An effective pool filter not only keeps your water clean and clear, but also removes contaminants, reduces chemicals and heat, and kills algae and bacteria from your pool.
We researched and tested pool filters from the top pool filter brands, evaluating ease of installation and maintenance, efficiency, and capacity. Our top pick, the INTEX 26643EG SX1500 Ground Pools, has a long-lasting cartridge filter and an extra large capacity, making it a great choice for larger pools.
Here are the best pool filters.
Best Sand Pool Filters: Editor Recommended
Our Editor’s Best Sand Pool Filters Reviews
- Crystal Clear Pool Water: Effectively captures leaves, dirt, dust, sunscreen oil, hair, and other small particles, ensuring your pool remains pristine and inviting all season long
- Superior Purity: Undergoes a rigorous washing and screening process, providing the purest 20-40 Sieve pool filter sand available; High-quality filtration means cleaner water and reduced maintenance time
- Safe & Natural Composition: Soft, clean, and free from chunks or harsh additives; Meets the standards for most pool filter pump brands, ensuring safe operation and a healthy swimming environment
- Innovative Technology: Produced with cutting-edge robotics and screening technologies, this filter sand offers a long-lasting solution for your pool’s filtration needs
- Generous Size: You’ll have more than enough to keep your pool functioning at its best as each bag fills an area of 18 square inches to a depth of 3 inches; Ideal for pool filters, molding, and building
- Crystal Clear Pool Water: Effectively captures leaves, dirt, dust, sunscreen oil, hair, and other small particles, ensuring your pool remains pristine and inviting all season long
- Superior Purity: Undergoes a rigorous washing and screening process, providing the purest 20-40 Sieve pool filter sand available; High-quality filtration means cleaner water and reduced maintenance time
- Safe & Natural Composition: Soft, clean, and free from chunks or harsh additives; Meets the standards for most pool filter pump brands, ensuring safe operation and a healthy swimming environment
- Innovative Technology: Produced with cutting-edge robotics and screening technologies, this filter sand offers a long-lasting solution for your pool’s filtration needs
- Generous Size: You’ll have more than enough to keep your pool functioning at its best as each bag fills an area of 18 square inches to a depth of 3 inches; Ideal for pool filters, molding, and building
- Crystal Clear Pool Water: Effectively captures leaves, dirt, dust, sunscreen oil, hair, and other small particles, ensuring your pool remains pristine and inviting all season long
- Superior Purity: Undergoes a rigorous washing and screening process, providing the purest 20-40 Sieve pool filter sand available; High-quality filtration means cleaner water and reduced maintenance time
- Safe & Natural Composition: Soft, clean, and free from chunks or harsh additives; Meets the standards for most pool filter pump brands, ensuring safe operation and a healthy swimming environment
- Innovative Technology: Produced with cutting-edge robotics and screening technologies, this filter sand offers a long-lasting solution for your pool’s filtration needs
- Generous Size: You’ll have more than enough to keep your pool functioning at its best as each bag fills an area of 18 square inches to a depth of 3 inches; Ideal for pool filters, molding, and building
- High-Quality Filtration: 50 pounds of pre-washed, kiln-dried natural silica Pool & Spa Filter sand captures dirt, leaves, hair, and debris without clogging or clumping
- Universal Compatibility: Works with all residential and commercial sand filter systems for above-ground and in-ground pools
- Long-Lasting Performance: Promotes smooth water flow, extends filter life, and reduces maintenance needs for season long filtration
- Ready to Use: Pre-cleaned for quick application; store in a cool, dry place to prevent moisture
- Season Long Clean Water: Aqua Joe Premium Filter Sand is a safe, long-lasting solution that keeps your water sparkling all season long
- High-Quality Filtration: U.S. Silica Mystic White II Pool Filter Sand provides superior filtration for above ground and inground pools; This bag contains 50 pounds of high-purity white silica sand
- Convenient Packaging: Also available in packs and bags, making it easy to store and handle; Ideal for use with sand pool filter pumps, ensuring thorough cleaning of pool water
- Effective and Reliable: Consistent-sized pool filtration solution captures and removes dirt, dust, leaves, insects, moss, oil, cosmetics, gum, and other debris, ensuring your pool water remains clean
- Easy Application: Quality angular-shaped sand maximizes solid entrapment and ensures uniform flow to prevent clogging; Compatible with any standard pool filter system
- The U.S. Silica Expertise: For over 100 years, U.S. Silica has led the industrial silica and minerals industry with resilient, reliable, and innovative solutions.
- High-Power Filtration: Unique pure silica formula effectively traps dirt and debris, ensuring your pool water remains crystal clear and sparkling clean, providing a pristine swimming experience.
- Optimal Shape: The angular grains in OptiFlow are designed to enhance filtration efficiency, providing longer-lasting performance and ensuring maximum filtration for a consistently clean pool.
- Low-Maintenance: With its unique composition, OptiFlow promotes better water flow, reducing the need for frequent backwashing and conserving water for efficient maintenance.
- Versatile Compatibility: Works seamlessly with major sand filter brands and is suitable for both in-ground and above-ground pools, making it an ideal choice for both residential and commercial pools, delivering reliable filtration every time.
- A Standard of Excellence: Proudly made in the USA, OptiFlow is crafted in our advanced facilities using complete logistics capabilities to provide a premium swimming pool experience.
- Filtration: #20 Grade AquaQuartz pool sand uses a 100% natural sand that filters out debris like insects, leaves, oils, dirt, dust, hair, and algae freom pool water.
- Safe and Effective: The sand will not solidify overtime, helping prevent clogging and channeling for effective water filtration.
