Convert Your Intex Skimmer Pool to a Sand Filter System: SFX1000/SFX1500 Kit Install in 30 Minutes
, by iFJF Direct, 9 min reading time
Convert Your Intex Skimmer Pool to a Sand Filter System: SFX1000/SFX1500 Kit Install in 30 Minutes
Stock Intex skimmer pumps are fine for a 12-foot kiddie pool. Put one on anything bigger than 15 feet with actual swimmers and you're fighting cloudy water all summer. The paper filters clog after two days, flow drops to a trickle, and your pool turns green sometime around the fourth of July.
The SFX1000/SFX1500 conversion kit lets you ditch the cartridge setup and hook up a real sand filter pump without buying a whole new pool. You keep the tank, the skimmer, the plumbing — you just swap the pump motor for a sand filter connection. I've done three of these conversions in my neighborhood and every pool has stayed clear all season since.
Why Sand Beats Cartridge Every Time
Cartridge filters work by trapping dirt in paper folds. When those folds fill up, flow stops. You pull the cartridge, hose it off, put it back — and three days later you're doing it again. Sand filters use a bed of #20 silica sand. Water flows through the sand bed, dirt gets trapped in the grains, and it keeps filtering until the pressure gauge tells you to backwash. Backwash takes 2 minutes. No pulling anything. No hosing anything.
One charge of sand lasts 3-5 years. A cartridge lasts maybe 3 weeks before the paper starts breaking down and letting fine particles through. Do the math over a 5-year pool ownership — you're buying 80+ cartridges or running one sand filter. The conversion pays for itself in the first season.
What This Kit Actually Does
The SFX1000/SFX1500 kit replaces the bottom motor mount on your existing Intex skimmer pump housing. You remove the pump motor entirely, thread this adapter onto the bottom of the tank, and connect your new sand filter pump to the adapter via standard pool hose.
In the box you get:
- 1 × Threaded conversion adapter (fits SFX1000 and SFX1500 tank threads)
- 1 × O-ring gasket (pre-installed in the groove)
That's it. Two parts. But those two parts are the difference between a swamp and swimmable.
Compatibility
This kit fits Intex SFX1000 and SFX1500 skimmer pump models. If your pump housing says SFX1000 or SFX1500 on the label, it'll work. It also fits Bestway and Coleman skimmer pumps with the same thread pattern — check your pump model number before ordering. The thread diameter and pitch match the standard Intex tank thread used across their skimmer line.
What You Need to Complete the Conversion
The kit is the adapter — you'll need a few things beyond it:
- Sand filter pump — Intex 26651EG (3000 GPH), 26647EG (2800 GPH), or any 1/4-1 HP pump with standard 1.5" connections. Don't oversize the pump — a 1 HP pump on a 16-foot pool will push water faster than the skimmer can handle.
- #20 silica sand — typically 50-100 lbs depending on your filter size. Pool stores sell it. Don't use play sand. Don't use construction sand. Pool filter sand only.
- Pool hoses — the standard 1.5" corrugated Intex-style hoses work. You'll need two: skimmer to pump inlet, and pump outlet to pool return. Length depends on your setup.
- PTFE thread tape — 3-4 wraps on every threaded connection. This is not optional. Pool pumps create enough pressure to spray water through the smallest gap.
- Hose clamps — stainless steel. The plastic snap clamps that come with Intex pools are garbage. Replace them.
Installation — Step by Step
1. Drain Below the Skimmer
Lower your pool water to just below the skimmer opening. If you drain through the skimmer, stop when the pump starts sucking air. Plug the return and skimmer openings from inside the pool with the winterizing plugs that came with your pool. If you don't have them, a tennis ball wedged in the fitting works in a pinch.
2. Remove the Pump Motor
Unplug the pump. Disconnect the hoses. The pump motor is held to the bottom of the tank housing with 4-6 screws. Remove them, pull the motor straight down, and set it aside. You won't need it again for this setup. Keep the motor as a backup or sell it — someone with a smaller pool will buy it.
3. Clean the Tank Threads
Wipe the tank threads clean with a rag. Any grit or old silicone in the threads will prevent the adapter from seating properly. Run your fingernail through the threads to check for debris. If the old motor gasket left residue, scrape it off with a plastic putty knife — don't use a metal scraper on plastic threads.
