The new OASE Filtoclear and why we love it.

OASE has been making quality products for years and their new FiltoClear is no exception. In fact, we firmly believe this is the product to challenge the mighty Hozelock Bioforce Revolution. OASE have looked at all of the elements that make filters tricky and fixed every single one.

What’s an OASE?

OASE – said ‘Oh-Ah-Zuh’ – is a German company that has specialised in water equipment since the 1940s. They create indoor aquariums, pond equipment, and professional pumps and fountain setups. We’ve been working with OASE for many years and were the first to import their products to the UK. For more general information on OASE check out their website or you can have a look at a previous article where we discussed our Top 5 OASE Pond Products.

What is the OASE FiltoClear?

OASE FiltoClear is a pressure filter for your pond. It does what you would expect from a UV pressure filter. You pump your water from your pond into your filter, the filter and UV clean the water then it flows back into your pond. Pond filtration is a simple system that has been plagued with difficulties for years.

Up until now the main issues with pond filters have been UV efficacy and ease of maintenance. Hozelock’s Bioforce Revolution answered many of these problems by creating their rotary cleaning system. They installed a drum in the filter to house the foam blocks and a rotating cleaning rudder to knock off accumulated dirt using the arm on the top.

The image below is a Bioforce Revolution lid. The yellow arm is what rotates when you turn the handle on the top. This passes through the blue foam cubes suspended in the top drum of the filter and removes dirt which can then be diverted out of the waste outlet.

It took away lots of the hassle of filter maintenance and cleaning, and now many, many pond keepers have them. What’s more, Hozelock sold a kit that included a pump into the bargain, too! From the 6,000 capacity filter upwards there is the option to buy the kit including the corresponding AquaForce pond pump – a £200-odd pump by itself!

So, if the Bioforce Revolution is so good, how is the OASE better?

Filter sponge cleaning

Hozelock’s solution to squeezing out filter sponges by hand was simple and solved an issue everyone had. However, the action used to clean the sponges has still always been a little passive. If you imagine that rod passing between the sponge cubes there’s going to be a lot of dirt that is missed and stays on your foam. Hence the need for buying new sponge cubes fairly regularly. Spinning the handle faster and for longer makes the solution just as much of a pain in the neck as the original problem.

OASE have looked at this and created an even simpler solution. They’ve considered the mechanical motion that yields the best results and built a system to replicate it. The action of pulling up and pushing down best replicates the most effective action for removing dirt and grime from the sponges. It’s a more active movement that should give better results for longer. When the squeezing is done you just turn the outlet selector on top of the unit to flush out the dirty water.

Replacing UV Bulbs

You must replace the UV bulb in your filter once every 12 months for it to be effective. UV bulbs may still light up after 12 months but they ‘fall out’ of spectrum and the UV they create lessens over time. The practical upshot of this for you is green water – which nobody wants.

Switching UV bulbs is a hassle everyone could do without. It tends to be messy, you need to turn your filter off, you need to take it apart, and you have to be super careful not to damage your quartz sleeve. The quartz sleeve is the see-through tube your UV light sits in. They tend to be about 4 times the price of a new bulb by themselves! Along with cleaning sponges this is historically a horrible job.

So, how is the FiltoClear different?

So OASE have made it easy! One phillips screw releases the locking plate which in turn allows you to just lift out your UV bulb and bracket. The quartz sleeve is left inside (so no danger of an expensive *ding* on the floor) and the filter can be left on! You just take the old bulb out, pop the new one in and put the head back into the top of the filter unit. It takes less than 60 seconds with a bit of practise.

Another little touch included with the OASE FiltoClear is the addition of an automatic quartz sleeve cleaner. This keeps the UV shield clean and makes sure as much of the UV as possible is passing through your water. How many times have you replaced your UV bulb inside a dirty quartz sleeve and not given it a second thought? This feature appears on the FiltoClear 19,000 and upwards.

Getting inside the OASE FiltoClear

Nope, you won’t need any screwdrivers, no star keys, no crowbars, and no mucking about with plastic clips that snap off after being outside for 6 months. OASE have used a clamping ring to allow quick and easy access when necessary but watertight seals when closed. It’s as simple as grab, flick, hold, and lift.

The OASE FiltoClear Pumps

Here’s the kicker. Remember that £200 odd pump Hozelock include in their kits? How about a £400 odd pump in the equivalent size FiltoClear? OASE pond pumps are best in class. They’re what we use on all of our pond and coldwater systems in the store. Their build quality is superb, their performance is fantastic, their energy won’t break the bank (a crucial element these days!), and the OASE pumps carry a five year guarantee. FIVE YEARS. Bonkers.

The FiltoClear kits all feature the OASE Aquamax Eco Premium pumps in the corresponding size.

Alright, how much?

So, after all that how much do we expect you to fork out for OASE’s new all-singing, all-dancing filter and pump set? How much is a more efficient cleaning system, a much quicker and easier UV bulb swap (with the filter left on!), a self-cleaning quartz sleeve system, much easier access, and a pump worth twice what the closest competition provides? How much for a filter with a 3 year guarantee, and a pump with a 5 year guarantee?

Less than £100 more than the equivalent Hozelock Bioforce Revolution set. Yes, the 13,000 is a touch smaller than the 14,000 but with the improved hardware and useability it more than makes up for it.

We think OASE have produced a real kingslayer with this product and we can’t wait to see Hozelock’s answer.

*Disclaimer* Pricing is subject to producer increases. Pricing shown is correct as of 5th July 2022. We make every effort to ensure our Knowledge Base content is updated regularly to reflect current pricing but some price changes might slip through the net!

But don’t take our word for it!

David Domoney has put reviewed this unit (along with an OASE skimmer) in an in-depth YouTube video. It’s about 10 minutes long and you can watch it here.

So, come and see us to buy yours – or grab it online!