Filtration -- HS v. Marquis and others

[IL Parrothead]

Having trouble sleeping.  The Cliff Claven side of my brain has been digesting hot tub minutiae.  
I noticed HS Tri-X filters have 325 sq. ft. of filtration whereas many other spa manufacturers (Caldera, Marquis and others) get by with 100 sq. ft. or less.
Those of you who have owned or sold both -- any noticeable difference in filtration?

[MarKee]

This is going to start a fight.

Here is my comparison of a HotSpring vs Marquis:

1.)  A HotSpring will filter 5,000 gallons of water per day, whereas a Marquis will filter over 20,000 gallons per day (can be programmed to filter over 100,000 gallons per day)

2.)  A HotSpring has no bottom filtration (it only pulls from the top), whereas you will see bottom suction fittings on a Marquis that can pull up small matter off the footwell.  On a Marquis, these bottom suction fittings do not bypass the filter when the spa is filtering (they are plumbed in to the bottom of the filter housing).

3.) When you see a HotSpring filter water, you will see very little surface movement.  Usually the only thing you will see is bubbles coming up from the bottom of the spa out of the ozone/circ pump return.  When you see a Marquis filter water, you will see a lot of water movement (it's filtering at a rate of 80 gallons per minute).  All 4 corners of the spa have movement, therefore body oils, hair, and other types of debris are able to be pulled in to the filters before they are able to "cake" to the side of the spa shell.

4.) HotSpring has a clean up cycle if you remember to hit the "Clean Up" button after you get out.  Marquis has a system called SmartClean that will automatically do a 1 hour clean up cycle after you get out.  The software waits ½ hour after the jets shut off for body oils and other material to float to the surface.  After ½ hour the spa comes on and filters 4,800 gallons of water and then shuts off.


Of course this is a biased comparison, to my knowledge all of the above information is correct.  

Bottom line: both are quality spas, both will filter adequately.

[solo]

I cannot answer your question.  But I can say this, I think you are getting caught up in unimportant details.  Don't let the sales pitch sell you.  If you have chosen a premium brand, you have nothing to worry about.  My anology is that you are choosing between an Acura and a Lexus and are fretting over which one has the nicest windshield wipers or the best parking brake.  

I too thought carefully about all those details.  Now that I have owned my tub for a month, I haven't thought abpout the filtering system again (other to clean the filters).  Which tub feels better when you sit in it?  Make your best deal on that tub bro!

[windsurfdog]

Parrothead,

Follow solo's advice and only take this one comment from Markee's post:
"Bottom line: both are quality spas, both will filter adequately." Then wet test until you find the one for you.  Good luck in your search.

[AstaLaVista]

This is going to start a fight.

Here is my comparison of a HotSpring vs Marquis:

1.)  A HotSpring will filter 5,000 gallons of water per day, whereas a Marquis will filter over 20,000 gallons per day (can be programmed to filter over 100,000 gallons per day)

2.)  A HotSpring has no bottom filtration (it only pulls from the top), whereas you will see bottom suction fittings on a Marquis that can pull up small matter off the footwell.  On a Marquis, these bottom suction fittings do not bypass the filter when the spa is filtering (they are plumbed in to the bottom of the filter housing).

3.) When you see a HotSpring filter water, you will see very little surface movement.  Usually the only thing you will see is bubbles coming up from the bottom of the spa out of the ozone/circ pump return.  When you see a Marquis filter water, you will see a lot of water movement (it's filtering at a rate of 80 gallons per minute).  All 4 corners of the spa have movement, therefore body oils, hair, and other types of debris are able to be pulled in to the filters before they are able to "cake" to the side of the spa shell.

4.) HotSpring has a clean up cycle if you remember to hit the "Clean Up" button after you get out.  Marquis has a system called SmartClean that will automatically do a 1 hour clean up cycle after you get out.  The software waits ½ hour after the jets shut off for body oils and other material to float to the surface.  After ½ hour the spa comes on and filters 4,800 gallons of water and then shuts off.


Of course this is a biased comparison, to my knowledge all of the above information is correct.  

Bottom line: both are quality spas, both will filter adequately.

I would like to see in print from the HS factory anything about 5,000 gallons a day.  :-/ It doesn't add up.  you mention that both are adequate at filtering..... after you slam the crap out of HS while comparing it to your product.  I say "your product" because it is clear to me that you obviously sell marquis tubs .  (if you don't sell them you did a good job memorizing their sales pitch   I certainly will not claim to know much about either system.  I just know I sit in comfort in my HS knowing that every bit of water coming out of my jets just went through my filter...... now I don't care how much HS only pulls from the surface... I have watched the water that gets sucked into the filter compartment ( a compartment that has vents all the way down at the bottom... where it also pulls in water... hmmm how bout that...... for every minute that goes by.... there is new surface water.... so it stands to reason that all your water is being filtered.  As for the Marquis being able to pull from its bottom and get some of the debris... I don't think I would want that in my pumps... I like the fact that all water hits the filter before any thing else.  I can suck up the sand myself. not a problem...

