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MultiMedia
Waterline Cleaning
Leaf Bag
Full Filter Indicator
The Flagship Robot for Small Inground & Above-Ground Pools.
Above Ground & In-Ground
SmartNav 2.0
MaxBin
Efficient
The most advanced pool robot ever. Clean from anywhere
Gyroscope
Waterline Cleaning
NanoFilters
myDolphin Plus App
Waterline Cleaning
UV-C Disinfection
UltraBin
Wi-Fi + Bluetooth App
Groundbreaking tech allows Quantum to clean deeper than ever before
Waterline Cleaning
Oversized MaxBin
NanoFilters
myDolphin Plus App
Value-packed, the Cayman includes more for less
MaxBin
Wall Climbing
Weekly Timer
Efficient
Waterline Cleaning
UltraBin
UltraFilters
Wi-Fi + Bluetooth App
Wall Climbing
Efficient
Filter Basket
Filter Basket
Wall Climbing
Weekly Timer
Efficient
Commercial
Smart Navigation
Efficient
Commercial
Smart Navigation
Efficient
Commercial
Smart Navigation
Efficient
Commercial
Smart Navigation
Efficient
Designed for use in fountains, wading pools, and reflection pools, with the capability to function in water as shallow as 8 inches
Commercial
Smart Navigation
Efficient
Wall Climbing
Efficient
Filter Bag
CleverClean
Above Ground Pools
Top-Loading Basket
Efficient
Filter Basket
Waterline Cleaning
Weekly Timer
myDolphin Plus App
Filter Basket
Waterline Cleaning
Weekly Timer
Efficient
Filter Basket
Waterline Cleaning
Weekly Timer
myDolphin Plus App
Commercial
Smart Navigation
Efficient
Sand is one of the hardest things to remove from a pool. It's heavy, fine, and constantly resettles—which means you need strong suction AND ultra-fine filtration, not just one or the other. Most budget robots can't pick up sand at all, and the ones that do often recirculate it right back into the water through loose-mesh filters.
Standard mesh filters have pore sizes designed for general debris—leaves, twigs, and larger particles. Sand and silt particles are significantly smaller, passing right through these filters and recirculating back into the pool. You end up running the robot repeatedly with no improvement in water clarity. The filter looks clean, but your pool stays cloudy.
Think of NanoFilters™ as HEPA filtration for your pool. While standard mesh captures particles down to roughly 200 microns, NanoFilters™ capture particles at the micron level—including fine sand, silt, and even pollen. This is the difference between a pool that looks clean from a distance and water that's actually crystal clear up close.
Learn About NanoFiltration™
Sand is heavy. It settles in low spots—corners, the base of steps, around drain covers, and along the deep end slope. Removing it requires genuine lift force, not just water circulation. Many robots advertise impressive-sounding specs but can't actually lift settled sand off the pool floor.
Look past marketing claims and focus on actual suction metrics. The ProLine™ series features commercial-grade dual and triple motors that generate real suction power—measured in gallons per hour (GPH) of water flow through the filtration system. Higher GPH means more water processed per cycle, and more sand captured per pass. Combined with NanoFiltration™, this is how you actually remove sand, not just push it around.
In regions like Texas, Arizona, and other desert or high-wind areas, sand and dust are constant. Wind reintroduces fine particles into your pool daily, regardless of how well you cleaned it yesterday. Manual vacuuming can't keep up, and running your pool's primary filter system harder only increases energy costs without solving the source problem.
Daily automation is the only practical solution. A robotic pool cleaner with a programmable weekly timer runs every single day, capturing sand and dust before it accumulates into visible sediment. Set it once and your pool stays clean autonomously—even during dust storm season.
Sand rarely exists alone. Most pools deal with a mix of sand, dirt, organic debris, and fine sediment. A robot optimized only for fine particles will clog under heavier loads, and one built for large debris will miss the sand entirely.
The smartest approach is swappable filtration. Use NanoFilters™ for fine sand and silt when that's the primary issue. Switch to standard mesh for heavier mixed loads with leaves or larger debris. The Dolphin Premier's Multi-Media™ system makes this instant—no tools, no hassle. Swap the filter to match the debris and the robot handles the rest.
Sand accumulates in the places most robots miss: the base of steps, inside corner seams, around drain covers, and along the transition between floor and wall. These are low-flow areas where settled particles build up over time, creating visible sediment lines that are nearly impossible to remove manually.
