calls it “No. 20 Silica Pool”. It is sold in 50 lb bags labelled pool filter sand.

• Not play sand, mason sand or builder’s sand. They are a different grain size and can pass through the laterals into the pool or pack into a bed that won’t filter.
• Not the sand under the pool. Mason sand belongs under an above-ground liner — see how much sand for a 24 ft round pool base — not in the filter.
• Fill level matters more than an extra bag. Hayward’s manual says the sand must stay at least 10 in below the top of the tank so the bed can lift during backwash. Pour the stated amount, not “to the top”.

Matching the filter to the pool

The sand doesn’t change with pool size, but the filter does. Hayward rates its tanks at 20 gpm per square foot of filter area, so the S360T2 at 7.1 sq ft is good for 142 gpm, while the S166T’s 1.4 sq ft is good for 30 gpm. A pump that pushes more than the filter’s design flow shortens filter runs and can drive dirt through the bed.

To size the pair, start from the pump: what size pump for a 20,000 gallon pool, what size pump for a 15,000 gallon pool and what size pump and sand filter for a 24 ft above-ground pool each name a filter with headroom. The pool pump size calculator does it for any volume.

When to change the sand

The manuals cited here don’t set a fixed schedule. The usual signs are short filter runs — the pressure climbing back to backwash level soon after a backwash — or cloudy water with good chemistry. Hayward’s troubleshooting table suggests checking the top of the sand for a crust and removing about 1 in if it has caked, then topping up with the same grade. Hayward also says to backwash when the gauge reads 8–10 psi above the clean pressure, so write the clean reading on the tank after any re-sand. The step-by-step method is on the pool filter sand calculator.