alan1 Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just wanted to see if I need to change my filters and when.. I am using bromine and just not sure how often to change my filter cartridge or clean it.. Is it only at time of water change (3 to 4 months) ? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footie Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just wanted to see if I need to change my filters and when.. I am using bromine and just not sure how often to change my filter cartridge or clean it.. Is it only at time of water change (3 to 4 months) ? thanks Your usage shall determine the filter cleaning amount. I use my tub approximately 3 times per week with mostly 2 persons present soaking for 30-40 mins, I clean my filter every 6-8 weeks though I did leave it as long as 3 months once, so far the filter coming out has looked always clean which might be it's filtration system but I am still going to replace the filters every 18 months regardless. There are throw away filters on the market which are meant to be great, Micropure do one that looks the part but it will work out much more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Hot Tub Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 If you use the spa a lot, we suggest monthly, take yours out clean them and let them dry. You should have spares to put in, then just keep rotating. Clean filters don't mean your filtration system is working well, as said above, it means that you are real clean/careful when you use the spa, or the filtration system is not working. The filters are the filtrations system and what picks up the crap. They will pick up stuff larger than 10 microns for standard filters. The filter company suggests replacing every 6 months because the fibers start to break down, but with rotating i have no issue getting over a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan1 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 So i should order 2 more for my spa and rotate them every month or so , depending on usage? My usuage is one or two people 20 minutes each day .. So after one month take them out and what do I clean them with? and what is the process to properly clean them ? thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footie Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 You can buy proper filter cleaners to cleaning your filters or you can save a bucket and clean them with dishwasher powder. Just rise off the loose stuff first before letting them soak over night in a filter bath, a cup of dishwasher powder per 10 ltr of water works or go with the instructions on the filter cleaner. I buy an automated filter clearer a Blaster 2000 because of the size of my filters but they come in two other sizes, I swear by it and rate it one of my wisest purchases to do with the spa, one it's done it's stuff and the filter is dry it looks as good as new and all I have done is placed on the cleaner and turned the tap, when and made a cuppa and by that time it's done. Shower before you dip and your filters will remain cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan1 Posted May 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 Place where i Bought hot tub said I could clean the filter with a part bleach part water in a spray bottle .. First rinse them with hose then spray them with bleach mixture and then wash tehm again and dry them ... Will this method work or disturb my water chemistry ? just wondering . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 Place where i Bought hot tub said I could clean the filter with a part bleach part water in a spray bottle .. First rinse them with hose then spray them with bleach mixture and then wash tehm again and dry them ... Will this method work or disturb my water chemistry ? just wondering . It won't hurt anything unless you are using a biguanide based santizer but it wont get the organics off your filter either! It will make them look white but it will not unclog them. You will need to hose them off, soak them in a degreaser, and hose off again. Here is the procedure: 1. get a short, small bore brass nozzle for your garden hose (about $2-$3 at the hardware store) 2. get a box of REAL TSP (trisodium phosphate)--not the TSP substitute that is commonly sold these days OR a box of automatic dishwashing detergent powder 3. get a container big enough to submerge your cart such as a trash can or large plastic container like the type used for storage 3. hose off the cart well with the nozzle by directing the water down each pleat at a 45 degree angle to flush out the gunk. 4. submerge the cart in a cleaning solution of 1 cup of TSP or dishwashing detergent powder for every 5 gallons of water used (measure the water the first time and then mark the container with the proper water level). Let's say it takes 20 gallons in your container to submge the cart. Add 4 cups of TSP or detergent. 5. Soak the cart at least an hour to overnight (having a spare set of carts on hand is the best way, take out the dirty cart, put in the clean one, and you can continue to use the tub almost immediately while the dirty cart soaks). 