Random-pattern robots miss these areas entirely or hit them once per cycle at best. Advanced navigation systems like SmartNav™ map the pool and ensure systematic coverage of every surface, including tight corners and step transitions. The Dolphin Sigma's SmartNav 3.0™ with gyroscopic stability is the most thorough navigation system available for sand-prone pools.
Expert-selected pool robots for fine sand, silt, and desert dust. Free shipping & 30 Day Trial on every model.
The Dolphin Quantum comes with NanoFilters™ included—no upgrade needed. The XXL MaxBin™ provides ample capacity, while the HyperBrush™ agitates settled sand for powerful pickup. Weekly timer automation and wall climbing make the Quantum the best overall value for sand-specific pools.
Shop Dolphin QuantumWhen you're dealing with sand plus leaves, dirt, or organic debris, the Dolphin Premier's Multi-Media™ system is unmatched. Swap between NanoFilters™, fine cartridges, oversized leaf bag, and disposable bags to match whatever your pool throws at you. Commercial-grade triple motors, waterline cleaning, and a 3-year ProLine™ warranty.
Shop Dolphin Premier
The Dolphin Cayman delivers excellent sand cleaning at a budget-friendly price when paired with optional NanoFilters™. Wall climbing, a HyperBrush™, and a programmable weekly timer give you the daily automation sand pools demand. An outstanding entry point for smaller to mid-sized pools in sandy or dusty environments.
Shop Dolphin CaymanLeaves are large and easy to trap in any basket. Sand is a fundamentally harder problem because the particles are microscopic—small enough to pass through standard filtration and recirculate invisibly. Removing sand requires both sufficient suction power to lift heavy settled particles and fine-enough filtration to actually capture them. Most robots have one or the other. The models we recommend have both.
Dealing with other debris types? See our guides for leaves, dirt, pollen, and algae. Sand and silt need NanoFiltration™ and strong suction from ProLine™ robots; when sand mixes with leaves or bulky debris, Multi-Media™ lets you swap filters to match the load. Large pools often need more run time and capacity.
Yes, but only models with sufficient suction power and fine filtration. Standard mesh-filter robots will miss most sand particles. Look for robots with NanoFiltration™ like the Dolphin Quantum or Dolphin Premier for effective sand removal.
In windy or desert regions, wind continuously reintroduces sand and dust. The solution is daily automated cleaning with a robot that has a programmable weekly timer. Set it to run every day and sand never accumulates to visible levels.
NanoFilters™ are specifically designed for ultra-fine particles like sand and silt. They capture debris at the micron level that standard mesh filters miss entirely. Available built-in on the Quantum and as part of the Premier's Multi-Media™ system.
Yes. Leaves are large and easy to capture in any basket. Sand requires both powerful suction to lift heavy settled particles and ultra-fine filtration to trap them. Most robots can handle leaves but fail at sand.
Daily. Sand settles constantly and is nearly invisible until it accumulates. Automated daily cycles prevent buildup before it becomes visible. Use the programmable weekly timer on any Dolphin model to automate this.
Sand accumulates in low-flow areas: corners, the base of steps, around drain covers, and along the deep-end slope. Smart navigation robots systematically clean these areas, while random-pattern robots often miss them.
Still have questions? Browse our pool robot troubleshooting guides, contact our pool experts, or call (888) 615-5728
Not sure which features matter? Tap one to see only the robots that have it.
Scrubs the tide line where oils and scum collect — the dirtiest part of the pool. A must for inground pools.
Partial wall cleaning. These models don't reach the waterline, but they clean far more than floor-only robots.
Program the power supply once and the robot cleans on schedule — every day, every other day, or every third day.
The cable spins freely as the robot turns, so it covers the whole pool without knotting up.
A single top-loading basket that's 50-100% larger than standard cartridges and empties in seconds.
Pleated ultra-fine filters that trap silt, pollen and algae a standard mesh filter lets through.
Premier's exclusive filter set: fine filter, NanoFilter™, oversized leaf bag and a disposable bag option.
Start, steer, schedule and read cleaning stats from your phone over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Gyroscopic sensors map the pool so the robot cleans methodically instead of bouncing at random.
Real-time filter tracking that tells you when the onboard filtration needs a rinse.
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