Pool Filter Sand Calculator
Look up the sand charge for a Hayward ProSeries filter by model or enter it from your label. Shows pounds, kilograms, bag counts and a glass media adjustment.
How this is calculated
One lookup (or one label read) and one multiplication.
base_sand_lb = sand required from the model table or filter label
media_lb = base_sand_lb x density_factor
(1.0 for sand, ~0.80 for glass, editable for other media)
media_kg = media_lb x 0.45359237
bags_50lb = ceil( media_lb / 50 )
bags_25kg = ceil( media_kg / 25 )Worked example. A Hayward ProSeries S244T takes 300 lb of #20 silica sand (sell sheet LITPROTM0SS24). Replacing with glass media at a 0.80 density factor: 300 x 0.80 = 240 lb (108.9 kg), which is 5 bags of 50 lb or 5 bags of 25 kg.
Sand charge by model. The Hayward ProSeries Top-Mount Sand Filter sell sheet (LITPROTM0SS24, Hayward Industries, 2024) lists the sand required for each model: S220T/S220T2 250 lb (114 kg), S244T/S244T2 300 lb (136 kg), S270T 350 lb (159 kg), S270T2 350 lb (sheet prints 156 kg; 350 lb converts to 158.8 kg), S310T2 500 lb (227 kg). Those are the only manufacturer figures this page cites; filters not on that sheet use the "From my filter label" entry and the weight printed on the label or in the manual.
Glass media density factor. Glass filter media (recycled glass granules replacing silica sand) weighs less than sand for the same filter volume. The Vitroclean installation guide says "between 15 and 20% less glass is needed to fill a filtration unit." The 0.80 default (20% less by weight) is a starting point (the low end of the 15 to 20% range; 0.85 gives the high end); some sellers recommend equal weight. The exact ratio depends on the product. Confirm with the manufacturer before buying.
Bag sizes. US pool filter sand is commonly sold in 50 lb bags. The metric bag count uses 25 kg bags, the standard in metric markets. Both round up so you always have enough on the truck.
Source: Hayward ProSeries Top-Mount Sand Filter sell sheet, document LITPROTM0SS24, Hayward Industries, Inc., 2024. Pounds convert to kilograms with the exact NIST factor: 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg.
The sand charge for a pool filter is printed on the filter label and in the manufacturer manual. This calculator looks it up for the Hayward ProSeries Top-Mount line, or accepts the weight you read from your own label, and converts it to bag counts in 50 lb (US) and 25 kg (metric) bags. If you are replacing sand with glass media, it adjusts the weight by the density factor.
Hayward ProSeries sand charge table
Sand charges, filtration areas and design flows are from the Hayward ProSeries Top-Mount Sand Filter sell sheet (document LITPROTM0SS24, Hayward Industries, 2024). The sell sheet lists overall widths of 22-1/2”, 24-1/2”, 27” and 30-1/2” rather than a tank diameter; the nominal sizes in the table below (22”, 24”, 27”, 30”) are those widths rounded down to the whole inch. The filtration area and design flow are included for reference; they belong to the pool filter size calculator (sizing, not fill weight) rather than this page.
| Model | Nominal size | Sand required | 50 lb bags | 25 kg bags | Filtration area | Design flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S220T / S220T2 | 22" | 250 lb (114 kg) | 5 | 5 | 2.64 sq ft | 52 GPM |
| S244T / S244T2 | 24" | 300 lb (136 kg) | 6 | 6 | 3.14 sq ft | 62 GPM |
| S270T | 27" | 350 lb (159 kg) | 7 | 7 | 3.70 sq ft | 74 GPM |
| S270T2 | 27" | 350 lb (sheet prints 156 kg; 350 lb converts to 158.8 kg) | 7 | 7 | 3.70 sq ft | 74 GPM |
| S310T2 | 30" | 500 lb (227 kg) | 10 | 10 | 4.91 sq ft | 98 GPM |
Those bag counts are for sand at the label weight. Glass media at a 0.80 factor (20% less by weight, per the Vitroclean installation guide) lowers the bag count; some sellers recommend equal weight, so confirm with the manufacturer. The sand type specified by Hayward for this line is #20 silica sand (0.45 mm to 0.55 mm), stated on the sell sheet under “Filter Type.”
Sand charge is not filter size
The sand charge (how many pounds the tank holds) and the filter size (how many square feet of filtration area the bed provides, and therefore how much flow it can handle) are two separate specs on the same tank. This page covers the charge. The pool filter size calculator covers the sizing question, and the DE filter powder calculator is the equivalent page for diatomaceous earth filters, where the media charge is measured differently (pounds of DE per square foot of grid area, not pounds of sand per tank). Pricing the filter clean that leads to a sand change is the pool filter cleaning pricing calculator.
Filters not on this table
If your filter is a Pentair, Sta-Rite, Waterway or another manufacturer, the sand charge is on the filter label or in the manual. Switch the calculator to “From my filter label,” type the weight in pounds or kilograms, and the bag count follows. The glass media adjustment works the same way regardless of the manufacturer.
Nothing is saved. This sizes one sand or glass media fill for one filter. It is a planning aid rather than a service record, and your filter label or manual is the figure that governs.
Frequently asked questions
How much sand does a Hayward S244T pool filter need?
How many bags of sand do I need for a pool filter?
Can I use glass media instead of sand, and how much do I need?
Where do I find the sand charge for a filter that is not a Hayward ProSeries?
Sources
- ProSeries Top-Mount Sand Filter sell sheet (LITPROTM0SS24): sand required by model (S220T 250 lb, S244T 300 lb, S270T 350 lb, S310T2 500 lb). Hayward Industries, Inc.. Retrieved .
- Vitroclean installation instructions: "between 15 and 20% less glass is needed to fill a filtration unit". Vitroclean Products. Retrieved .
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: pound conversion factor (1 lb = 0.45359237 kg). NIST. Retrieved .