A tank, a media bed, and a valve with six or seven positions
A sand filter is a pressure tank holding a bed of media, with a multiport valve on top that changes what the water does. It is the step up from a cartridge, and the reason is running cost: the bed is backwashed rather than replaced, so the consumable stops being a monthly purchase. Three figures decide the purchase. The flow rate, published in litres per hour or cubic metres per hour, which only means something divided into the pool volume — the listings that print both, like "13.200 L/h bis 40.000L", are doing that division for you, and the ones that print only one are not. The tank diameter, which sets how much media the filter holds and therefore how long it runs between backwashes; 450 mm is the common size on this shelf and it is stated in millimetres. And the valve: six positions or seven, with the seventh being a separate winterising or backwash-rinse step. What the valve is made of matters more than the count — a plastic spider gasket is the part that fails on this shelf. Then the media, which is a choice and not a fixture: silica sand, glass, or the polymer balls that several listings now bundle instead. A timer is common and useful; the pump does not need to run twenty-four hours, it needs to turn the volume over once or twice a day. We compare flow rate, turnover against volume, tank diameter, media charge and type, valve positions, pump power, timer and hose size.
2 700 l/h flow, 16 l tank, balls supplied, TÜV certified
The smallest and cheapest system here, with a transparent lid so the bed can be watched, a set of filter balls in the box, and a TÜV Rheinland certificate quoted with its ID number.
Best for: A small pool or a spa where the bed being visible matters more than the flow
10 200 l/h, 400 W, 20 l tank, 60–65 dB(A)/m
The only filter system on this shelf that publishes a noise level with a distance — 60 to 65 dB(A) at one metre — alongside 10 200 l/h from a 400 W pump and 800 g of filter balls.
Best for: A system sited near a terrace, where the decibel figure is the deciding one
6 056 l/h pump, 4 920 l/h through-flow, 38.5 cm tank, 36 kg sand
The listing that states its media requirement in full — 36 kg of #20 quartz sand or 1 000 g of filter balls, neither included — alongside two flow figures, a 38.5 cm tank and both hoses in the box.
Best for: A first sand system, where knowing exactly what else to order is worth more than a headline flow
9 000 l/h, 7.5 m head, 250 W, 7-way, 32/38 adapter
A 250 W system publishing both ends of its curve — 9 000 l/h and a maximum head of 7.5 m — with a seven-position valve, a pressure gauge, IPX5 and adapters for both hose sizes.
Best for: A mid-sized pool where knowing the head before ordering matters
10 200 l/h, 8.5 m head, 400 W, 25 l tank, IPX5
A 400 W system publishing both flow and head, with a 25-litre tank, IPX5 protection, a 1.9 m mains lead, and an operating note telling you to fill the whole circuit before switching on.
Best for: A 35 000-litre pool where the head figure decides whether the siting works
3 500 l/h water flow, 2 000 l/h system flow, 4-way valve, RCD
The listing that names the distinction this whole site is built around: water flow 3 500 l/h, system flow 2 000 l/h — what the pump moves and what actually passes the filter, published side by side.
Best for: An Intex pool from the published compatibility list, where the fittings are already to hand
13 200 l/h, 12 m head, 30 kg tank, 1–24 h timer
The largest system here: 13 200 l/h against 12 m of head, a tank taking up to 30 kg of sand, a timer adjustable from one to twenty-four hours, and self-priming operation.
Best for: A 40 000-litre pool where the system is expected to run on a schedule and be left alone
450 mm tank, 151.4 l/min (40 GPM), 7-way, drain plug
The only system here that publishes its tank diameter — 450 mm — with flow given in litres per minute and in US gallons per minute, and a drain plug for winter.
Best for: Somebody sizing a bed by area rather than by headline flow
3 900 l/h circulation, 4 500 l/h pump, 200 W, not self-priming
A filter-ball system publishing two flow figures and two limits nobody else states: a maximum water temperature of 35 °C, a salt tolerance of 5 g/l — and that the pump is not self-priming.
Best for: A salt pool up to 19 000 litres where the system can sit below the water line
Only the specifications at least four models out of five state. A column that is more empty than full compares nothing.
| Model | Price | Amazon reference | Flow rate | Hose size | Media charge |
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Specifications: manufacturer sheets and Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. No product on this site has been physically tested.
Most recent revision in this category: September 21, 2026.
