A new look at an old technology—sand filtration for above-ground pools

Retailers can upgrade the filter offerings

Sand filters for above-ground pools present an opportunity to capture the customer who bought a soft-sided or other inexpensive pool from somewhere other than a specialty pool store. A pool professional who can explain the alternatives can offer the consumer a better filtration option, which leads to cleaner water that is easier to care for. A pool owner who experiences this improvement will, ideally, return to the same store for chemicals, toys, accessories and, when the time comes, a new pool.

Soft-sided pools typically come equipped with small, low-output cartridge filters that are essentially 0.7 to 0.9 m² (8 to 10 sf) worth of filtration stacked on top of the pump assembly, all housed in a single pump-filter unit. The pumps that come with these systems have a typical flow rate of 57 to 76 litres per minute (lpm) (15 to 20 gallons per minute [gpm]). It is difficult to circulate and adequately filter water with a flow rate in this range, even for a pool that is only 4.9 m (16 ft) in diameter. Pool owners who have trouble keeping their water clear and, as a result, bring several water samples to a pool professional for in-store water testing are good candidates for a filter upgrade.

For a long time, the pool industry did not have reliable suppliers offering sand filtration systems priced for the above-ground pool market, but this has changed. When the pool itself costs between $400 and $700, it is hard to justify spending the same amount—if not more—on the pump and filter.

Filter systems for above-ground pools is a category that has grown as a number of manufacturers now offer filtration systems that are designed for use with less-expensive, soft-sided pools. In fact, there are a variety of smaller, lower-cost sand filter systems being sold for use with soft-sided pools, a number that has grown significantly over the past five years. These sand filters are a significant upgrade over the cartridge filter unit, which would have been packaged with the swimming pool.

Further, pool owners cannot go into a big-box retailer and buy a 0.5-horsepower (hp) sand filter for $200 or $250, which is what some of the smallest sand filter units cost. These stores typically sell replacement cartridges for the filters that are sold with the pool packages.

As basic as some of the sand filters targeted at this market are, they still provide better filtration than the cartridge filters typically sold with the initial pool package. When pool dealers can offer a better filter that still costs less than the original pool package, and the pool owner has an easier time keeping the pool water usable and safe, they will have done the soft-sided pool owner a service. As a result, there will be a good chance this pool owner will be done shopping at large retailers for chemicals, accessories, and other items as well. As the consumer can also find these items at a specialty pool dealer—including the family’s next pool, the soft-sided pool owner becomes a loyal customer for the pool professional.

Dealers remain top-of-mind

By offering sand filters for soft-sided above-ground swimming pools, dealers can provide a product that helps a pool owner enjoy their pool more, make it easier to keep clean, and reduce—if not eliminate—the need to change the water mid-season. If the retailer is the reason the pool owner enjoys their entry-level pool more, the odds are good when they are ready to step up to a steel-wall, above-ground pool or even an inground pool, they will be first in line to get the business.

Knowing not only the differences between the types of filtration systems available today, but also recognizing and being able to meet the needs of different types of consumers, will serve pool dealers well.

Mitch Smith is vice-president, specialty channel sales for GAME, a swimming pool and accessories manufacturer in Scottsdale, Ariz. He has been in the pool and spa industry for 30 years, having worked with Muskin, Zodiac and Vogue prior to joining GAME. Smith can be reached via e-mail at mks@game-group.com.