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The best pool filter sand for your filter

For most sand filters the best pool filter sand is plain #20 silica pool filter sand: it is what filter makers specify, and it costs the least. Glass and zeolite are worth a look in specific cases. Here is how to choose, and what to check on the bag.

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Updated October 12, 2026Research based, not hands-on testing

#20 SILICAangular grainsZEOLITEporous grainsFILTER GLASSsmooth facetsMAGNIFIED, NOT TO SCALE
Fig. 1 The three media that fit a standard sand filter, magnified: angular #20 silica, porous zeolite and smooth filter glass.

Short answer

Buy #20 grade silica pool filter sand (about 0.45 to 0.55 mm) unless you have a reason not to. It is the media most filter manuals name. Consider filter glass if you want a lighter fill and the longer life glass sellers claim, and zeolite if you want the lightest fill and finer filtering its sellers claim. Whatever you buy, match the amount on your filter’s label and check your filter maker allows the media.

Pool filter sand picks by situation

  1. 01Most pools

    #20 silica pool filter sand

    Best for: any sand filter whose manual calls for #20 silica sand

    Grade
    #20 (about 0.45 to 0.55 mm)
    Bag
    Usually 50 lb
    Swap
    Every 5 to 7 years
    • What Hayward, Pentair and Intex specify for their sand filters
    • Lowest cost per fill
    • Easy to find at pool, hardware and home stores
    See #20 pool filter sand
  2. 02Lighter

    Filter glass (crushed, tumbled glass)

    Best for: owners who want a lighter fill and are fine paying more up front

    Weight
    About 70 to 80% of sand
    Claimed life
    7 to 10 years (seller)
    Brands
    Vitroclean and others
    • Intex publishes glass figures for its pumps, about 70 percent of the sand weight
    • Sellers claim finer filtering and less backwashing; we have not verified this
    • Use the filter maker’s glass amount if it lists one
    See filter glass
  3. 03Lightest

    Zeolite (ZeoSand and others)

    Best for: owners who want the lightest fill and the finer filtering its sellers claim

    Weight
    About 50% of sand
    Bag
    25 lb (ZeoSand, per Inyo)
    Type
    Porous mineral
    • The ZeoSand seller says one 25 lb bag replaces 50 lb of sand
    • Porous grains; sellers claim it traps finer particles and ammonia
    • Follow the maker’s rinse steps before normal filtering
    See zeolite media
  4. 04Above ground

    Sand for Intex sand filter pumps

    Best for: Intex Krystal Clear sand filter pumps

    12 in tank
    50 lb sand / 35 lb glass
    14 in tank
    77 lb sand / 55 lb glass
    Grade
    #20 silica
    • Figures from Intex’s own product specs
    • Intex says to replace the sand every 5 years
    • Smaller tanks mean one or two bags, not a pallet
    See sand for Intex pumps

What to check on the bag

CheckWhat you wantWhy
Label“Pool filter sand” or “#20 silica”Play, masonry and all-purpose sand are finer and mixed in size.
Grade#20, about 0.45 to 0.55 mmHayward lists this grade; Quikrete lists #20 to 40 (0.85 to 0.425 mm).
WeightEnough bags for the label figureMost bags are 50 lb. Round up, never over-fill.
ConditionDry, sealed, not tornTorn bags pick up dirt and debris before they reach the filter.

Quikrete describes its pool filter sand as “narrowly graded clean dry silica sand” in its data sheet. HTH’s 50 lb bag is listed as 0.45 to 0.55 mm, 20 grade, in retailer listings. Read Quikrete vs HTH for the details.

How much to buy

Buy what your filter label says. As a guide, published figures run about 100 to 120 lb for a 16 inch tank, 175 lb for 19 inch and 300 to 325 lb for 24 inch. The sand chart lists every model we could source, and the calculator turns it into bags.

50 LB50 LB50 LB50 LB4 x 50 LB = 200 LBCHECK THE TANK LABEL
Fig. 2 Four 50 lb bags fill a filter that takes 200 lb. Always round up to whole bags and keep any spare sealed.

Sand, glass or zeolite?

Most pools do fine on sand. The case for switching is weight, and the claims makers make about finer filtering and fewer backwashes. Read sand vs glass vs zeolite for the side by side, and the dedicated guides to filter glass and zeolite.

Also useful

  • Dust mask N95 or better for pouringFind it
  • Lid o-ring replace while the tank is openFind it
  • Silicone lubricant silicone-based, as Inyo Pools advisesFind it

Questions people ask

Is there a difference between pool filter sand brands?

The main things that matter are the grade and how clean and uniform it is. Quikrete lists its pool filter sand as US sieve #20 to 40 (0.85 to 0.425 mm), and HTH lists 0.45 to 0.55 mm, 20 grade. Both are sold for pool filters in 50 lb bags. We have not tested either, so we do not rank one above the other.

Is cheap pool filter sand OK?

Yes, if the bag says it is pool filter sand of the right grade. Hardware store and pool store sand of the same #20 grade does the same job. What you must avoid is play sand, all-purpose sand or masonry sand, which are finer and mixed in size.

Should I switch to glass or zeolite?

Only if your filter maker allows it and the tradeoff suits you. Both cost more per pound than sand, both weigh less for the same fill, and their makers claim benefits we cannot verify. Sand is the safe default.

Do I need gravel under the sand?

Most residential sand filters do not. Inyo Pools staff say pea gravel is not necessary and sand alone is standard for the Pentair Triton II, for example. Some glass systems pair a coarse base layer with a finer top layer, so follow the glass maker’s instructions if you use one.

Sources

  1. Quikrete Pool Filter Sand No. 1153 data sheet (maker PDF)
  2. Hemlock Hardware, HTH 50 lb Pool Filter Sand listing (retailer)

Last reviewed October 12, 2026. Sand amounts and listings change; check your filter’s label or manual before you buy, and follow the maker’s instructions.

Keep reading

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