Plumbing Picks is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Quick answer from a licensed plumber: Put a reusable spin-down screen first: the iSpring WSP-50 (50-micron stainless screen, flush valve, 1-inch MNPT and 3/4-inch FNPT) suits most wells. If sand clogs it fast, go coarser with a Rusco 1-inch Spin-Down at 100 mesh (150 microns). If silt still gets through, add a Pentek 20-inch Big Blue housing with a 5-micron DGD-5005-20 cartridge after it.
Our pick for most wells: the iSpring WSP-50 spin-down. Check the iSpring WSP-50 on Amazon
Sand and grit from a well wear out faucet cartridges, fill valves and fine filters. A whole house sediment filter for well water works in stages: a reusable spin-down screen first to catch sand, then, if silt still gets through, a cartridge. These are the picks for each stage, with the screen sizes and connections that decide which one fits your well.
Sediment Filters for Well Water Compared
| Built for | Model | Filter | Connections | Flow / pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most wells | iSpring WSP-50 | 50-micron screen, flushable | 1-inch MNPT / 3/4-inch FNPT | 15–115 psi |
| Sandy wells | Rusco 1-100-F | 100 mesh (150 microns), flushable | 1-inch slip (PVC) | 1–25 GPM, 150 psi max |
| No hand flushing | iSpring WSP50ARJ | 50-micron screen, auto-flush | 1-inch MNPT / 3/4-inch FNPT | Up to 25 GPM |
| Fine silt | Pentek 150233 + DGD-5005-20 | 5-micron cartridge, replaced | 1-inch NPT | 1 psi at 15 gpm, 90 psi max |
Specs come from iSpring, Rusco and Pentair and from each Amazon listing. Every linked filter was shipped or sold by Amazon, new and in stock, when we checked on September 26, 2026.
iSpring WSP-50
Reusable 50-micron stainless screen · flush valve with hose barb · clear housing · 1-inch MNPT and 3/4-inch FNPT on both ends · 15–115 psi · 40–100°F · indoor use only
A spin-down filter is the right first stage on a well because you clean it instead of replacing it. The WSP-50 catches sand, rust, dirt and large particles on a 50-micron stainless steel screen that iSpring says usually lasts 1 to 2 years; you open the flush valve to dump what it collects, and the clear housing shows you when. Both ends carry 1-inch MNPT and 3/4-inch FNPT threads, so it fits a 1-inch or a 3/4-inch line.
iSpring’s own listing adds a caution worth taking seriously: 50- and 100-micron screens can clog quickly on water with a lot of sediment. If that is your well, go coarser first. iSpring also sells it as the iSpring WSP-100 with a 100-micron screen, and a Rusco screen can go coarser still.
- Reusable screen that iSpring says usually lasts 1 to 2 years
- 1-inch MNPT and 3/4-inch FNPT on both ends
- Clear housing and a flush valve with a hose barb
- iSpring warns 50- and 100-micron screens can clog quickly on heavy sediment
- Indoor use only, 40 to 100°F
- Coarse stage only; fine silt needs a cartridge after it
Verdict: The first filter on most well systems: you flush it instead of replacing it, and it protects every finer filter behind it.
Rusco 1-100-F Spin-Down (1-inch, 100 mesh)
100-mesh screen (150 microns, per Rusco’s table) · 1–25 GPM · 150 psi max · 1-inch slip ports · 11-3/8 x 5 inches · flush valve and Teflon tape included
Rusco builds spin-down filters for wells and lists screens from 24 mesh (700 microns) down to 1000 mesh (15 microns), so you can size the screen to the sand you actually have. The linked model is the 1-inch unit with a 100-mesh screen, which Rusco’s table puts at 150 microns: coarser than the iSpring’s 50, which is what you want when sand clogs a fine screen in days. Rusco sells its screens in polyester and stainless steel; it says polyester screens clean easily for reuse and stainless holds up better to coarse particles.
Rusco rates the 1-inch Spin-Down for 1 to 25 GPM and 150 psi, and lists its ports as 1-inch slip, which means PVC solvent-weld sockets; on copper or PEX you will need adapters. Rusco’s complete filters include the body, cover, screen, flush valve and a spool of Teflon tape. The Amazon listing itself carries little detail, so the specs here are Rusco’s.
