Where do I buy pre-filter for garden hose?

[Kaisermust]

Newbie getting her first got tub--I want to be prepared before the tub arrives so where do I buy a pre-filter for the garden hose to put on it before I fiil the tub?  Our well water is very hard and has iron so will a filter on the garden hose help keep iron out or should we try and fill tub from the kitchen faucet, whose water goes through the water softener in the cellar? Any advice greatly appreciated.

[Waterbug]

NEVER fill your hot tub with softened water, unless you have no other choice.  RV supply stores or on-line suppliers usually carry  an assortment of hose adapted water filters, for use on those big expensive RV buses.

[Chas]

You can buy filters on line or at a local dealer - HotSpring Spa dealers will stock a pre-filter which does a good, and jobEco One makes a nice compact unit.

If your water is extremely hard you may soften it by adding SOME soft water. I use 25% max as a guide when working with my customers with well water issues like yours. But be aware - that could mean filling the tub with hard water and stopping just three inches short of the normal waterline. Then top it off with soft water. Three inches! Most tubs have very small footwell areas compared with the wide-open spaces at the top of the shell, so start with three inches and go from there. Also, you can refill the tub with soft water as the water evaporates and/or gets splashed out.

Many test kits and most test strips now have water hardness tests built in - you can easily adjust the ratio of hard water to soft water to get the hardness where you want it.

As stated above - don't fill your tub with all soft water.

[hailypup20]

I bought some from an online retailer...I own a Sundance Cameo, but saw no reason to purchase the Sundance brand filters since the type of filtering would not be intrinsic to a brand.  I paid about $10 per filter, which are supposedly good for about 3 fills.

My first fill had CH levels near 450...when I filled it the second time, utilizing a pre-filter, my CH levels have been closer to 275...maybe a bit higher than ideal but notably lower.  I see less buildup near the waterline and on some of the jets as a result, so I found the purchase of the pre-filters to be a good one.  Just my 2 pennies!