La Spas Aqua Klean Filtration System Question

[Michael T]

We have had our LA Spa for a little over four years. Its the Paradise. Currnetly we own four sets of the filters, and are using Baqua Spa. I have to report that I have not had any problems with the filters falling apart. I change them about every three weeks, wash them with bleach and detergent, and use the reccomended amount of chemicals. After reading all the blogs about bromine and chlorine I would reccomend trying the Baqua Spa. I know the manufacturer does not reccomend it, but it has worked fine, no plumbing or pump problems.

[Roger]

I know the manufacturer does not reccomend it, but it has worked fine, no plumbing or pump problems.

Yet.....you forgot to add yet at the end of your post.

[Bill Strehl]

I am glad I found this forum while searching google for Aqua Kleen filters. I bought a LA Spa Concord last year which was a 2006 demo model. I installed it in July, 2008. I have had lots of problems crop up but until recently it wasn't the filters. I have 2 sets; one which was brand new and one that had been used with the spa for an unknown length. I didn't pay a lot of attention to which was which but in the last two months I noticed one set was getting very fuzzy and hard to put on the baskets. The other set which I assume is the newer one seems to be loosing or has lost the "coating" on the filters. I use the Leisure time brand of chemicals and change out the filters about every two weeks although it sometimes has been as long as 4 weeks when we are not using the spa on a regular basis. I use bromine with the Frog system plus the Renew product from Leisure Time which says it is a non-chlorine shock oxidizer. The active ingredient is potassium peroxymonosulfate (32%) and 68% other ingredients. The spa has 2 pumps plus a circulating pump.

Since I am in need of replacing the filters, can anyone tell me how long those tend to last? Do you clean them or just replace them?

I decided to get the Filbur FC-0303 filters from Filterfast.com as they were the least expensive and also have 30 sq. ft. of surface area.

Thanks!

[Bill Strehl]

I decided to get the Filbur FC-0303 filters from Filterfast.com as they were the least expensive and also have 30 sq. ft. of surface area.

I thought I would follow up on my own post since no one ever responded. So far I have been VERY happy with the filters; the water seems more clear and foaming seems to have also disappeared. I was having a problem with the spa maintaining its' temperature which according to the repair guy is a flow issue and since I made the change, the spa has maintained its' temperature.

[ChaiSTi]

Hey Bill,

With these filter cartridges, how often do you have to clean them? Also, has the water pressure through pump1 been better, worse, or the same?

[Bill Strehl]

Hey Bill,

With these filter cartridges, how often do you have to clean them? Also, has the water pressure through pump1 been better, worse, or the same?

I don't have a short answer. According to the person I spoke to at Filbur the filters are supposed to last for several years. He told me there are filter cleaning solutions but I have yet to investigate them. My filters have been in since the beginning of September and it seems like I am getting a good flow but that is a subjective opinion. The water pressure from the jets does not appear to have changed since I installed them.

I bought 6 filters to get the discount with the thought that I might swap them out in sets. At this point I am thinking that I might just try cleaning them instead.

When I had the cloth filters I found that the suction for the filter closest to the controls floated up as it deteriorated. It also never seemed to pull in that much debris even when the filters were new.

The reason I went with the Filbur FC-0303 was because it had 30 sq. feet of surface area so I felt is was less likely to clog. In talking to several of the manufacturers they said all the filter material was basically the same in all of them. Filterfast.com had the best prices.

The factory authorized service rep felt the cloth bags are better as the let more water flow through, and that they have improved the manufacturing process. Based on this forum, I think I lucked out with having 2 sets of three last a year.

[lynne]

Hi,

I'm responding on my previous post in June, I have converted to bromine since then but I had just replaced my spas from an Oasis to a HEET. I am know going trough filter bags like crazy(8 since June). The dealer says it is because I know have 3 5HP motors and it is too strong of a flow for the filters. My old spas the Oasis I had it for over six months and never went trough any filters.

I think it might just be the bromine causing them to shred(almost dissolve) withing 3 months. I have just converted to pleated paper filters(Unicel 5CH-203) and I hope they will last longer.

I am not willing to return to chlorine as maintenance is so much less frequent and a bit easier using bromine, and people constantly telling me how clear the water is..

Cheers,

Dan

[lynne]

It's not the HEET. We've just replaced our first set of filters on our HEET, 2.5 years later (always using chlorine in the spa and washing in a pretty full on wash with quite a bit of bleach every 2 weeks). In Australia, though, we had trouble finding finding replacements at a reasonable cost. They can cost up to $61 a piece here!!! (and with our $ on almost parity with USA, that is just a blatant rip off). We sent over to USA for some at half the price, but they are quite different from the originals, and I'm a bit worried these ones may not last... We'll see. Anyone know of a cheap Aussie source?

Lynne

[Stuart A]

Lynne

I replaced my filters last year and they had changed the design from the original sets I had when I first got my spa. They still look fine and I am sure they will last another year. So do not worry too much about the design change.

My dealer charges £25.00 per filter but discounts this if more are puchased at the same time. Not sure what £25.00 equates to in Australian dollars. Here in England we pay more for our things than they charge in America, but yours seems rather high even after allowing for shipping etc.

Its still unproven yet, but it seems that only people using bromine are having problems with the filters.

[TTBOY281]

Does someone know exactly from what type of fabrics the socks filter are made ?

[ChaiSTi]

^Polypropylene

[Debs]

I recently purchased an LA Spas Concord model. It's my first hot tub and I'm really ejoying it. I have a question about the "innovative" Aqua Klean filtration system. I'm hoping someone has experience on this board with these spas. Basically, the filters don't stay on the intake cannisters. They simply float right up off of them. Even when I turn the jets on and water gets sucked through the intakes, they still don't stay on. Has anyone ever heard of this or know of a fix?

Thanks,

-Eric

Yep Eric you are missing the bands, or O'Rings. They are thick white plastic and go around the filter to hold the bags in place.

Cheers

[Debs]

Does someone know exactly from what type of fabrics the socks filter are made ?

Hi, they are described as "polypro" 25 micron. I would say this means polypropylene, (a plastic synthetic) and the micron measure is how thick it is. Eg. the quality of wool for example is measured by microns, so I would say microns in this case is the quality or quantity of the polypropylene.

If you wash them often and gently - just with the garden hose, and ensure your spa chemical levels are always balanced, the filter bags should last ages. It is usually lack of use of the spa which leads to chemical levels getting unbalanced, water ends up with too much calcium build up etc, or residual chlorine etc. Poor water quality is usually what ruins spa equipment.

Good luck

[Stuart A]

If you wash them often and gently - just with the garden hose, and ensure your spa chemical levels are always balanced, the filter bags should last ages.

Just like to add that I wash mine gently with a small amount of bleach and mine last.

It looks like people that use bromine, in the spa, had trouble with the filters.