Unicel C-8325 | 125 sq ft Sundance Spa Filter

By Unicel
SKU: C-8325
$109.99

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Check out the Filter Guide to see if this filter fits your hot tub model.

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Description

The Unicel C-8325 is a large-capacity spa filter cartridge delivering 125 square feet of filtration across 201 pleats of Reemay® 2033 polyester media. Built to meet or exceed OEM specifications, it's the Universal Length cartridge for Sundance® Spas, replacing Sundance part 6540-490.

Filtration is the quiet backbone of clean spa water. Every soak leaves behind body oils, lotions, hair, and fine debris, and the cartridge is what removes all of it before it clouds the water, feeds bacteria, or coats your plumbing. When a filter is worn or clogged, the effects spread everywhere: dull water, higher chemical use, softer jets, and a pump and heater straining against restricted flow.

The clever part of this cartridge is the top. Rather than a single fixed height, the C-8325 uses a closed top with a three-step edge — and those steps are what earn it the "Universal Length" name, letting one cartridge serve housings with an overall length from 18 to 18-1/2 inches. Below that sits a 2-1/2 inch open beveled bottom that seats into the housing for a positive seal. Add Reemay's trilobal fibers, chemical-resistant end caps, and a solid core, and you get a cartridge built to perform through cleaning after cleaning. Made in the USA.

Pro Tip: Sundance uses two similar 125 sq ft cartridges — the top tells them apart. Both share an 8-7/16 inch diameter and a 2-1/2 inch open beveled bottom, but this C-8325 has a closed top with a stepped edge (the "Universal Length" style, replacing 6540-490), while the C-8326 has a 1-1/2 inch male slip fitting on top (the Microclean Plus style, replacing 6540-488). Look at the top of your current filter before ordering — that one detail decides which you need.

Brand

UNICEL®

Key Features
  • 125 sq ft of filtration — large-capacity, full OEM-spec filtration area
  • 201 pleats — extensive filtering surface across an 18-inch cartridge
  • Universal Length design — the stepped top fits housings from 18 to 18-1/2 inches
  • Replaces the discontinued C-8320 — the current Unicel cartridge for this application
  • Chemical-resistant end caps — durable plastic with an exact OEM fit
  • Made in the USA — built to meet or exceed OEM standards
How It Works

Water is drawn through the cartridge's pleated media as your spa circulates. Pleating creates the capacity: folding the fabric into 201 pleats packs a full 125 square feet of filtering surface into a cartridge 8-7/16 inches across. All that surface means water passes through more slowly and thoroughly, capturing finer particles, and it means the filter holds a great deal of debris before flow starts to drop off.

The stepped top is what makes this a Universal Length cartridge. Because the closed end cap is formed with three stepped levels, the same filter can seat correctly in housings that differ slightly in depth — covering an overall length range of roughly 18 to 18-1/2 inches rather than a single exact measurement. Note that the 18 inch length in the specifications is measured to the first step, not to the very top.

The media does the rest. Reemay fibers are trilobal — three-lobed in cross-section rather than round — which delivers roughly 45% more surface area than standard rounded filter fibers, giving more places for dirt to be captured and a smooth surface that releases it readily when rinsed.

Pro Tip: A clean filter protects your equipment, not just your water. As the pleats load up with body oils, your pump has to work harder against the restriction, and reduced flow across the heater can trigger flow-related errors. Regular rinsing and periodic deep cleaning is the cheapest protection there is for the expensive parts of your spa.

Directions for Use

Installation

  1. Turn off power to the spa at the breaker before servicing the filter compartment.
  2. Open the filter lid and clear any debris from the compartment.
  3. Remove the old cartridge, noting its orientation.
  4. Lower the new cartridge in with the open beveled end facing down, seating it firmly so the bottom engages the housing connection and the stepped top sits square.
  5. If your spa uses more than one cartridge, replace them at the same time so they wear evenly and flow stays balanced.
  6. Close the lid, restore power, and run the circulation to confirm normal flow.

Routine Cleaning

  1. Every two to four weeks: remove the cartridge and rinse gently with a garden hose, working between the pleats from top to bottom. A soft brush cleaning tool helps.
  2. Periodically: soak or treat the cartridge with a dedicated filter cleaner to dissolve the body oils and buildup a rinse can't remove, then rinse it off.
  3. Let it dry fully before returning it to service whenever possible.

When to Replace

  • The cycle between cleanings gets noticeably shorter
  • Low water flow or high differential pressure
  • The media has a tear
  • The center core collapses

Cartridge life depends on routine maintenance and your spa's water chemistry.

Pro Tip: Give a cartridge this size room to dry. At 18 inches tall with 125 square feet of media, it holds a lot of water and takes considerably longer to dry than a small filter — and returning a damp cartridge to service traps moisture in the pleats. Stand it upright somewhere it can drain fully, and if you soak it in a filter cleaner, plan the job for a day the spa can sit idle or keep a spare cartridge ready to swap in.

Specifications
  • Brand: Unicel (Meissner Mfg. Co., Inc.)
  • Part Number: C-8325
  • Series: Unicel 8000 Series
  • Product Type: Replacement spa filter cartridge
  • Filtration Area: 125 sq ft
  • Pleat Count: 201
  • Media: Reemay 2033 spunbonded trilobal polyester, 3 oz basis weight
  • Outer Diameter: 8-7/16 in
  • Length: 18 in, measured to the first step
  • Fits Housings: 18 in to 18-1/2 in overall length
  • Top End Cap: Closed with three-step edge
  • Bottom End Cap: Open with beveled edge, 2-1/2 in inner diameter
  • End Caps: Durable plastic, chemical-resistant, exact OEM fit
  • Fits: Sundance Spas — Universal Length applications
  • Replaces OEM: Sundance Spas 6540-490
  • