Last Updated on January 30, 2023
Whether you are planning to install a new Intex above-ground pool or you’re looking to upgrade your current Intex pool pump, we’re here to help pool owners choose between the best pumps for Intex pools that are available today.
There is a vast array of pump and filter types for intex pools, so our aim here is to simplify your decision making process by giving you the right information you need to keep your pool up and running all summer long.
A good filter is nothing without the right pool pump supporting it, and not getting the right pool pump may hinder the quality of your swimming pool experience. For this reason, we’ve come up with the 5 best pumps for Intex Pools to help navigate your decision making.
Are you dissatisfied with the pool pump that came along with your Intex pool set? Or maybe you’ve encountered a problem with your Intex pool pump. And instead of spending money on repair, you’ve decided to do get an Intex pool pump upgrade.
Pumps For Intex Pools Roundup
Intex Krystal Clear Cartridge Pumps
First on our list, we must cover the Intex Krystal Clear Cartridge Filter pumps. This is Intex’s most basic pump & filter combination. It comes with many of the smaller Intex pool sets. There are a few different variations of this pump & filter combination, mostly centered around the GPH rating of the pump.
These pumps are very easy to setup and get running. Hookups are simple and instructions are straightforward. They are not recommended to be running for more than 8 hours per day.
It uses a Type B filter cartridge that needs to be changed or replaced every two weeks. Intex highly recommends this pool pump for pool owners who has an above ground pool up to 24 feet in diameter.
Intex cartridge filter pumps come with a 2-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
The Krystal Clear Cartridge Filter Pump has the following models in the lineup:
| Model | Pump Flow Rate | System Flow Rate | Max. Pool Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 673R | 1,000 GPH | 750 GPH | 6,000 gallons |
| 635T | 1,500 GPH | 1,180 GPH | 9,400 gallons |
| 633T | 2,500 GPH | 1,900 GPH | 15,200 gallons |
Pros and Cons
Simple and reliable construction
Quiet operation
Uses replaceable filter cartridges
Easy installation instructions
Filter requires regular maintenance and cleaning
Filter replacement cost of around $5 every two weeks can add up
Not powerful enough to operate the pool vacuum
Not compatible with a skimmer basket
What Real World Users Say…
“Best decision I ever made with my pool was to upgrade to a sand filter so much easier and less to worry about. I changed cartridges and I couldn’t stop it from leaking so I upgraded”
“I changed our cartridge ever 2 weeks and then every week in the very hot summer. I did run the pump for about 15 hours a day. Our water stayed clear”
“It’s been ok but the filter cartridges were so expensive and hard to find last summer. Definitely more work cleaning the filters in very warm weather.”
Pick This One If:
Budget:
This is the most affordable pump available.
You have a small pool:
This pump is fine for the smaller Easy Set pools
Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pumps
The Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump Series is our recommendation for those looking to upgrade their pump for their Intex pool.
It comes in four different tank sizes that cater to different pool sizes.
| Tank Size | Pump Flow Rate | System Flow Rate | Max. Pool Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 inches | 1,200 GPH | 1,050 GPH | 8,400 gallons |
| 12 inches | 2,100 GPH | 2,150 GPH | 12,800 gallons |
| 14 inches | 2,800 GPH | 2,150 GPH | 17,200 gallons |
| 16 inches | 3,000 GPH | 2,450 GPH | 19,600 gallons |
The sand filter pumps utilize sand as a filter material rather than the replaceable cartridges. This system is almost universally used in in-ground and commercial pools.
Lately, manufacturing and technology changes has lowered the cost of sand filters to where they are now reasonable choices for above-ground pool owners.
You can see the basics of how the sand filter works in the diagram.
The sand filter pump is equipped with Hydro Aeration Technology, that’s unique to Intex pool pumps. Its benefits include improved circulation and filtration, better water clarity, and increased negative ions at the surface of your pool water.
You can choose between six different functions when you operate this pool pump.
- Filter
- Backwash
- Rinse
- Re-circulate
- Drain
- Close
This sand filter pool pump needs 120 lbs. of sand to work efficiently and is recommended for above ground pools up to 19,600 gallons in size. The best thing about selecting this pool pump is you only have to replace the sand in your filter system every five years.
The filter pump system is also very easy to set up and use since it comes with a built-in automatic timer and 6-function control (filter, backwash, re-circulate, drain, rinse, and close system).
This product comes with a 2 years limited manufacturer’s warranty.
Pros and Cons
Sand filter medium provides better water quality and lower maintenance
Electricity costs may be lower due to less run time needed due to higher GPH rating
Powerful enough to operate the Intex pool vacuum
Can be used to drain the pool at the end of the season
Built in skimmer basket helps filter larger debris
Costs a little more to purchase
Has a few more settings to learn
What Real World Users Say…
“Sand filters are much better ours was $150 and totally worth it – sand filters work 10 times better and you don’t have to buy any disposable filters for it”
“Consider if you are going to run a skimmer or the Intex robot vacuum. I found anything less than 1500GPH was useless”
Pick This One If:
Bigger Pools:
If you have one of those bigger Intex pools, then this powerful pool pump should work well for you.
Less Maintenance:
This Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump is perfect for pool owners who are too busy to change the cartridge filters of their pool pumps.
Pool Pump Basics – First Things First
The purpose of running the pool pump is to get the water circulating through the pool, which means getting all of the water through the filter. Many times you will hear pump and it means pump and filter, however, the pump and the filter are two distinctly different things. Pumps circulate the water and push the water through the FILTER, the filter is what cleans the water
What is Flow Rate?
Pump Flow Rate is how many gallons of water your pump moves per hour or minute. The measure is GPH which is short for GALLONS PER HOUR; this is how many gallons of water is filtered through your pump per hour. The GPH is stated on the pool pump & manual. Often it may be GPM or GALLONS PER MINUTE.
If you are trying to calculate and need to convert GPM to GPH or GPH to GPM, divide the GPH by 60 or multiply the GPM by 60 (because there are 60 minutes in an hour).
GPM x 60 = GPH GALLONS PER HOUR
GPH/60 = GPM GALLONS PER MINUTE
What is Turnover Rate?
Turnover rate is the basis for a clean pool. If your turnover rate is too low, water is not being sanitized; and while turnover rate and flow rate sound the same, they are very different. Pumps have FLOW RATES, TURNOVER RATES apply to the pool water.
Turnover Rate is the time it takes for all of the water in the pool to circulate through the pump/filter. The turnover rate is measured in hours; how many hours it takes. If you have a large pump and all of the water goes through the pump/filter twice a day, the turnover rate would be 12. If you have a smaller pump and the water goes through the pump/filter once a day, the turnover rate would be 24.
Pool Size Matters!
Yes, size does matter! In fact, it is one of the biggest factors when choosing the right Intex pool pump.
Usually, the pump that came with your pool has the minimum flow rate needed for your pool. Of course the manufacturers do this to keep the cost of the pool kit affordable. Therefore when upgrading your Intex pool pump – always buy a pump with a higher flow rate than the pump that it came with.
Find how many gallons your swimming pool contains – check our article on pool sizes here where we have a gallons chart – and buy a pool pump that can cycle all your pool’s water volume at least once per day, better if it can do it twice or three times per day.
How To Choose The Best Pump For Intex Pools
When it comes to selecting the right pool pump for your Intex pool, we focus on these three factors:
Speed of the pool pump
The speed of your chosen pool pump determines how long it will take to cycle the water in your pool.
Pool pumps vary in speed, there are single speed, dual speed, and variable speed pumps. Since we’re looking for the best pool pump for Intex pools, then we highly suggest going with a variable speed pool pump. This type of pool pump offers more efficiency but consumes less energy than single-speed or dual-speed pumps.
This feature is measured in gallon per hour (GPH), the higher the GPH, the faster the pump is.
Type of filtration (Sand vs Cartridge Filter)
The filter type of your Intex pool pump is vital when selecting which pump to use on your pool. Sand filters are great for those who don’t like to do much maintenance on their pool pumps. Once you put new sand in your filter system, it might take 5 years before you need to replace it again.
The main drawbacks of choosing sand filters are they tend to be bulky and may not be that efficient in filtering debris compared to cartridge filters.
Cartridge filters can catch smaller particles better as small as 10 to 15 microns. However, since it catches more dirt and debris than sand filters, cartridge filters need to be replaced often. Depending on how frequently you use your swimming pool, you may have to replace the cartridge every two weeks.
