How much filter media do I need in my pool filter?

Most residential pool filters need between 14 kg and 320 kg of filter media, set by the filter's tank diameter and the manufacturer's specification. As a guide, a 16 inch (400 mm) filter takes around 25 kg, a 24 inch (600 mm) filter around 105 kg, and a 30 inch (760 mm) filter around 210 kg.

The exact figure is published in your filter's manual. Select your manufacturer and model in the calculator above for the precise quantity and grade breakdown.

Around 105 kg of AquaDei™ Glass Filter Media replaces 150 kg of silica sand. Glass is less dense than sand, so roughly 30% less weight fills the same filter bed volume.

The bed depth stays the same — only the weight changes. Use the calculator above to convert your filter's published sand capacity into the correct glass quantity.

Filter capacity is a question of volume, not weight. Your filter needs its bed filled to a set depth, and manufacturers state that as a weight because sand has a known density.

Glass granulate is lighter than silica sand for the same volume, so filling the identical space takes roughly 30% less by weight. You are not under-filling the filter — the bed depth is unchanged.

Measure across the widest point of the filter tank body, not the lid or the base ring. Most filters also state the diameter on the manufacturer's label, and many model numbers encode it directly — a Hayward S244T is a 24 inch tank, a Pentair TR100 is 30 inch.

If your filter isn't in the calculator's database, use the diameter search option to get a recommendation.

The calculator above shows the bag count for each grade alongside the required weight, so you can see both the exact quantity and what to order.

AquaDei™ COARSE and EXTRA COARSE are supplied in 25 kg bags. AquaDei™ FINE is available in 25 kg and 10 kg bags, with 10 kg bags used for smaller filters up to 400 mm.

Yes. AquaDei™ Glass Filter Media is compatible with all types of sand pool filters, residential and commercial, as well as industrial water filtration units.

No modification to the filter, valve, or plumbing is required. You simply remove the old sand and refill with the correct quantity of glass media.

Only in smaller filters. The correct grade combination depends on your filter's size and the manufacturer's design.

Smaller filters typically use AquaDei™ FINE only, because the bed is shallower and a single grade filters effectively. Most residential filters use AquaDei™ COARSE at the bottom and FINE on top, to improve water distribution and support the finer media. Large commercial filters add an AquaDei™ EXTRA COARSE support layer beneath the COARSE.

Using the recommended configuration helps prevent channeling, improves water clarity, reduces backwashing, and ensures the filtration system performs as designed.

Always install from the bottom up, starting with the coarsest grade and finishing with the finest.

Smaller filters may only need AquaDei™ FINE. Most residential filters use COARSE followed by FINE. Larger commercial filters also include an EXTRA COARSE support layer at the base.

The calculator above recommends the correct grades, quantities, and installation order for your specific filter model or tank diameter.

Three problems tend to follow. Fine media sitting directly on the collector laterals restricts the water's exit path, raising pressure drop and putting extra load on the circulation pump.

A uniform fine bed is also more prone to clumping and channeling over time, where water forces a single path through the media and bypasses filtration. And during backwash, without a coarse base layer to act as a diffuser, the upward flow lifts unevenly — leaving dead zones and cleaning the bed inadequately.

A layered bed keeps water distribution even across the full tank floor in both directions.

AquaDei™ is produced in three grades:

FINE — 0.5 to 1.2 mm, the filtering layer that captures fine particles.
COARSE — 1.0 to 3.0 mm, the supporting and distribution layer.
EXTRA COARSE — 3.0 to 6.0 mm, the base support layer in large commercial filters.

Switch the pump off and drain the filter. Remove the old sand, taking care not to damage the laterals, and rinse the tank clean.

Refill with AquaDei™ from the bottom up, coarsest grade first, in the quantities shown by the calculator above. Backwash before returning the filter to normal service.

Yes. Backwash after filling and before returning the filter to normal operation. This settles the bed, clears any residual dust from handling, and confirms the media is evenly distributed.

Run to waste until the sight glass runs clear, then rinse briefly before switching to filter mode.

No. Remove all the old sand before filling with glass.

Mixing the two defeats the purpose of the change: the sand continues to host biofilm and form clumps, and a mixed bed loses the even, predictable structure that makes layered glass filtration work.

No. AquaDei™ works with your existing filter, multiport valve, and plumbing exactly as they are. Nothing needs replacing or adjusting.

AquaDei™ Glass is chemically stable, bio-inert and bio-resistant. Nothing grows in glass, which prevents the formation of biofilm — the slimy acidic layer bacteria build inside a sand filter — so less daily chemical consumption is needed to keep water biologically correct.

Glass is also hydrophobic and reacts less with calcium carbonates in the water, resisting the clumping, clogging and channeling that make sand filtration inconsistent over time.

Yes. AquaDei™ reduces water used during backwashing by over 20%, and saves energy through more consistent long-term filtration and lower pump requirements.

In layered configurations, the coarse base layer also lowers pressure drop across the filter, reducing backpressure on the circulation pump.

Yes. Glass is chemically inert and unaffected by salt, chlorine, or the electrolysis process used in saltwater systems.

Yes. AquaDei™ is compatible with all sand filter brands and models. The compatibility database below covers 219 filter models from 10 manufacturers, including Hayward, Pentair, AstralPool, Emaux, Waterco, Kripsol, BWT, Bestway and Intex.

If your filter isn't listed, use the diameter search in the calculator, or send us your filter details and we'll add it.

Yes. AquaDei™ is used in commercial and public pools as well as industrial water filtration units.

For larger commercial filters we always recommend the full layered configuration — EXTRA COARSE, COARSE and FINE — to guarantee reliable long-term performance in deeper filter beds.

Yes. AquaDei™ is made from 100% recycled glass — predominantly post-industrial flat glass, along with post-consumer bottle glass.

The glass is washed before entering production and sterilised at 600°C before packing, ensuring high purity. Using recycled glass avoids mining natural silica sand.