There are different filter balls on the market. Basically, they can be divided into 2 main categories:
Fiber Balls
These are filter balls made from recycled PET continuous fibers, like the Ego3 filter balls. There are also various versions depending on the application. Even among fiber balls, there are different variants (e.g., in blue, gray, green without bacterial protection for koi ponds, green with bacterial protection = Original Ego3 filter ball). Ego3 filter balls for Ego3 hot tub filters are specially optimized in terms of fiber (length, thickness, surface) and composition (silver content, size, winding) for use in hot tubs to offer our customers the best price-performance ratio.
These variants of filter balls are optimized for the application purpose in terms of diameter, fiber thickness, fiber structure, fiber surface, and composition. Therefore, you should only use Original Ego3 filter balls for your hot tub. These are exactly the right size/fiber stiffness for the pressure conditions in hot tubs.
We guarantee that this is the cheapest and best solution for you. Just because fiber balls (like the blue Fibalon pool filter balls) are cheaper, that is not really an advantage, as their lifespan is significantly shorter due to the thinner fiber. These blue fiber balls are optimized for sand filter systems (with backwash) for swimming pools with 10 times less suction.
The best combination of price and lifespan is the Original Ego3 filter balls. Otherwise, we would use and sell other filter balls!
Their advantages are:
- hardly any flow resistance due to the open structure
- very high dirt absorption due to the open structure
- very easy to clean also because of the fiber structure
- filters every particle from 1 micron
Cotton Balls (mostly white)
A very inexpensive variant of round filter material. However, these "filter balls" are completely unsuitable for our application in hot tubs and swim Spas.
They are much too compact/dense in structure and too soft in firmness for our hot tub pressure conditions.
These balls clog the Ego3 filter system within a very short time and therefore have to be replaced again within days, which unfortunately eliminates the cost advantage.
There is also the risk that if these clump together, such high pressure builds up in the Ego3 container that the bottom or the entire container breaks. The pumps are immediately affected if these cotton balls compact, and in the worst case, your pump burns out or the container breaks and parts of it destroy the pump or clog pipes.
Their disadvantages are:
- expensive, even though they cost very little, because you need much more due to the short lifespan and difficult cleaning
- clumping: the filter balls are far too dense, causing clumping and flow problems in pools and hot tubs very quickly (they are also not backwashable in pools)
- hard to clean, as dirt is hardly removable from the dense filter ball structure
They are basically just copies of the shape or material without considering the necessary properties.
We have tested all variants of filter balls extensively and continuously test new filter balls products. So far, only the green filter balls with disinfectant effect are 100% suitable. All other variants are unfortunately not even close to suitable.
Unfortunately, manufacturers completely lack the know-how about what a filter ball for a hot tub must be able to do. Just being round or made of fiber is unfortunately not enough.
Therefore, use only Original Ego3 filter balls!
No other offered filter material is even remotely suitable for the intended use and other filter materials will cost you more work and money combined with the risk of damage to the Ego3 filter container or your hot tub.
Have fun with your hot tub with filter balls - your hot tub guru :-)
