Hot tub filters are the most abused and unappreciated part of any hot tub. You have to consider the fact of what the hot tub filters go through – water is being forced through them every second that your hot tub is being run, and it is cleaning your water of algae, leaves, bacteria, hair, oils, dead skin, bugs, dissolved solids, and other debris and dirt that manages to make its way into your spa.

Types

There are actually three different types of hot tub filters that are available, which are: diatomaceous earth filters, sand filters, and cartridge filters.

Diatomaceous earth filters are hot tub filters that are made of grids of extremely fine mesh, and which are coated with diatomaceous earth. The diatomaceous earth acts basically just like an adhesive, and is able to trap any small dirt particles and other debris that are floating around in the water.

The sand filters are hot tub filters that use sand as a filter medium instead, and inside each sand filter is a certain amount of sand and gravel, which works by mixing with the water to create gravel, and from this dirt and other impurities get pulled out.

Cartridge filters are the most commonly used of the three, and they are made with a fine, pleated mesh material, and it is these pleats that allow for a large amount of material to be used in a small container. Remember that the more material that is used, the larger surface area that is able to capture unwanted dirt and debris in the water.

Tips

There are a few different tips that you will want to remember in order to make best use of your filters and keep them and your actual hot tub in the best working condition possible. For one, you always want to make sure that you run your hot tub for at least an hour each day, even if you do not actually use it, and this works to ensure good water circulation and turnover of the spa water.

You will have to replace the filter quite frequently, and how often this will have to happen will depend on a few different factors, such as the size of the filter, how often the spa is used and how much debris typically gets into the water.

You also want to maintain proper water chemistry at all times, and filters are necessary and work incredibly well, but they are not actually able to kill off algae and bacteria, and so you are going to want to use additional tools and methods here as well.

Taking care of your hot tub will really pay off in the end, not only because it will be cleaner and healthier for you when you use it, but also because it will last you a great deal longer.