4. Install the Adapter
Check that the O-ring gasket is fully seated in its groove on the adapter. Apply 3-4 wraps of PTFE tape to the threaded neck of the tank housing, clockwise. Thread the conversion adapter onto the tank — hand-tighten first, then give it another 1/4 to 1/2 turn with a strap wrench. Do not use channel locks. Do not overtighten. This is plastic threading onto plastic. Go too hard and you crack the tank, and then you're buying a whole new pool.
5. Connect the Hoses
Skimmer adapter outlet → sand filter pump inlet. Sand filter pump outlet → pool return fitting. Measure twice, cut hoses once. Leave a little slack — tight hoses vibrate and loosen clamps over time. Tighten hose clamps with a 1/4" socket or nut driver. Thumb-tight is not tight enough.
6. Fill the Sand Filter
Cover the center standpipe with a plastic cup or tape before pouring sand. Sand inside the standpipe goes straight through to the laterals and blows back into your pool. Pour slowly. Fill to the line marked on the filter tank. Reassemble the multiport valve.
7. Test Run
Fill the pool back to normal level. Set the multiport valve to RINSE (not FILTER) for the first run — this flushes manufacturing dust from the sand out the waste line instead of into your pool. Run for 2 minutes, then switch to FILTER. Check every connection with a dry hand — you'll feel spray or drips before you see them.
Pressure gauge should read 8-12 PSI on a clean filter. When it hits 15-18 PSI, backwash for 2 minutes, rinse for 30 seconds, back to FILTER.
Pro Tips
- Mark your hose connections with colored electrical tape. Red on the pump inlet, blue on the return. When you close the pool in fall, you won't stare at the hoses for 10 minutes trying to remember which goes where.
- Add a check valve between the skimmer and pump. When the pump shuts off, water backflows and can lose prime. A $12 check valve eliminates that headache.
- Run the pump 8 hours a day on a timer. Run it during daylight — algae grows with sunlight, and you want water moving while the sun's on it. Nighttime running is less effective.
- Backwash based on pressure, not a schedule. Clean filter runs at 8-12 PSI. When it's 5-7 PSI above the clean reading, backwash. Don't backwash "every Saturday" — you'll waste water.
- Stick a sock over the return jet for the first 24 hours. New sand always releases some fines that cloud the water. A nylon stocking rubber-banded over the return jet catches them. Remove after a day.
Common Mistakes
Not seating the O-ring. The O-ring in this kit needs to sit fully in the groove. If it's pinched or twisted, water pushes past it. You'll see a slow drip from the adapter joint. Drain it down, reseat it, try again.
Over-tightening the adapter. Hand-tight plus 1/4 turn. More than that and you risk cracking the plastic tank. A hairline crack at the threads means the tank is junk.
Using too small a pump. A 1000 GPH cartridge pump on a 18-foot pool is barely enough. Moving to sand drops the flow rate slightly. Aim for at least 2000 GPH on a 16-foot pool or larger.
Running the pump dry. Sand filter pumps are not self-priming like Intex cartridge pumps. Water must be in the pump housing before startup. Fill the strainer basket housing with water before plugging it in.
FAQ
Will this work with my Intex pool?
If your pump is a SFX1000 or SFX1500 model, yes. These are the skimmer-style pumps Intex shipped with most 14-18 foot metal frame and Easy Set pools. Check your pump label.
What sand filter pump should I buy?
For pools 14-16 feet: 2000-2500 GPH pump with 12-14 inch sand tank. For 18-22 feet: 2800-3000 GPH with 16-inch tank. Intex, Bestway, and Hayward all make compatible units. Stay within 1/3 to 1/2 HP for standard above-ground plumbing.
Do I still use the skimmer?
Yes. The skimmer stays exactly where it is. The conversion kit replaces only the pump motor underneath. Water still enters through the skimmer, passes through the tank, and gets pushed out through the return — just with a much better filter.
How long does installation take?
First time: about 30-45 minutes. Most of that is draining water and cutting hoses. The actual adapter install takes maybe 5 minutes.
Can I switch back to the cartridge pump later?
Yes. The adapter unscrews and the original pump motor bolts right back on. Keep the motor and screws stored somewhere dry — 2 years from now you might want to sell the pool with all original parts.
Get the SFX1000/SFX1500 Conversion Kit: SFX1000/SFX1500 Skimmer to Sand Pump Conversion Kit
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