10 sq foot filter=short life?

[Neku]

The spa I ordered is small, 190 gallons, but the filter is tiny. It's only 4x4 inchs and 10 sq ft of surface area. Should I plan on changing it sooner then say every 6 months or so?
Also when a spa is advertised as 190 gallons is that measured to the normal use level or do they fill them to the brim, like to make it sound larger?

[Sam]

The gallonage is usually describing when the tub is filled to operating level.  10 sq feet is extremely small.  In fact, I have never even seen one that small.  What brand of tub is it?  You may want to consider seeing if a larger filter will work in it's place.  I know that one of the brands that we sell comes with a 35 ft. filter but there is a 50 sq ft. filter with the same threads that still fits.  It's a little bit taller, but works.  I can only imagine that that filter will get dirty much more quickly than a larger one.  It will really depend on your bather load but I would probably start with rinsing it twice per month and soaking in filter cleaner every 1-2 months. 

Pay attention to the tub for the first month or so.  When the filter gets clogged you will often get an error code on the control panel.  When the flow through the heater is restricted beyond a certain point, it will trip a sensor that shuts the heater off. 

[Neku]

Thanks for the reply . The Spa is a QAC brand, model Caribbean star. This is the filter I ordered from Spa Depot, http://www.spadepot.com/shop/Clarathon-Filter-FC3077-P506C516.aspx. It's only $10, so no big expense to replace often