Spa Frog Mineral Cartridge

[jules]

Hi, I'm a new hot tub owner (mid October) and have found this forum very helpful. I just changed my water for the first time this week. It has been too cold here in central IL to do it before now, but long overdue. Yes, I made a few (numerous!!) newbie mistakes and the water was cloudy and smelled like chlorine. Yuck. My dealer told me to add one half cap MPS after each soak. And, once a week, add one half cap dichlor, 1 oz. clarifier and 1 oz. stain and scale defender. I had zero FC. He said don't worry about it unless the water was cloudy. Not a good plan.

This time, I'm going to use 1 teaspoon dichlor after each soak and shock with dichlor one week and MPS the other week. No clarifier this time, unless things go really bad. I think it clogged the filter.

Sorry, this is long, but here is my question. I have a small spa, 225 gallons, with only one long filter. The frog cartridge seems to restrict the water flow when I put it in the filter. It could be my paranoia about sticking something in the filter well, but I don't think so. The filter is an open style with a round floating weir. I can hook it on the outside of the basket, but the stick hits my foot when I sit in the lounger. Can I just lay it on the floor in the foot well? There is a big round water intake on the side of the foot well. I can't really tell from the "manual" what it does, but I do know it isn't a jet.

Thanks for all your help. 

Jules

[RobertB]

The reason you are supposed to put the frog in the filter is so the water going through it is already filtered and will not gunk up the frog. Also this is where the most water flows so the frog will actually contact the most water. I have never seen the frog restrict the water flow. (15 yrs servicing multiple brands)

If it is really bothering you, don't use it. You will just have to keep a closer eye on your sanitizer levels when you do not use your spa for a while. Don't put it in your footwell as that would provide no benefit and could be a hazard.

There is a big round water intake on the side of the foot well. I can't really tell from the "manual" what it does, but I do know it isn't a jet.

That is indeed an intake for your pump.

RobertB

[gadfly]

... The frog cartridge seems to restrict the water flow when I put it in the filter. It could be my paranoia about sticking something in the filter well, but I don't think so. The filter is an open style with a round floating weir. I can hook it on the outside of the basket, but the stick hits my foot when I sit in the lounger. Can I just lay it on the floor in the foot well?...

The extra rods that come with the cartridge should allow you to place it so it will not restrict the flow.  That said, anywhere you can put the cartridge where it can keep moving water through it, should allow it to do its job.

[jules]

Thank you, I really appreciate the help.