Additional Considerations
- Some pumps come with automatic 24-hour timers that you can set for 2,4,6,8, or 12 hours
- If you use the Intex pool vacuum, then you may need a more powerful pump
Upgrading your Intex Pool Pump
The most common “upgrade” for Intex pools is switching from the small cartridge filter that came with your pool to a more powerful and feature laden sand filter pump. More details are below.
The Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump and Saltwater System
When considering upgrading your intex pool pump, you may also consider changing your pool from a chlorine pool to a saltwater pool.
Intex offers their saltwater system as an add-on for an existing pump setup. You will need one of the sand filters though to run the saltwater system. Changing your pool to a saltwater system has a few really nice advantages:
- No more chemicals to deal with
- No faded swimsuits due to chlorine
- Less irritating to eyes than chlorine
- No hair discoloration from the chlorine
Benefits Of Upgrading Your Pool Pump
Having the right pool pump for your above ground pools can give you the following benefits:
- Better circulation of your pool water
- Improved filtration system for a cleaner and clearer swimming pool
- Less time required to maintain your pool
When upgrading your pool pump, you should look at it as an investment since you’ll want to use this pool pump for a long time.
Tips For Your Intex Pool Pump Upgrade
Most of the products we mentioned can be used right away with your Intex pool pump’s hoses. So you just have to remove your old pool pump and put the brand new one in its place.
- Your pool pump must be installed on a solid level and vibration-free base. It should be protected from the weather, rain, and freezing temperatures.
- You should find a good location for your pump where there is adequate access, space, and lighting for routine maintenance.
- Your pump motor requires a free circulation of air for cooling.
- Never put pool chemicals directly into the filter pump. This may damage the pump and void the warranty.
- Replace your filter cartridges when there’s already too much debris on it.
- For pumps with sand filters, you should get the No.20 silica sand for a better and more efficient filtration system.
How Long Should You Run Your Pool Pump Each Day?
You might think that the hours per day your pump runs is a number everyone should know and is the same, unfortunately for Intex pool owners, it is not. Standards for Above Ground pools are very new and each location is different. The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP) have developed standards American National Standard for Above ground/On ground Residential Swimming Pools which states the following
11.1.2 Turnover. The equipment shall be sized to provide turnover of the pool water at least once every 12 hours. The system shall be designed to give the proper turnover rate based on the manufacturer’s specified maximum flow rate of the filter, in clean media condition of the filter.
Simply stated, your goal should be to have all of your pool water go through the pump and filter twice a day or once every 12 hours. 12 is a standard, a good starting point to calculate how many hours you need to run the pump.
Frequently Asked Questions About Intex Pool Pumps
Where can I buy Intex pool pumps?
The best place to buy Intex pool pumps is Amazon, where you have access to various pool pumps available today. You can also read verified customer reviews before ordering your pool pump so you know what to expect and if you should push through with your purchase.
How much does it cost to run an Intex pool pump?
The cost of running an Intex pool pump differs based on several factors such as your pool usage and where you are located.
For those who have 1 HP pool pump running 8 hours per day, the monthly energy cost for running your pump may range from $25 to $40.
How long do pumps for Intex pools last?
The Intex cartridge filter pumps will usually last between 2-4 years, sometimes longer. The sand filter pumps are built more robust and should last between 6-8 years.
Will an Intex Pool Pump work with other brand pools?
Yes, the Intex pool pumps will work with other brands of temporary above ground pools such as Bestway, Summer Waves, and Coleman. Just make sure to choose the correct inlet size for your pool.
How do you maintain your pool pump?
The first thing you should do is ensure there are no leaks on your pool pump. Everything should be tightened properly.
Avoid placing your pool pump near trees or plants for better air circulation.
Check your pool pump’s O-rings regularly to make sure they’re in good condition.
I have an Intex eco15110-2 purchased 15 months ago. I have a 91 low salt error code that shuts off the chlorinator even though the salt levels are fine and the cells are perfectly clean. This seems to be an ongoing problem with Intex sand/salt systems. And it’s only warrantied for one year. The company (Intex) is impossible to contact. Your post says the life of this system is 6-8 years. Just FYI, not so. Hmmm 🤔