- 100-mesh (150-micron) screen suits heavy sand; other mesh sizes available (Rusco)
- Rated 1 to 25 GPM and 150 psi (Rusco)
- Flush valve and Teflon tape included
- 1-inch slip (PVC) ports need adapters on copper or PEX
- Sold by a third party and shipped by Amazon
- The listing has little detail; the specs come from Rusco
Verdict: The pick when sand is the main problem and a 50-micron screen clogs too fast.
Not linked: Rusco 1-100-F — on 10/3/2026 the Amazon listing was sold by a third-party seller, not by Amazon or the maker. We re-check listings every week.
iSpring WSP50ARJ
50-micron 316L stainless screen · 1-gallon bowl · up to 25 GPM · auto, semi-auto or manual flushing from a touch screen · lead-free, NSF/ANSI 372 · 1-inch MNPT and 3/4-inch FNPT · 50, 100, 200 and 500-micron screens available
If you would rather not open a flush valve by hand, the WSP50ARJ has an integrated auto-flushing module you set to auto, semi-auto or manual on a touch screen, so it flushes on a schedule. iSpring says it is designed for more complicated well water, with a 1-gallon bowl and a maximum flow of 25 GPM through 1-inch MNPT and 3/4-inch FNPT connections, and it is certified lead-free under NSF/ANSI 372.
Replacement screens come in 50, 100, 200 and 500 microns, so you can go coarser if sand loads it up. The flushing module needs power; iSpring calls it a dual power supply. At 20 inches tall on the listing, it needs more room on the wall than the WSP-50.
- Flushes itself on a schedule you set
- Up to 25 GPM with a 1-gallon bowl (listing)
- Lead-free, NSF/ANSI 372; screens from 50 to 500 microns
- Needs power for the flushing module
- Larger than the WSP-50 (20 inches tall per the listing)
- Still a coarse stage; fine silt needs a cartridge after it
Verdict: The pick for a busy well where nobody will remember to flush a screen.
Pentair Pentek Big Blue 150233 Housing with DGD-5005-20 Cartridge
20-inch Big Blue housing, 1-inch NPT, 1 psi drop at 15 gpm, 90 psi max · DGD-5005-20: 4.5 x 20-inch dual-gradient polypropylene, 5 micron nominal, under 1 psi at 20 gpm · housing and cartridge sold separately
After the spin-down, a cartridge catches the silt a screen lets through. The Pentek 150233 is a 20-inch Big Blue housing with 1-inch NPT ports; the listing gives a 1 psi pressure drop at 15 gpm, a 90 psi maximum and 40 to 100°F water, and says to protect it from freezing. It ships as sump, cap and O-ring only: the bracket and SW-4 wrench are sold separately, as is the cartridge.
The cartridge to pair with it is the DGD-5005-20, a 4.5 by 20-inch dual-gradient polypropylene cartridge that Pentair says holds up to three times the dirt of similar-size sediment cartridges, with a pressure drop under 1 psi at 20 gpm and a nominal 5-micron rating. The listing says to change it about every six months, or sooner when pressure or water quality drops. Pentair’s cartridge sheet rates string-wound polypropylene and pleated polyester cartridges for well water, and says pleated cellulose is not recommended for it.
- Low pressure drop: 1 psi at 15 gpm (housing) and under 1 psi at 20 gpm (cartridge)
- Dual-gradient cartridge holds up to three times the dirt, per Pentair
- Any 20 x 4.5-inch cartridge fits, including a 25-micron DGD-7525-20
- Two purchases, plus a bracket and SW-4 wrench sold separately
- Cartridges are replaced, not cleaned
- 90 psi maximum; protect it from freezing
Verdict: The second stage to put behind a spin-down when silt still gets through.
I send an occasional note when a new guide goes up — repairs worth doing yourself, and the parts that actually last. No spam, no course funnel; written by a licensed Georgia plumber.
How to Stage Sediment Filtration on a Well
- Spin-down first. A reusable screen takes the sand and grit. iSpring describes its WSP as taking the workload off the finer filters that follow it.
- Size the screen to the sand. If a 50-micron screen loads up in days, go to 100 microns or coarser.