- Easy Maintenance: The sand backwashes easily and evenly to remove trapped contaminants without clumping so the filter remains clear and efficient to use.
- Lower Cost Upkeep: By ensuring easy maintenance, this filter sand provides clean pool water.
- 50 Pound Bag: This package contains 50 pounds of #20 grade swimming pool filter sand for filtering pools.
- Premium Pool Pump Sand – Designed to enhance the cleanliness and appearance of your inground pool, our filter sand is compatible with all pool sand filtration systems. It effectively captures particles such as dirt, leaves, hair, and small debris.
- Residential or Commercial Pools – Classic Sand & Play pool sand is compatible with all sand filters for above and inground pools in commercial or residential spaces which means it can be used for your backyard pool or pools in hotels, RV campgrounds, and local municipalities.
- Clean, Efficient, and Clump Resistant – This silica filter sand provides smoother, cleaner operation and effectiveness with no harsh chemicals, chlorines, or additives so you can maintain an efficient filter without impacting pH balance.
- Helps Extend Filter Life – Pairing our pool pump sand with your filtration process can help keep your filter running more effectively throughout its lifespan which can help reduce repair costs and improve your overall filtration functionality.
- Pre-Washed for Enhanced Purity – Our high-quality sand for pool filters is pre-washed and kiln dried to remove any particles or impurities before it’s bagged and shipped, so you can be sure you’re adding reliable sand to your filtration system.
- High-Powered Filtration: Angular-shaped silica sand formulation delivers effective filtration by trapping dirt, leaves, and microscopic debris in both above-ground and inground pool filters to help maintain clearer, cleaner water.
- Optimal Performance: Specially graded, angular grains are engineered at an optimal 20 level (0.40mm to 0.55mm) for strong entrapment, better flow rates, and crystal-clear waters.
- Safe & Inert Material: Formulated to remain inert in pool water, this sand works smoothly with pool chemicals, helping maintain balanced conditions while supporting an a sustainable approach.
- Precision-Screened for Reliability: Every grain is screened to maintain consistent size, supporting efficient filtration and steady water circulation.
- Easy to Install & Maintain: Simply pour in the correct depth of sand per your filter’s specifications, rinse before use, and enjoy efficient filtration.
- Effective Filtration: Pool filter sand removes dirt, dust, and debris from pool water, ensuring clear and clean water for swimming.
- Long-Lasting: High-quality, can last for 2-5 years, depending on usage and maintenance, making it a cost-effective solution.
- Easy to Clean: Pool filter sand is designed for easy cleaning and maintenance, allowing for simple backwashing and rinsing to restore its filtering capabilities.
- Chemical Resistance: Pool filter sand is resistant to chemical corrosion, ensuring it won't break down or react with pool sanitizers, maintaining its effectiveness.
- Optimal Grain Size: Pool filter sand has a specific grain size that allows for optimal filtration, balancing water flow and particle removal for crystal-clear pool water.
Best Sand Pool Filters Buying Guide
Before choosing the best sand pool filter you should consider the following options:
1. Sand Filter Size: The size of your sand filter will depend on the size of your pool.
Sand filters come in two sizes: standard size and oversized size.
Standard-sized sand filters usually measure 20 inches in diameter.
Sand filters with oversized tanks measure 22 inches in diameter.
If your pool is 24 inches or less in diameter, then you need a standard-sized filter. If your pool is 24 inches or more in diameter, then you need an oversized filter.
2. Flow Rate: Most sand filters have a GPM (gallons per minute) of between 5 and 15.
This number tells you the rate at which water will move through the filter. The higher the GPM, the more powerful the pump.
The higher the flow rate, the more powerful the suction of the pump. You will need a powerful pump if you have a large pool or one with a lot of water features.
You will need a less powerful pump if you have a small pool with few water features.
3. Suction Rate: This tells you the rate at which water will be drawn from your pool and into the filter.
The higher the suction rate, the more powerful the pump. You will need a powerful pump if you have a large pool, or one with a lot of water features.
You will need a less powerful pump if you have a small pool with few water features.
4. Sand Size: Pool sand comes in various sizes, depending on the application.
There are four grades of pool sand: standard, medium, coarse and ultra-coarse.
Standard sand is the most common and is used in all-purpose filters.
If you use your pool for swimming, then you will need a sand filter with standard sand.
If you use your pool for water play, such as water slides and splash pads, then you will need a sand filter with coarse or ultra-coarse sand.
The grade of sand you need will depend on the type of water play you have.
5. Tank Size: Your tank size will depend on the flow rate of your filter.
The higher the flow rate, the larger the tank. If you have a powerful pump, then you will need a larger tank.
What else you should know about the best sand pool filters
1. What are the best sand pool filters?
The best sand pool filters are those that are made of high-quality materials and that are designed to last. There are many different brands and models of pool filters on the market, so it is important to do your research to find the best one for your needs.
2. How do sand pool filters work?
The sand in the filter helps to trap dirt and debris in the water as it passes through the filter. The dirt and debris are then removed from the water when the filter is cleaned.
3. How often should I change the sand in my pool filter?
The sand in your pool filter should be changed every 3 to 5 years.
4. What are the pros and cons of sand pool filters?
Some pros of sand pool filters are that they are relatively low-maintenance, they are easy to backwash, and they are effective at trapping debris. Some cons of sand pool filters are that they can be difficult to clean, they can be less effective at trapping smaller particles, and they can require more frequent backwashing.
5. How do I choose the right sand pool filter for my pool?
There are a few things to consider when choosing a sand pool filter for your pool. The first is the size of your pool. The second is the type of pool you have. The third is the type of filtration system you have.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best sand pool filters. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best sand pool filters will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.