How much sand does an Intex SX2100 take?
The Intex SX2100 takes 50 pounds of #20 silica sand, which is exactly 1 bag of 50 pounds, or 35 pounds of filter glass.
How to work it out
- Intex Krystal Clear SX2100: 50 lb (23 kg) of #20 silica sand (Intex’s product page (sand capacity, #20 silica))
- 50 lb ÷ 50 lb per bag = 1 → 1 bag
- Glass instead: 35 lb (Intex’s figure)
The SX2100 is Intex’s 12 in Krystal Clear unit for mid-size frame pools. Its sand charge is the most convenient on the list: one standard 50 lb bag, nothing over.
Adjust for your project
- Bags of 50 lb (22.7 kg)
- 1 bag
- Or filter glass (Intex’s figure)
- 35 lb
- Filter area
- 0.79 sq ft
- Design flow
- 1,600 gal per hour system flow (about 27 gpm)
- Tank diameter
- 12 in
- Intex’s maximum pool size
- 12,800 gal
- Where the number comes from
- Intex’s product page (sand capacity, #20 silica)
- Intex lists both #20 silica sand and filter glass for its Krystal Clear pumps. Glass is lighter, so the tank takes fewer pounds of it.
- Use the grade the label calls for — #20 silica pool filter sand (about 0.45–0.55 mm) for every model here. Play sand and builder’s sand are the wrong size and will pass through the laterals or clog the bed.
Sand for popular filters
| Model | Filter sand (#20 silica) | Bags of 50 lb (22.7 kg) | Design flow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward S144T | 50 lb | 1 bag | 25 gpm (95 L/min) |
| Hayward S166T | 100 lb | 2 bags | 30 gpm (114 L/min) |
| Hayward S180T | 150 lb | 3 bags | 35 gpm (132 L/min) |
| Hayward S210T | 200 lb | 4 bags | 44 gpm (167 L/min) |
| Hayward S244T | 300 lb | 6 bags | 62 gpm (235 L/min) |
| Pentair Triton II TR40 | 175 lb | 4 bags | 38 gpm (144 L/min) |
| Pentair Triton II TR60 | 325 lb | 7 bags | 63 gpm (238 L/min) |
| Pentair Sand Dollar SD60 | 250 lb | 5 bags | 60 gpm (227 L/min) |
| Intex SX2100 | 50 lb | 1 bag | 1,600 gal per hour system flow (about 27 gpm) |
| Intex SX2800 | 77 lb | 2 bags | 2,150 gal per hour system flow (about 36 gpm) |
Loading an SX2100
Intex’s page lists 50 lb (23 kg) of #20 silica sand or 35 lb (16 kg) of filter glass. With a single bag there is no spare, so if you skim off a caked top layer later you will need another bag to top up.
- Flow. The pump is rated at 2,100 gallons an hour; Intex gives the system flow through the filter as 1,600 gph, about 27 gpm.
- Pool size. Intex rates it for pools up to 12,800 gallons, so an 18 ft round (Intex lists 6,981 gallons for its 18 ft × 52 in pool) is well inside it. A 24 ft round at around 13,000 gallons is just past it; the SX2800 is the next size up.
- Media choice. Pick sand or glass and stick with it; the two weigh different amounts per tank.
- Before you open it. Unplug the pump, close the hose plungers or valves, and drain the tank before removing the valve top.
The larger model is on how much sand an Intex SX2800 takes. For a Hayward filter of similar size, see how much sand for a Hayward S166T, which takes twice the sand in a 16 in tank.
Different size? Use the full Pool Filter Sand Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Pool filter sand (#20 silica, 50 lb)Budget price
The grade most sand filters are designed for (about 0.45–0.55 mm). Check your filter’s label for the exact amount.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Filter glass mediaMid-range price
Lighter than sand, so a filter takes fewer pounds of it. Only use it where your filter maker allows it, and follow the glass maker’s fill chart.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Above-ground pool pumpMid-range price
Sized for above-ground plumbing and filters. Match the flow to the filter’s rated maximum.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put glass in an Intex SX2100?
Intex lists glass as an option: 35 pounds instead of 50 pounds of sand.
What size pool is an Intex SX2100 for?
Intex rates it for pools up to 12,800 gal, and its flow through the filter is 1,600 gal per hour system flow (about 27 gpm).
Other common sizes
- How much sand a Hayward S244T takes — 300 lb
- How much sand for a Hayward S166T — 100 lb
- How much sand for a Hayward S210T — 200 lb
- How much sand an Intex SX2800 takes — 77 lb
Sources
- Hayward ProSeries high-rate sand filter manual (IS210TS Rev A) (opens in a new tab) — Filter area and pounds of sand for S144T to S360T2; sand 0.45–0.55 mm, “No. 20 Silica Pool”; cap the internal pipe, fill the tank about half with water, keep sand at least 10 in below the top; backwash at 8–10 psi over clean pressure.
- Hayward — ProSeries 16 in sand filter (S166T) product page (opens in a new tab) — “This filter requires 100 lbs of #20 silica pool filter sand”; in its Q&A Hayward recommends only filter sand in its filters.
- Hayward ProSeries sand filter brochure (2011) (opens in a new tab) — Design flows based on 20 gpm per sq ft: S180T 35, S210T 44, S220T 52, S244T 62, S270T 74 gpm.
- Hayward ProSeries above-ground sand filter sell sheet (2025) (opens in a new tab) — Design flows S144T 25 and S166T 30 gpm.
- Pentair Triton II sand filter brochure (opens in a new tab) — Filter area, tank diameter, pounds of standard #20 silica sand and design flow for TR40 to TR140.
- Pentair Sand Dollar sand filter brochure (2020) (opens in a new tab) — Filter area, pounds of sand and flow for SD35 to SD80. An older (2014) brochure lists 200 lb for the SD60.
- Intex — Krystal Clear sand filter pumps (product pages for SX1500, SX2100, SX2800, SX3000) (opens in a new tab) — Tank size, #20 silica sand capacity, glass media capacity, system flow rate and maximum pool size for each model.