Pool Filter Sand Calculator
How much sand your pool filter takes, in pounds and bags.
Measure straight across the widest part of the tank.
Leave at 0 unless your label lists gravel.
The sand weight printed on your tank label or in its manual always overrides these figures. Most modern residential filters (Intex, Hayward ProSeries, Pentair Sand Dollar and Triton II) take #20 sand only, with no gravel layer.
About the Pool Filter Sand Calculator
How much sand does a pool filter need? Pick your tank diameter or your exact model (Intex, Hayward ProSeries, Pentair Sand Dollar or Triton II, Bestway Flowclear) and the calculator returns the pounds of #20 silica sand, the number of 50 lb or 25 lb bags to buy, and when to replace it. Switching to filter glass or zeolite? It converts the charge for you, because both are lighter than sand for the same volume. Every figure comes from manufacturer spec sheets and manuals. The weight printed on your own tank label always has the final say.
How much sand for a pool filter, by tank diameter
The quick answer: sand capacity rises with the width of the tank. A small 12 inch Intex tank takes 50 lb, a 24 inch filter takes about 300 lb, and a 36 inch commercial-size tank takes over 900 lb. The table below uses the charge from a real filter of each width. Where deeper side-mount tanks of the same width take more, the higher figure is listed too.
| Tank diameter | #20 silica sand | 50 lb bags | Reference filter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 in | 26 lb | 1 | Intex SX1500 |
| 12 in | 50 lb | 1 | Intex SX2100 |
| 14 in | 77 lb | 2 | Intex SX2800 |
| 16 in | 100–120 lb | 2–3 | Hayward S166T (Intex SX3000: 120 lb) |
| 18 in | 150 lb | 3 | Hayward S180T |
| 19 in | 150–175 lb | 3–4 | Pentair SD40 (Triton II TR40: 175 lb) |
| 20–21 in | 200 lb | 4 | Hayward S210T, Pentair SD60 |
| 22 in | 250 lb | 5 | Hayward S220T |
| 24 in | 300–325 lb | 6–7 | Hayward S244T (Triton II TR60: 325 lb) |
| 26–27 in | 350 lb | 7 | Hayward S270T, Pentair SD80 |
| 30 in | 500–600 lb | 10–12 | Hayward S310T2 (Triton II TR100: 600 lb) |
| 36 in | 925 lb | 19 | Pentair Triton II TR140 |
Two filters with the same width can still differ, because tank height and lateral design vary. Treat the diameter figure as a shopping estimate and the weight on your tank label as the final number.
How much sand by brand and model
If you know the model number, use it. These figures come straight from the manufacturers' product pages and manuals.
| Brand | Model | Tank | Sand | 50 lb bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intex | SX1500 | 10 in | 26 lb (glass 18.5 lb) | 1 |
| Intex | SX2100 | 12 in | 50 lb (glass 35 lb) | 1 |
| Intex | SX2800 | 14 in | 77 lb (glass 55 lb) | 2 |
| Intex | SX3000 | 16 in | 120 lb (glass 85 lb) | 3 |
| Bestway | Flowclear 58497 | — | about 20 lb (9 kg) | 1 |
| Bestway | Flowclear 58499 | 17 in | about 121 lb (55 kg) | 3 |
| Hayward | ProSeries S166T | 16 in | 100 lb | 2 |
| Hayward | ProSeries S180T | 18 in | 150 lb | 3 |
| Hayward | ProSeries S210T | 21 in | 200 lb | 4 |
| Hayward | ProSeries S220T | 22 in | 250 lb | 5 |
| Hayward | ProSeries S244T | 24 in | 300 lb | 6 |
| Hayward | ProSeries S270T | 27 in | 350 lb | 7 |
| Hayward | ProSeries S310T2 | 30 in | 500 lb | 10 |
| Pentair | Sand Dollar SD35 | 15 in | 100 lb | 2 |
| Pentair | Sand Dollar SD40 | 19 in | 150 lb | 3 |
| Pentair | Sand Dollar SD60 | 20 in | 200 lb | 4 |
| Pentair | Sand Dollar SD70 | 24 in | 300 lb | 6 |
| Pentair | Sand Dollar SD80 | 26 in | 350 lb | 7 |
| Pentair | Triton II TR40 | 19 in | 175 lb | 4 |
| Pentair | Triton II TR60 | 24 in | 325 lb | 7 |
| Pentair | Triton II TR100 | 30 in | 600 lb | 12 |
| Pentair | Triton II TR140 | 36 in | 925 lb | 19 |
All of these filters are specified for #20 silica sand only, with no pea gravel layer. Pentair's Triton II manual gives the grade as 0.018 to 0.022 in (0.44 to 0.55 mm). If an older or commercial filter's label lists a gravel base, enter that weight in the calculator and it adds the gravel bags.