- Cartridge second, if you need it. A 25- or 5-micron cartridge in a 20-inch Big Blue housing catches silt. Our micron rating guide explains nominal vs absolute ratings.
- Then any iron, carbon or UV stage. Sediment protects them all.
Mesh and Micron: Picking the Screen
Spin-down screens are sold by mesh or by micron. Rusco defines a micron rating as the size of particle the filter will allow through, so a 150-micron screen stops anything larger than 150 microns. These are Rusco’s polyester screen sizes:
| Mesh | Microns |
|---|---|
| 60 | 250 |
| 100 | 150 |
| 140 | 100 |
| 250 | 50 |
| 500 | 30 |
The higher the mesh number, the finer the screen and the faster it loads up. Start coarse on a sandy well and go finer only if you still see grit at the faucets.
Install Notes
Put the spin-down on the main line after the pressure tank and ahead of every other filter, with a shutoff on each side and room below the flush valve for a bucket or a hose. Check the pressure ratings against your well: iSpring lists 15 to 115 psi for the WSP-50, Rusco lists 150 psi for its 1-inch Spin-Down, and the Pentek housing is rated to 90 psi. If your pressure switch runs higher than a filter allows, see well pressure switch 30/50 vs 40/60. iSpring’s WSP filters are for indoor use, and Pentair says to protect the housing from freezing. For iron, a sulfur smell or bacteria behind the sediment stage, see whole house water filters for well water. For housing sizes, see Big Blue vs standard housings and 10 vs 20-inch cartridges. Cutting into the main line is plumbing work; if you are not comfortable doing it, have a licensed plumber install it.
FAQ
What is the best sediment filter for well water?
Start with a reusable spin-down screen as the first stage: the iSpring WSP-50 for most wells, or a Rusco 1-inch Spin-Down with a coarser 100-mesh screen when sand clogs a fine screen fast. Where fine silt still gets through, add a 20-inch Big Blue housing with a 5-micron dual-gradient cartridge after it.
What micron sediment filter should I use for well water?
Go coarse first and fine second. A spin-down screen of 50 to 150 microns catches sand, then a cartridge of 25 or 5 microns catches silt. iSpring warns that 50- and 100-micron screens can clog quickly on heavy sediment, so size the first screen to your sand, not to the finest number.
Is a spin-down filter better than a cartridge filter?
They do different jobs. A spin-down screen is cleaned and reused and handles sand and grit; a cartridge is replaced and catches finer silt. On a well you usually want both, with the spin-down first so the cartridge lasts longer.
How often do you flush a spin-down sediment filter?
When you can see sediment collecting in the clear bowl. iSpring says regular flushing keeps its WSP filters working and that the screen usually lasts 1 to 2 years. The WSP50ARJ can flush itself on a schedule.
Can a sediment filter remove iron from well water?
Only iron that is already rust particles. Iron that is still dissolved passes through a screen or a sediment cartridge; that takes an iron-reducing stage, like the one iSpring rates for up to 3.0 ppm in its WGB32BM whole-house system.
Why Trust Plumbing Picks
Plumbing Picks is written by a licensed Georgia journeyman plumber. Every size, rating, dimension and spec on this page comes from the manufacturer pages and documents listed below, which we opened and read, or from the Amazon listing we link; nothing here comes from hands-on testing. Each linked product was shipped or sold by Amazon, new and in stock, when we checked on September 26, 2026. Where a link goes to Amazon we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nobody pays to be included here. More on who writes this and how we pick.
Sources
- Rusco: 1″ Spin-Down (specifications, screen mesh and micron sizes)
- Rusco: sediment filter products overview
- Pentair Pentek: Big Blue housing spec sheet 310053 (read 2026-09-24)
- Pentair Pentek: DGD series cartridge spec sheet 310061 (read 2026-09-24)
- Amazon listings for the iSpring WSP-50, WSP-100, WSP50ARJ, Pentek 150233 and DGD-5005-20 (linked above)
Bottom Line
Sediment on a well is a two-stage job. A reusable spin-down goes first: the iSpring WSP-50 for most wells, a Rusco 1-inch at 100 mesh when sand is heavy, or the self-flushing iSpring WSP50ARJ if nobody will flush it by hand. Add a Pentek Big Blue housing with a 5-micron DGD cartridge only if silt still gets through.