How Much Sand Does My Swimming Pool Filter Need?

One of the many benefits of owning a sand filter is that you only have to change the sand every five years or so. Not to mention, replacing the sand in your pool filter is pretty straight-forward. However, before beginning this journey, don’t forget to ask yourself the all-important question, “How much sand does my swimming pool filter need?” From our experience, this is one of the most overlooked steps in the process. 

How Do I Determine How Much Sand My Swimming Pool Filter Need?

Replacing the sand in your swimming pool filter should be an easy task. However, the step where most pool owners go wrong is determining how much sand has to go back into the filter tank. It is extremely important to use the correct amount of sand. Too little or too much sand can and will negatively affect the filter performance and potentially compromise your pool’s health.

There are a few ways you can determine how much sand your filter requires.

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Owner’s Manual

First, if you are one of the few pool owners who keep all of their manuals in one place and know exactly where to find them, lucky you. If not, you can use the make and model listed on the tank to search for the manual online. A quick, simple Google search has never hurt anyone, right?

The owner’s manual for your filter will contain all the information you need to replace your sand. Below is a screenshot of the manual for the Pentair Sand Dollar and Cristal-Flo II Sand Filters.

In the example, you can see that the 26″ tank requires 350 lbs of sand. The larger the filter, the more sand it requires.

I Can’t Locate My Pool Filter Manual

So, what happens if you can’t locate your manual? Don’t worry, it’s not uncommon!

If for whatever reason you can’t locate your physical manual and the Internet gods aren’t being friendly, keep us in mind. INYO understands how difficult it is locating information on an older or discontinued filter. As a result, we wanted to create a single, more succinct list of sand requirements for the most popular sand filters.

Using the charts below, you can find out how much sand you need for your specific make and model sand filter.

American Products/ Pentair

MAKEMODELLBS OF SAND NEEDED
American ProductsEclipse 18150 lbs.
Eclipse 20200 lbs.
Eclipse 22200 lbs
Eclipse 26225 lbs
Eclipse 30350 lbs
Sandpiper 18150 lbs
Sandpiper 24200 lbs
Meteor 18150 lbs
Meteor 20200 lbs
Meteor 22200 lbs
Meteor 26225 lbs
Meteor 30350 lbs

Hayward

MAKEMODELLBS. OF SAND NEEDED
HaywardS140/ S14450 lbs.
S160150 lbs.
S165/ S166/ S170100 lbs.
S180150 lbs.
S190175 lbs.
S200 Series200 lbs.
Pro Series S210200 lbs.
Pro Series S220/ S230250 lbs.
Pro Series S240/ S244300 lbs.
Pro Series S270350 lbs.
Pro Series S310500 lbs.
Pro Series Plus S311500 lbs.
Pro Series Plus S360700 lbs.
GM14040 lbs.
GM142/ GM15250 lbs.
GM195175 lbs.
GM225200 lbs.
GM245300 lbs.

Jacuzzi

MAKEMODELLBS. OF SAND NEEDED
JacuzziLaser L160140 lbs.
Laser L190200 lbs.
Laser L225250 lbs.
Laser L250 350 lbs.
Sand Storm TM26300 lbs.
Sand Storm TM31500 lbs.
Sand Storm TM36800 lbs.
Sand Trap ST24350 lbs.
Sand Trap ST27600 lbs.
Sand Trap ST33850 lbs.

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Pentair/ Pac Fab

MAKEMODELLBS. OF SAND NEEDED
Pentair/ Pac FabSand Dollar SD35100 lbs.
Sand Dollar SD40150 lbs.
Sand Dollar SD60200 lbs.
Sand Dollar SD70300 lbs.
Sand Dollar SD80350 lbs.
Tagelus TA35100 lbs.
Tagelus TA40175 lbs.
Tagelus TA50225 lbs.
Tagelus TA60325 lbs.
Tagelus TA100600 lbs.
Triton II TR40125 lbs.
Triton II TR50175 lbs.
Triton II TR60250 lbs.
Triton II TR100 450 lbs.
Triton II TR140650 lbs.