Glass vs zeolite: converting the sand weight
Alternative media are lighter than sand for the same volume. You fill the tank to the same level, so you buy fewer pounds:
- Filter glass: about 20% less than the sand weight. Most glass suppliers quote 80 lb of glass for every 100 lb of sand, and some guides say 15%. Intex publishes its own glass figures, about 30% below its sand figures, and the calculator uses those for Intex models.
- Zeolite (for example ZeoSand): about half the sand weight. The maker says 50 lb replaces 100 lb of sand.
So a filter rated for 200 lb of sand takes about 160 lb of glass or 100 lb of zeolite.
Worked example: a 24 inch Hayward filter
The Hayward ProSeries S244T is rated for 300 lb of #20 silica sand. 300 ÷ 50 = 6, so you buy exactly six 50 lb bags, or twelve 25 lb bags. Switching to glass: 300 × 0.8 = 240 lb, which rounds up to five 50 lb bags with 10 lb left over. Switching to zeolite: 300 × 0.5 = 150 lb, which is three 50 lb bags or six 25 lb bags.
How to change pool filter sand
- Turn off the pump and breaker, set the valve to Closed, and open the air relief or drain plug to release pressure.
- Remove the drain plug and let the tank empty completely.
- Take off the valve or lid, then scoop or wet-vac the old sand out. Keep the standpipe centred so the laterals below stay in place.
- Rinse the tank and check every lateral for cracks. A broken lateral is what sends sand back into the pool.
- Cover the standpipe opening, fill the tank about half full of water to cushion the laterals, and pour in the new media slowly up to the rated weight.
- Clean sand off the tank rim, refit the valve, backwash for 2 to 3 minutes, rinse for about 30 seconds, then return to Filter.
Signs your filter sand needs replacing
- Pressure climbs back to 8 to 10 psi above the clean reading within days of a backwash.
- The water stays hazy even though your chemistry is balanced and the pump runs long enough.
- Sand feels greasy or has formed hard clumps and channels when you dig into the top of the bed.
- Sand shows up on the pool floor, which usually means a cracked lateral as well as tired media.
- The sand is more than 5 years old. Grains wear smooth and trap less dirt over time.
How to use the Pool Filter Sand Calculator
- 01Choose By tank diameter and pick your tank width, or choose By brand & model and select your filter.
- 02Pick the media you plan to use: #20 silica sand, filter glass or zeolite.
- 03Choose 50 lb or 25 lb bags, and add a gravel base only if your tank label lists one.
- 04Read the pounds of media, bags to buy and replacement interval, then check them against your tank label.
Frequently asked questions
How much sand does a 24 inch pool filter take?
A 24 inch top-mount filter such as the Hayward ProSeries S244T or Pentair Sand Dollar SD70 takes 300 lb of #20 silica sand, which is six 50 lb bags. The deeper side-mount Pentair Triton II TR60 takes 325 lb.
How much sand goes in an Intex sand filter pump?
Intex lists 26 lb for the SX1500 (10 inch tank), 50 lb for the SX2100 (12 inch), 77 lb for the SX2800 (14 inch) and 120 lb for the SX3000 (16 inch), all #20 silica sand.
How many 50 lb bags of pool filter sand do I need?
Divide the pounds on your tank label by 50 and round up. A 200 lb filter needs 4 bags, a 250 lb filter needs 5 and a 350 lb filter needs 7.
Can I use play sand or pool sand from a hardware store?
Use only #20 silica pool filter sand (about 0.45 to 0.55 mm grains). Play sand is too fine and irregular, so it clogs the bed or passes through the laterals back into the pool.
How often should pool filter sand be changed?
Every 3 to 5 years for silica sand. Filter glass typically lasts 8 to 10 years, and zeolite makers quote up to about 5 years.
What happens if I put too much sand in my pool filter?
An overfilled tank has no room for the bed to lift during backwashing, so dirt stays trapped and sand can be pushed out through the valve. Fill only to the weight on the label, which leaves the free space the tank needs.