How do I choose the right sand filter for my pool?
Having decided to get a sand filter to purify your pool water, how can you make the right choice amongst the available models? Here is all the information you need to make the right choice of dimensions and model for your appliance.
How do I choose the right dimensions for a sand filter?
For optimal efficiency, your sand filter must be dimensioned correctly, on the basis of the volume of water to be treated and therefore the flow rate. As a reminder: water in the pool must be completely filtered on average every four hours, as is conventional in the sector.
Take the volume of the pool in cubic metres (this number was provided to you at the time of installation), then divide it by 4 and you will obtain a flow rate in m3/h!
If the surroundings create certain issues, such as dense vegetation close to the pool, or an obligation to install the plant room far from the pool, multiply this number by 1.2 or 1.5 to take into account the corresponding head losses.
N.B.: use this flow rate to select the right filter, and the right pump to channel the water towards the filter! For both devices to work in harmony, the pump flow rate must be equivalent to or slightly higher than the filter flow rate.
What other criteria should be taken into account when choosing a sand filter?
Other factors will play a part in your choice of sand filter:
- The format is important, because certain designs can be fitted into awkward plant rooms, taking up less ground space;
- The materials used in the design (fibreglass or polyester for example), which don’t always have the same resilience or the same lifespan;
- The possibility of replacing the sand with a medium offering better performance, such as sand or zeolite, which achieve finer filtration.
