Spa and Swimming Pool Filter Maintenance

To maximise the life of your filter cartridges it is important to look after it.  Filters can become clogged by soaps, chemicals, perspiration, body fats, oils and fine particles of dust or dirt.

How to get more life out of your filter

• Keep your water balanced correctly 
• Clean the cartridge in accordance with its cleaning instructions.
• Do not scrub the filter with a stiff brush.
• Do not use a high pressure hose.
• Rotate two cartridges to prolong the life of the filters considerably.
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How to Clean Filter Cartridges

Turn the pump off and remove the drain plug at the bottom of the filter tank. Open the air release valve to speed up drainage. Draining the tank gets rid of the dirt and debris that falls off the cartridges when the pump is off. That way, you won't have dirty water going right back on the cartridges after you've just cleaned them.

When the tank is empty, open it and remove the cartridges. Wash them off in an area with good drainage--where cleaning chemicals won't kill plants or cause damage. Use a high-pressure hose nozzle to wash the cartridge off. Spread the pleats and get a good blast of water into each fold and crevice.

Soak the Cartridges

If the cartridges still look dirty or feel gummy after hosing them off, soak them in a solution of safe degreasing agent like Pool Pro Filter Cleaner and Degreaser and water.

After soaking, rinse the cartridges thoroughly again with the high-pressure hose nozzle. Rinse off all of the degreaser, or you will have foam in your spa or pool when you start it back up.

Extra Cartridges

To get the spa or pool back in operation quickly, consider buying an extra cartridge set. You can shut the pump off, drain the filter, switch the cartridges and have the system back up in a matter of minutes.

Then, you can soak and clean the dirty set when it's more convenient and have them ready for the next cleaning. Always store cartridges out of the sun and up off the ground.

All cartridge filters should be cleaned at least every 2 months. If you follow these cleaning procedures you will ensure the maximum life of the cartridge:

• Remove the cartridge from the filter housing or skimmer box.
• Wash the filter using a garden hose working from the top down. Do not use a high pressure hose or a brush.
• Soak the cartridge for at least an hour (overnight is preferable) in a cartridge cleaning solution which you can purchase from your local Spa & Pool shop. Alternatively, use 1 cup of a household detergent in 5 litres of water to clean.
• Rinse the cartridge once more with a hose to remove any remaining oils or cleaning solution.

Eventually your cartridge filter will block and will need to be replaced - usually within 1 to 2 years - depending on the amount of use.