All About Spa Filters
Spa Filters
How often should you replace them? – Depending on load and how you maintain them, you should look to replace them every 6 (heavy use) to 18 months.
Do I / when should I clean my spa filter? – Yes, however you should only clean the pleated type, as micron filters can’t be cleaned and must be replaced. The filter is designed to catch debris, oils and soaps. For heavy usage, it should be cleaned every 3-4 weeks. Low usage should be cleaned every 2 months. A blocked cartridge can put undue pressure on your pump, decreasing its lifespan. Please note, most customers will stock 2 filters; one which will be in use, and the other one waiting to be swapped out to make sure your downtime is as small as possible.
How do I clean the filter? – Rinse from top to bottom using a garden hose. Using a filter wand (see below) 
will take less time, do a better job and the chance of damaging the filters is reduced. Do not use a high-pressure hose, pressure washer or stiff brush. Soak the cartridge for at least an hour (overnight is preferable) in an approved filter cleaner solution. It is advisable to rotate two spa filters which will prolong the life of your spa filter considerably. One filter can soak in spa filter cleaner while the other spa filter is in service. Poor filter care and maintenance is the number one cause of pump/heater failure. Make sure that you have a spare filter cartridge, at all times, as this could prove to be an important purchase for trouble free enjoyment of your Spa or Pool!
Main types of spa filters. – there are two main types of spa filters.
Pleated Spa Pool filters: Pleated spa filters are the most common type of filters and are typically good for filtering out particulates 20 microns or larger. As the name suggests pleated filter cartridges are made from pleated filter material known as media. The pleats dramatically increase the surface area of the spa filter which increases the efficiency and reduces the overall size requirement.
Micron spa filters: are either used alone or in conjunction with pleated filters. Micron filters use a different "spun" style of filter media and typically are good to 5 microns so they are ideal for clarifying water. The advantage of micron filters such as the Purezone spa filters, is that they save money by reducing the amount of spa chemicals required to maintain water clarity. Micron filters cannot be cleaned but need to be replaced every 3-6 months if the spa pool is being used regularly.
Top Tip: It is important to shower before every use of your Lay-Z-Spa to wash off natural oils that accumulate on your body as well as any deodorants, moisturisers or creams you may use. This will help your filters to last longer, reduce the quantity of chemicals that you need to use on treating the spa and also increase the lifespan of your pump.
Spa filter quality. – As with everything not all filter media is made the same and the quickest way some manufactures cut costs is by lowering the quality of the filter media being used. Non factory authorized spa filters can be made from filter media that breaks down rapidly and does not clean out well causing it to become clogged an unusable much quicker than the higher quality spa filters.
Another way certain manufactures of low quality filters save money is to use lower quality process to attach the filter caps onto the filter media. This often causes the filter to come apart at the end caps very early in their life span.
We sell Pleatco Spa Filters, which are known worldwide for their superior filtration media that they use, quality parts for the end caps and bands, and high pleat count.
The high pleat count maximises surface area, meaning there is more space to catch debris and oils, and efficiently prolongs the life of your spa or pool.
The 6 Key Steps of Spa Care and Maintenance:
1. Circulation.
It is important to maintain crystal clear water. Allowing a sanitiser (chlorine, bromine to properly circulate the spa will help prevent bacteria and other contaminants becoming a problem. Run the Spa circulation system daily, and keep all parts of the spa in good working order.
2. Filtration
It is important to have a filter in your spa system for a number of reasons.
- Filters help keep bacteria from reaching your skin
- Filters can help large pieces of debris from entering your hot tub or your inner workings.
- Filters are beneficial for keeping air out of your pipelines.
- Filters make it easier for you to balance the chemical treatments in your water
- Many hot tubs simply can’t operate without the filter in place.
We recommend cleaning your filter ever 2-3 weeks and chemically clean the filter every 4-6 weeks.
3. Cleaning.
A visible line may appear just above the water line, even if you have the right filter and right sanitization and pH levels. This is due to the minerals that are absorbed into the water, that soak into the body work. You can use a “off the wall” cleaner, a Spa Sponge or one of the many other cleaning mits/brushes/liquids that will all be effective to remove the layer of scum. Please note, even with regular cleaning, your water will still need to be regularly replaced.
4. Draining and refilling.
First, test the TDS in the water. You can do this through a number of methods: testing strips, a liquid test kit or take a sample to your local hottub supplier. We recommend changing the water ever 3-4 months, and when you change the water, the filter should be cleaned aswell.
5. Chemistry.
There are two main things to test for
- Sanitizer – chlorine, bromine, soft soak sanitiser, etc…
- pH – acidic, basic
6. Testing.
You can do this through a number of methods: testing strips, a liquid test kit or take a sample to your local hot tub supplier. We recommend testing strips, as these are the easiest to carry out and also test for a number of chemicals in your pool/spa.
Make sure your pH is always between 7.4 and 7.6, your alkalinity is between 80 and 120ppm, and your sanitiser level is correct.