Paradise Industries

Paradise Industries skimmer pre-filters for hot tubs

Here you will find the Paradise Industries range as stocked at PoolParthub.com: disposable screen pre-filters that sit at the skimmer of a hot tub or spa and catch debris before it ever reaches the cartridge. It is a small, inexpensive part that does a disproportionate amount of work, because almost everything that shortens the life of a spa cartridge — hair, lint, pollen, grass clippings, insects and sun cream residue — arrives through the skimmer throat.

What a skimmer pre-filter actually does

In a hot tub the pump draws water across the surface, through the skimmer weir and basket, and on to the filter cartridge. The cartridge is designed to trap fine particles, but it is also the component that costs the most to replace and takes the longest to clean. A fine screen fitted at the skimmer stage intercepts the bulk of the floating material first, so the pleats stay cleaner for longer and water flow through the system stays more consistent between cleans.

The practical benefits are easy to notice in daily use:

• Fewer cartridge cleans — surface debris is caught before it works its way into the pleats.
• Better flow — a cartridge that loads up slowly keeps pump and heater flow more stable.
• Cleaner water line — hair and lint are removed at the surface rather than circulating.
• Longer cartridge life — less frequent deep cleaning means less wear on the pleat fabric.
• Simple replacement — a loaded screen is lifted out and swapped rather than hosed down.

The Ultra Screen pre-filter, PPS-10050

The Ultra Screen Pre-Filter for Hot Tub Skimmer Baskets is supplied as a five pack under part number PPS-10050. It is used with the skimmer basket, where the screen forms a fine barrier across the path the water takes before it leaves the skimmer. Because the pack contains five, there is a spare ready each time one is removed, which is the point: these are consumables, not a part you clean and refit indefinitely.

When ordering, quote the reference PPS-10050 rather than a description alone. Hot tub accessories are often listed under similar generic names across different suppliers, and the part number is the quickest way to be certain you are looking at the same item you fitted last time.

Checking fit before you order

Spa skimmers vary considerably between manufacturers and even between models in the same series, so it is worth a short check at the tub before buying rather than after. A few minutes with the cover off will tell you most of what you need to know:

• Measure the skimmer opening — note the internal width and depth of the throat and of the basket itself.
• Look at the basket shape — round, square and tapered baskets all sit differently in the housing.
• Check the weir door — make sure a floating weir still swings freely once a screen is in place.
• Note the flow path — the screen should cover the route the water takes, not sit to one side of it.
• Watch the pump — if the pump sounds strained or the water level in the skimmer drops, the screen needs changing.

Replacing and maintaining the screen

Treat a pre-filter screen the way you would treat a vacuum bag. Inspect it whenever you check the chemistry, and change it as soon as it looks loaded, discoloured or slack. A screen left in place too long restricts flow instead of protecting the system, which is the opposite of what it is there for. Tubs used outdoors under trees, tubs used by several people a day, and tubs used after swimming or exercise will all get through screens faster than a lightly used indoor spa.

Fitting a pre-filter does not remove the need to clean the cartridge. It simply stretches the interval between cleans and keeps the heavier material out of the pleats. Carry on rinsing the cartridge on your normal schedule and soaking it periodically to deal with oils and scale.

Paradise Industries at PoolParthub.com

Here we list the Paradise Industries item we keep for hot tub owners: the Ultra Screen skimmer pre-filter, PPS-10050, in a five pack. It is a straightforward consumable that suits almost any spa where the skimmer basket is accessible, and buying several at once means the next change is already to hand.

We stock it because it is one of the cheapest ways to protect a far more expensive part. If you are also replacing the cartridge, the basket or the weir door, those are listed elsewhere on the site under the relevant spa and filtration sections, so the whole skimmer assembly can be refreshed in one go.