Pentair/ StaRite

MAKEMODELLBS. OF SAND NEEDED
Pentair/ Sta-RiteCrystal-Flo T170BP150 lbs.
Crystal-Flo T200BP200 lbs.
Crystal-Flo T240BP240 lbs.
Crystal-Flo T300BP300 lbs.
HRPB20200 lbs.
HRPB30400 lbs.
System 3 S7S50200 lbs.
System 3 S8S70300 lbs.

Waterway

MAKEMODELLBS. OF SAND NEEDED
WaterwayCarefree FS016100 lbs.
Carefree FS019150 lbs.
Carefree FS022250 lbs.
Carefree FS026400 lbs.
Clearwater FS1650 lbs.
Clearwater FS19100 lbs.
Clearwater FS22150 lbs.
Clearwater FS26200 lbs.

How To Add/Replace Sand to Your Sand Filter

The ‘how much sand does my filter need?’ question is always followed up with, a “How do I replace the sand?” question. To help with the “how”, we recommend checking out our how-to video below on replacing the sand in a sand filter.

I Don’t Know Which Filter I Have

How can you determine how much sand you need if you can’t identify the make and model of your filter? Frankly, it’s a little difficult. However, it isn’t impossible. If possible, the very first thing you want to look for is an identifying part number.

Typically, you can find a part number on any part of the filter. Still, in many cases, you may need to open the filter and examine the internal parts. If in the end you still can’t identify your filter, we can try and help. Send us a few pictures of your sand filter to UPLOAD@INYOPOOLS.COM and one of our technicians can take a look for you.

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28 thoughts on “How Much Sand Does My Swimming Pool Filter Need?

  1. How do you tell if you need to add some sand so you don’t have to replace all of it. I replaced my sand last year. I had to move it this year and it did not seam like there was 100 pounds of sand when we moved it. I have been looking for a while now and can not find an answer.

    1. You’d likely look for the same signs as when you need to replace all the sand. I don’t know the answer because I’ve not seen anyone do it that way.

      It seems tedious to do it piecemeal, as you suggest; add a small amount of new sand to the majority of old gunky sand. You’re ensuring that you need to repeat the process than if you had done the complete dump and refill the first time.

  2. When you talk about filter diameter, are you talking about the opening? like where the multiport valve connects to the filter? because my actual filter is way larger that 26″? THanks!

  3. Hello I need to replace the sand in my filter. It is a older Jacuzzi Turbo 5000 and cannot find any info anywhere on it. I would like to know how much sand is required to refill it please.
    Thanks Terry

  4. The label of my pump is completely faded but I can see SA10692 on the bottom right corner of the label. I know it’s a Waterway Clearwater.
    Need to know how much sand tomorrow in.
    Thank you

  5. I have a 19” Waterway Millenium filtration system. I don’t know if this is the model number, it’s the number above the bar code… SFM030839
    How much sand does this system need?

  6. The tag on my sand filter says “Millennium Ultimate Granular Filtration In-Ground Series with a check box next to 22”. Having trouble finding anything online for this. Any ideas how much sand I’ll need? Thanks!

    1. Can you see a part number on any of the external pieces like the valve, tank, clamp assembly, or drain plug? Millennium is a very common “private label” moniker. Private label products can use various manufacturers’ products under the same model name.

      1. Hello! I have the same filter as Lisa B. ” Millennium Ultimate Granular Filtration In-Ground Series with a check box next to 22” and was wondering about how much sand is needed also. The number on the label under the barcode is SFM21702. Is the correct amount 250 lbs? Thanks so much! 🙂

        Reply
        Matthew Simmons says:
        April 7, 2021 at 4:42 PM
        Can you see a part number on any of the external pieces like the valve, tank, clamp assembly, or drain plug? Millennium is a very common “private label” moniker. Private label products can use various manufacturers’ products under the same model name.

    1. As we mention in the article, we list the Waterway Clearwater FS19 filter and it lists the amount to use is 50 lbs. If your filter is not that model, then I would need to know the model number.

    1. If your filter is empty, I would fill the tank halfway with water before pouring in the sand. Adding water before the sand helps cushion the force hitting the laterals to help prevent cracks or breaking.

  7. I want to put in clean sand, but do not know how much to put into my 27300 XL series Millennium sand filter. Do you have any advice?

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