Again though.. I am sure my opinion is bias as well... after all I did chose Hot Springs.

Now what I would like to see... is a comparison done by someone that has intimate knowledge of both brands... with out bias...... no offense meant here...  

[SerjicalStrike]

If the Hotspring is still using the small laing pumps, then here is about what they would pull for water filtration.

9gpm x 60 x 24 = gallons per day

Thats Roughly 13000 gallons per day

To only achieve 5000 gallons, the circulation pump would only be moving <4 gallons per minute, which does not sound right.

[East_TX_Spa]

All of the answers lay here:

http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1146236009/0

Terminator

[windsurfdog]

Parrothead,

I suggest once again that you ignore all references/cute drawings re:  filtration and concentrate on the tub that feels best to you.  Don't be swayed by the attempted marketing pushed by retailers...both Marquis and HS as well as most other tub manufacturers have more than adequate filtration...any other comments are just marketing.

[East_TX_Spa]

Parrothead, I suggest that you use FACTS and LOGIC to reach your own decision and leave the FEELINGS in reserve for your family and friends.  Feelings do have their place, but not in evaluating a long-term financial decision concerning a consumer product.

That is my opinion.  Others may vary.

Good luck with whichever one you choose, though!

Terminator

[Vinny]

The fact is: ALL QUALITY TUBS PROVIDE ADEQUATE FILTRATION!!!!!

None is superior or inferior than another. My tub has hot, clean water and it is not a HS or Marquis. When it is filtering (has a circ pump) it is not bypassing the filter. There is no such thing that a filter or tub will clean 100% of the water ... you'd have to remove all the water from a tub in order to achieve 100% filtration. My tub doesn't have a clean up cycle, doesn't use 5 filters (it has 2) and as long as I properly maintain the water - stays crystal clear.

Sometimes all it is is sales dribble!

[Doobiewah]

All of the answers lay here:

http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1146236009/0

Terminator

Wow, Term....that thread ALMOST gave me a splitting headache....I'm still spinning...and that spa fairy.....hmmmmmm?  Glad I chose my HS before I read that!  The thread didn't sway me in any way from appreciating the HS filtration system (which my wife, a medical professional, loves, BTW), it just woulda sent me to bed for awhile (or to the bar at my local Elks club?) and I woulda gotten my spa a week or so later....

The Doob

[tony]

The fact is: ALL QUALITY TUBS PROVIDE ADEQUATE FILTRATION!!!!!

None is superior or inferior than another. My tub has hot, clean water and it is not a HS or Marquis. When it is filtering (has a circ pump) it is not bypassing the filter. There is no such thing that a filter or tub will clean 100% of the water ... you'd have to remove all the water from a tub in order to achieve 100% filtration. My tub doesn't have a clean up cycle, doesn't use 5 filters (it has 2) and as long as I properly maintain the water - stays crystal clear.

Sometimes all it is is sales dribble!

I agee.  All the majors have good systems that all work well.  The rest is marketing.

[hottubdan]

I agee.  All the majors have good systems that all work well.  The rest is marketing.

I agree that all the majors have filtration that works.  Some work different than others.  Only you can determine the value of the difference.

It is a [glow]fact[/glow] that with Hot Spring all of the water is filtered all of the time.  As Markee stated, on a Marquis (and most other brands) 100% of the water is filtered [glow]during filtration cycles.[/glow]  When the jets are on, which is when you are in the spa, bypass kicks in, letting debris circulate freely.

I cannot tell you which system is better; only you can decide.  I cannot tell you how much value to put on it; only you can do that.

[solo]

Clean water = adequate circulation + adeqaute filtration + adequate sanitation.

Take away one of those 3 componensts and you have dirty water.

There is more than one way to achieve adequate levels of all 3.  And if you are buying a premium brand, rest assured that they all do a good job of keeping the water clean.  

The rest is all marketing.  Don't get hooked on the sales pitch/marketing.  Buy what feels best to you and don't worry about the rest.  

[Vanguard]

 Is Hot Spring still the only brand to be independently certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)?  Nearly all filters are certified by the NSF, but I believe that Hot Spring is the only brand where the entire spa is certified.

Who is the NSF?  http://www.nsf.org

Not that means you won't have clear water in a premium spa - you will - its just one more level of peace of mind.