What Type of Sand Goes in a Pool Filter?
- Sand used in a pool pump is #20 silica sand. It is course sand that can filter dirt particles 50 microns in size. The sand traps the dirt particles as water flows through the pump.
- Other types of sand such as playground sand or beach sand are not course enough to capture dirt particles, or fine enough to filter water back into the pool during the filtration process.
- Sand in the pump is kept clean with a process called backwashing, in which the pump reverses the flow of water, sending the dirt and rinse water out of the filter and into the yard or down a drain as waste. Every two to five years, the sand in the pump should be emptied and replaced with new sand.
