Pool tips
Expert pool tips, buying guides and how-tos from the Pool Wizard team.
Pool Equipment
|
Aug 10, 2026
Filter sand in your pool? Here's what it could be
Found sand in your pool water, or gritty patches settling near your returns? It's more common than people think, and it's not something to just vacuum up and ignore.
Filter sand in the pool is your filter telling you something is broken, worn out or set up wrong, and it tends to get worse the longer it's left.
Why is there sand in my pool?
It almost always means a crack inside the tank: usually the laterals at the bottom, sometimes the standpipe, or a failed spider gasket in the multiport valve. An overfilled tank or sand that has broken down with age can do it too. If sand only appears briefly after a backwash, it's usually minor. If it shows up every time the filter runs, it's a structural break.
Key points
Cracked laterals are the most common cause.
Sand only after a backwash is usually minor.
Sand every time the filter runs means a break.
Old sand breaks down and should be replaced.
Need your filter sand replaced or the filter repaired in Brisbane? Our technicians can diagnose and fix it.
