Hydropool comes up a lot when buyers are comparing Canadian hot tubs, largely because of its "self-cleaning" marketing. That feature is the natural place to start a comparison — so let's be honest about what a self-cleaning filtration system actually does, what it doesn't replace, and how that stacks up against an HDPE unibody built around a non-porous shell and heavy filtration, with an optional Ecozone ozone upgrade on top.
What "self-cleaning" actually means
Hydropool's signature feature is its Self-Cleaning system — a filtration approach designed to circulate and filter the water more thoroughly than a conventional setup. Filtration is genuinely useful: it pulls suspended particles and debris out of the water. But it's worth understanding the limit of what filtration can do, because the name suggests more than any filter can deliver.
What better filtration does not replace:
- Water chemistry. You still test and balance the water and add sanitizer. Filtration removes particles; it doesn't manage chemistry.
- Periodic water changes. Dissolved solids build up over time in any tub, and no filter removes them — eventually the water gets replaced.
- The shell surface. Filtration cleans the water in the tub, not the surface of the tub. A porous surface can still harbour bacteria regardless of how often the water cycles.
A self-cleaning system filters water more thoroughly. It doesn't eliminate testing, sanitizer, or water changes, and it doesn't change what the shell is made of. The bigger lever on how much maintenance a tub really needs is the surface bacteria has to grow on — and that comes down to material, not filtration frequency.
Where the shell does the work
Most hot tubs, Hydropool included, use an acrylic shell with structural backing — the industry standard. An Eco Spa instead uses a single piece of HDPE, rotationally molded as one unibody. It's non-porous, so bacteria has nothing to grip — the tub stays cleaner because of what it's made of, not just because of how often it filters.
On top of that, every Eco Spa runs 100 feet of filtration across two large filters as standard — and no UV. The non-porous shell and that filtration keep the water clean with a very light chemical load, and an optional Ecozone ozone upgrade cuts the chemistry even further.
What the routine actually looks like
The promise of "self-cleaning" is less work. Here's the honest version of an Eco Spa routine, in our own numbers: about a tablespoon of chlorine every one to two weeks, roughly three minutes of upkeep a month, and a full water change about every 10 months to a year (on a change, you spray the sides with vinegar and water — no scrubbing). It's not zero chemicals, and we don't pretend it is — it's just genuinely little, driven by the non-porous shell and 100 ft of filtration rather than by a marketing label, with the optional Ecozone ozone upgrade trimming it further still.
Then there's the build and the cover
Whatever the filtration system, a hot tub still has to hold heat and last outdoors. About 70% of a tub's heat escapes through the top, so the cover matters most for running cost. Eco Spa's cover is rated R-40 and is compressed onto a perimeter seal with patented Power Clamps; the body is wrapped in R-30 insulation over a 2″ air-chambered bottom. Running cost lands around $10–$60 a month all-in across the lineup — we run our E6 on a power meter at about a dollar a day in winter, 60–70¢ in summer.
And the warranty reads like a contract worth keeping: lifetime on both the cover and the entire structure (“we're the only company that does that”), with 2-year parts and labour on the moving components (Gecko jets and pump).
Installation and power
An Eco Spa sits on any flat surface — a deck or crushed gravel — with no 5″ concrete pad required. Power is 110/220 convertible: up to 12 amps on a standard 110V outlet, or a 4kW heater on 220V. No need to choose up front, and you can switch later without changing parts.
How to compare them
| What to compare | Self-cleaning acrylic tub | Eco Spa |
|---|---|---|
| Headline feature | Self-Cleaning filtration | Non-porous HDPE + 100 ft filtration (optional Ecozone ozone) |
| Shell material | Acrylic over backing | HDPE unibody, one piece |
| Surface & bacteria | Cleans water, not the surface | Non-porous, nothing to grip |
| Water care | Test, balance, sanitize, change | ~Tbsp chlorine /1–2 wks; ~3 min/mo |
| Cover | Varies by maker | R-40, sealed with Power Clamps |
| Running cost | Depends on insulation & cover | ~$10–60/mo, power-meter measured |
| Warranty | Read the line-by-line terms | Lifetime cover + structure; 2-yr parts |
| Install & power | Check pad & voltage needs | Any flat surface; 110/220 convertible |