Commercial Sand Filter — Side Mount

Each top-mount filter is rated at 50 m³/h per m² of bed area: Ø500 mm = 10 m³/h, Ø600 = 14, Ø750 = 22, Ø900 = 32 and Ø1050 = 43.5 m³/h. Choose the filter whose rated flow is equal to or higher than the pump's design flow — a filter that is too small for the pump lets dirt through and shortens cycles. Match the multiport valve size (1.5 or 2") to your pipework.

Graded silica sand 0.4–0.8 mm (product FM-4-8-25, 25 kg bags). The Ø1050 mm filter also takes a 1–2 mm gravel underbed. The number of bags depends on the diameter and bed depth — it is on each filter's data sheet, or ask our team with the model number.

Note the pressure gauge reading with a clean bed after each backwash. When the reading rises about 0.5–0.7 bar (7–10 psi) above that, or at least weekly in season, backwash until the sight glass runs clear, then rinse for 20–30 seconds before returning to Filter. Always stop the pump before moving the valve handle.

Top-mount filters (this range, Ø500–Ø1050 mm) carry the multiport valve on the vessel and are the compact choice for villa and residential pools. Side-mount filters (Waterstar WS series, Ø1200–Ø2000 mm) have the valve on a separate manifold and a manhole for media changes, and are built for hotel, club and public pools.

Filter (normal running), Backwash (reverses flow to flush the bed to waste), Rinse (re-settles the bed for 20–30 seconds after a backwash), Waste (drains the pool or vacuums heavy dirt straight to drain, bypassing the filter), Recirculate (circulates without filtering, used when dosing) and Closed. Always stop the pump before moving the handle.

MPV-T valves are top-mount, for the Waterstar T-series residential filters; MPV-S valves are side-mount. Both come in 1.5" and 2" — choose the size of your pump and pipework. All are 6-way with a pressure-gauge port; the MPV-T-15 connects to a 50 mm filter tree.

0.4–0.8 mm silica sand (FM-4-8-25) is the filtration layer used in every Waterstar filter. 0.8–1.2 mm (FM-8-12-25) is the intermediate layer specified on some commercial filters between the 1–2 mm gravel support bed and the fine sand. Never substitute building sand — it is neither washed nor graded and will channel.

Every few seasons, or sooner when backwash intervals get shorter, the water stays cloudy after a backwash, or the bed has channelled or formed mud balls. Replace the full charge with the grade on the filter's data sheet and rinse the new bed before the first filter cycle.

Public and hotel pools are filtered at a lower velocity than villa pools so the water stays clear under heavy bathing load. Each WS filter is rated at 30, 40 and 50 m³/h per m² of bed: at 30 m³/h/m² the WS-1200 passes 36 m³/h and the WS-2000 94 m³/h. Use the 30 m³/h/m² figure for public pools and split the duty across two or more filters in parallel so one can be backwashed while the pool stays in service.

The filters are supplied empty — the media is ordered with the filter. The charge is filtration sand 0.4–0.8 mm over a 1–2 mm gravel support layer: the WS-1200 takes 1,375 kg of sand (55 bags of 25 kg) and 300 kg of gravel (12 bags); the WS-2000 takes 3,800 kg of sand (152 bags) and 1,050 kg of gravel (42 bags). The quick-closing manhole (300 × 400 mm on the WS-1200, 400 × 500 mm on the WS-2000) is sized for loading and changing the media without dismantling pipework.

Working pressure 2.5 bar, factory test pressure 4 bar, maximum water temperature 50 °C. Flanged connections run from 75–90 mm on the WS-1200 to 125–160 mm on the WS-2000, so the valve manifold and pipework should be sized to the same range.

Yes — ask for the filter, its valve manifold, pressure gauges and the sand and gravel charge (25 kg bags) as one quotation so the plant room is commissioned from a single delivery. Send the pool volume, bathing load and plant-room drawing with the request and our engineers will size the set.