Pool Equipment & Cleaning

What Is a Sand Filter?

A sand filter captures suspended particles as pool water passes through a bed of specified filter sand.

Sand Filter schematic with components and arrows showing the water path. — Simplified educational schematic. Teal arrows show water direction; shapes and connections vary by model. Not an installation guide.

How It Works

In a typical top-mount design, normal filtration moves water down through the sand bed and collects it below. Backwashing reverses flow through the bed and sends dirty water to waste. Model-specific plumbing can differ.

Related terms

Backwashing
Cartridge Filter
Pool Filtration

Learn more

Sand vs cartridge pool filter

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