SAND FILTER vs. CARTRIDGE: What's Best For Your POOL?

Swim University makes pool and hot tub care easy for millions of homeowners. Each year, we continue to help more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting. We know taking care of a swimming pool or spa can be difficult. And it’s hard to find a trusted source of information. This is the reason we created Swim University.

What’s the right filter for your swimming pool: a Pool Sand Filter or a Pool Cartridge Filter? Well, it depends on your pool size, how much money you want to spend, and how much cleaning and maintenance you’re willing to do. We walk through the pros and cons of both sand and cartridge filters.

⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to Pool Sand Filters vs. Cartridge Filters
00:36 - Sand Filters: How They Work
02:30 - Sand Filter Pros and Cons
02:58 - Cartridge Filters: How They Work
04:02 - Cartridge Filter Pros and Cons
04:32 - What's The Right Size Pool Pump and Filter?
05:01 - Which Is Best: Sand Filters or Cartridge Filters?

[codyharris]

I have both so I have a 2 stage filtration I have a 400 lb sand filter and a 200 square ft cartridge filter. I also use a dolphin pool cleaner which reduces backwashing significantly

[ginalamey]

We have a cartridge filter & at times it’s a hassle to clean plus we were told we only need to clean filter about once every 2-3 months. I have to clean it at least every 2 weeks. I’m having trouble keeping the water clear as well. We purchase at least 4 filters a year.

[dimcher]

Consider a mess with replacing sand in your sand filter, precautions not to damage collars and fingers, a mess with leaking multiport valves... Is it really simpler to run sand filter? I am in doubt, I have a 50m3 pool with a sand filter, no idea when the previous owner changed sand, and I am thinkg to change for a cartridge type filter. Clean or replace a cartridge is much simpler and cheaper than changing sand, doing maintenance for the sand filter and the multiport valve, etc

[teresastygles]

All of your videos are so incredibly helpful to me as a first time above ground pool owner!!! The one video or instructions that I feel are missing from your library is how to complete an initial set up of a sand filter and pump system.

[Jason-uwwn]

I have a cartridge filter and love it. I have a 8000 gallon pool with a oversized filter and Water is super clear and never had a issue yet

[cherosketeamhomefinance]

What would you consider to be a small size pool and/or a large pool

[CallMe_DrWorm]

I replaced my filter's sand media with recycled glass. I used less than 50% by weight and I also use the trick of adding about two cups of DE. I used the the DE trick on sand as well and its always helped significantly. The glass alone works better than sand. When working in combination with glass, the 20K gallon pool can clear an algae bloom in less than 48 hours of continuous running. The two cups of DE gets replaced after each backwash. Hope this is useful for folks.

[IntegrityPoolCare]

You guys should add debris from plants if you have heavy debris sand needs changed more often. Also for salt pools sand filters cause you to lose the chems needed to maintain parameters to work costing more money to replenish. Such as salt and conditioner.

[ReefMimic]

I’ve seen huge sand filters at public aquariums. If they can keep rare fish alive in a closed looped system, they have to be more than suitable for a pool.

Backwashing sand filter> cleaning filter cartridges for hours on end

[carnereed]

What about flow rate in modern pools. We are making changes to our pool including a spa and the required flow rate is around 35m3/h. The pump is a vsd and can handle up to 40m/3h and there is virtually no dynamic head. But the flow rate on sand filters seems to be a lot less and so what will this do to flowrate requirements? A cartridge can be oversized allowing for much higher flow rates.

[conperry]

Great video! I dont know why sand filters are so popular. As you state, they catch less finer particles, have less filter area etc. They are not less expensive either, unless you need a large one. I am tired of vacuum pools and seeing the fine stuff blow back into pools- even new sand filters regardless of media used are usless at catching the fine stuff. Why even have a filter that cant catch algae etc? Vacuuming to waste is only something needed with sand filters, and how much water is wasted then? Plus extra chems such as clarifiers are needed to make sand filters work better. There just does not seem to be any good reason to bave a sand filter on any pool. A cartridge filter requires less frequent cleaning because of the larger filter area too. If a cartridge needs frequent cleaning, then the water is dirty! When a sand filter is not working well, I just toss them- why bother changing sand and having that mess, if the multiport valve will be the next thing to go? Would you explain why a cartridge is not good for larger pools please?

[jeanfonvil]

Hi could you make a video on smaller pools like the 10 ft by 6 ft by 18 in inflatable pools. Or something in that range covering care and maintenance without constantly dumping out water, because not everyon has a big pool .please and Thankyou.

[caramia]

The Sand filter is the better hands down. The filter cartridge is a pain, and a money pit. With the sand filter you can discharge the waste out. Not with the cartridge.

[DavidFlores-durm]

what's considered are large pool? Mine is 100 perimiter size with 15K gallons is that big? I'm getting sand filter...

[mattwilson]

I have a pool on the beach, and we get lots of sand. We have a DE filter now. Would a sand filter trap the sand better? TIA

[mvossugh]

How do I chang sand filter with a cartridg filter in my pool

[dwightg]

I have a 18'x52" pool which filter would you recommend? My old pool was 18'x48" and uses a sand filter, but I vacuum and backwash every week and I balance all the chemicals and I still get algae.

[JustSomeGuy]

they advertise sand filters with glass media down to 5 microns, which is lower then any cartridge filter is advertised to do. I find that interesting. The biggest issue with sand filters is the multiport valve which restricts flow for modern pumps to ~60ish GPM (range from 40-70GPM).

[geocentrictruth]

What do you think about pool ionizer? I have a 11.000 gallon pool.. is that a good combination? Pool ionizer and a pool filter.. 150 sq. ft.. ?? 😊 Would be great to hear feedbacks..

[daveyio]

whats your opinion on pool filter balls that go in the sand filter?