6. after soaking hose off the cart again and either put it back in the tub or, if you have already put your spare in the tub, let it dry completely and store it for next time. If AND ONLY IF there is calcium buildup on the cart you can soak it in a very dilute muriatic acid solution (10 to 1 dilution) until all bubbling stops BUT ONLY AFTER DEGREASING OR YOU WILL RUIN THE CART. Acid washing shortens the life of your filter cart, btw. If you have a small cart you can also use a commercial $pray filter cleaner but they are expen$ive to u$e and can shorten filter cart life but if you have high calcium in your water and the cart gets a lot of scale depostis they do make cleaning easier. You would hose off the cart, spray it, let it sit, hose off again. If you want to spend the money on filter cleaning wands or devices like the blaster 2000 they do work but so does a $2 short, small bore garden hose nozzle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ataDude Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 2. get a box of REAL TSP (trisodium phosphate)--not the TSP substitute that is commonly sold these days OR a box of automatic dishwashing detergent powder As a note in case you didn't know... Cascade dishwashing detergent (in the US) no longer contains phosphates. So... no degreaser. That happened mid-last year due to 17 states outlawing phosphates in the detergent. I suspect other brands are the same but have not confirmed. I now use a teaspoon of TSP in my dishwasher to make up for it. Have you wondered why your dishes, silverware and glasses are no longer clean? I noticed it more on silverware and polycarbonate drinking glasses. It's not your dishwasher. Thank your government for more insane regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 2. get a box of REAL TSP (trisodium phosphate)--not the TSP substitute that is commonly sold these days OR a box of automatic dishwashing detergent powder As a note in case you didn't know... Cascade dishwashing detergent (in the US) no longer contains phosphates. So... no degreaser. That happened mid-last year due to 17 states outlawing phosphates in the detergent. I suspect other brands are the same but have not confirmed. I now use a teaspoon of TSP in my dishwasher to make up for it. Have you wondered why your dishes, silverware and glasses are no longer clean? I noticed it more on silverware and polycarbonate drinking glasses. It's not your dishwasher. Thank your government for more insane regulations. This is true but the added surfactants in dishwasher detergent do compensate and help degrease a filter. The plain TSP substitutes (normally either sodium carbonate, sodium metasilicate, or sodium sesquicarbonte) are not as effective at all when compared to either TSP or automatic dishwasher detergent with or without TSP. The ban on phosphates is actually a good one in terms of the ecological effects. Phosphate ions in high concentration in seawater actually interfere with coral reef formations by shifting the type of calcium carbonate formed from calcite to aragonite. I know this first hand from a research project I was involved with back in the early 70s at the University or Miami School of Marine and Atmospheric Science on the nucleation and precipitation of calcium carbonate from simple seawater like solutions and Copenhagen (standardized) and natural seawater. I ran many samples and then had them anaylyzed by x ray diffraction to determine whether they were calcite or aragonite to see the effects of different concentrations of various ions such as phosphate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan1 Posted May 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 Waterbear , NO BIGUANIDE EVER AGAIN LOL!!! thanks for the input and procedure. Is this the correct stuff ? http://www.amazon.com/Savogran-10621-Trisodium-Phosphate-TSP/dp/B0001GOGQW and every month or so depending on use do this cleaning as suggested earlier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted May 14, 2011 Report Share Posted May 14, 2011 Is this the correct stuff ? http://www.amazon.co...P/dp/B0001GOGQW and every month or so depending on use do this cleaning as suggested earlier? that would be the stuff and yes, every month is pretty much normal. You might not need to soak the filter evey month but you do need to hose it off. Be sure to get the small brass nozzle. Regular garden hose nozzles just don't work as well (and don't use a pressure washer unless you want to replace the cart!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan1 Posted May 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 already have that nozzle so im set just need to order the right cleaner that I posted here !!! thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footie Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 If you want to spend the money on filter cleaning wands or devices like the blaster 2000 they do work but so does a $2 short, small bore garden hose nozzle! Hey don't knock my Blaster 2000 , it's bloody brilliant. You may well be right that the $2 thingie does the same job but can you make a cuppa and drink it whilst cleaning your filter with it at the same time? No you can't, need to get your priorities right, tubbing is all about relaxation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 If you want to spend the money on filter cleaning wands or devices like the blaster 2000 they do work but so does a $2 short, small bore garden hose nozzle! Hey don't knock my Blaster 2000 , it's bloody brilliant. You may well be right that the $2 thingie does the same job but can you make a cuppa and drink it whilst cleaning your filter with it at the same time? No you can't, need to get your priorities right, tubbing is all about relaxation. However, for the money it costs I can HIRE someone to do it for me and serve it to me and clean the filter, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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