Rigid inflatable pool filtration: sand vs cartridge

Publie le 14 juillet 2026

Sand filtration is the standard, factory-bundled default across most of the rigid inflatable pool category — including the pools sold by both iPoolgo France and GIGI FRANCE — while cartridge filtration exists as a lighter, finer-filtering alternative that owners more often add or switch to themselves. Neither is a bad choice; they trade off differently on filtration fineness, water use, and maintenance routine. This page explains how each works, then breaks down which tends to suit a rigid inflatable pool specifically.

How sand filtration works

A sand filter is a pressurized tank packed with a bed of specially graded filter sand. Water from the pump enters the top of the tank, passes down through the sand bed, and exits through a collector at the bottom, leaving debris trapped in the sand as it flows through. A multiport valve on top of the tank controls which direction water flows, which is what makes cleaning possible without opening the tank.

Cleaning a sand filter means backwashing: reversing the valve so water flows up through the sand bed instead of down, lifting trapped debris and flushing it out through a waste line rather than back into the pool. This uses a noticeable amount of water each time it's done, generally every few weeks during active swimming season depending on bather load and debris, and the sand itself is typically replaced every several years, once general industry estimates suggest, once it's lost the sharp edges that trap fine particles effectively.

How cartridge filtration works

A cartridge filter uses a pleated fabric or paper element inside a canister instead of a sand bed. Water passes through the pleats, which trap debris on the surface of the material rather than throughout a bed of media — a design that, based on general industry filtration ratings, typically captures meaningfully finer particles than a sand filter's coarser media.

Cleaning a cartridge means removing the element from the canister and rinsing it off with a hose, rather than backwashing. That has one clear practical advantage: no water is discharged to waste during routine cleaning, unlike a sand filter's backwash cycle. The tradeoff is that the cartridge element itself needs replacing more often than filter sand does, and heavy debris loads — a nearby tree shedding pollen or leaves, for example — can clog a cartridge faster than they'd affect a sand bed, requiring more frequent manual rinsing in between full replacements.

Pros and cons for a rigid inflatable pool specifically

Neither system is fundamentally incompatible with a rigid inflatable pool's construction — filtration runs through the pump and filter, entirely separate from the drop stitch wall itself. The practical differences that matter for this category come down to water volume and setup logistics.

For a large-diameter rigid inflatable pool with a correspondingly large water volume, a sand filter's lower per-cycle maintenance and its ability to handle sustained higher flow rates without frequent manual attention are generally the more practical fit — which lines up with why it's the default across most of the category. A cartridge system tends to appeal more to owners without a convenient place to discharge backwash water, or who prioritize the finer filtration and lower water use enough to accept more frequent manual cleaning.

What iPoolgo France and GIGI France include by default

Both iPoolgo France and GIGI FRANCE bundle a sand filtration system with their pools as standard, rather than selling filtration as a separate accessory buyers need to source themselves — a choice consistent with the rest of the category for larger-volume rigid inflatable pools. That means an owner of either brand's pool generally doesn't need to make the sand-vs-cartridge decision at all when buying, since the included system is already sized to the pool's water volume.

Switching to cartridge filtration afterward is possible for an owner who prefers it, provided the replacement unit is correctly sized for the pool's water volume and matched to the existing pump's flow rate — worth confirming with the equipment manufacturer before purchasing, since an undersized or mismatched cartridge system can struggle to keep up with a large pool's full water volume. For GIGI FRANCE's current pool range and included equipment, see gigifrance.com.

Frequently asked questions

Which filter type is included with a rigid inflatable pool by default?

Sand filtration is the standard default across most of the category, including the pools sold by iPoolgo France and GIGI FRANCE, which both bundle a sand filter with the pool rather than selling it as a separate accessory. Cartridge systems exist in the category but are less commonly the factory-included default on larger rigid inflatable models.

Do cartridge filters need backwashing?

No. A cartridge filter is cleaned by removing the element and rinsing it off with a hose, rather than reversing water flow through the system the way a sand filter's backwash cycle does. That means no water is discharged to waste during routine cartridge cleaning, unlike a sand filter's backwash.

How often do I need to change the sand or cartridge?

Filter sand is generally replaced every few years under normal seasonal use, based on general industry estimates, since the sand grains gradually round off and lose their sharp edges that trap debris. Cartridge elements typically need replacing more frequently than that, though exact intervals depend heavily on bather load, debris exposure, and how often the cartridge is rinsed.

Can I upgrade from sand to cartridge filtration, or the other way around?

In many cases, yes, as long as the replacement unit is sized correctly for your pool's water volume and matches your pump's flow rate — check compatibility with the pump before switching either direction. Since sand comes bundled by default on most rigid inflatable pools, switching to cartridge is typically an owner-driven upgrade rather than a factory option.

Which filters finer debris, sand or cartridge?

A cartridge filter generally traps finer particles than a sand filter, based on general industry filtration ratings — sand media typically captures debris down to a coarser range, while a pleated cartridge element captures noticeably finer particles. In practice, both keep pool water clear under normal conditions; the difference shows up mainly with very fine debris like pollen.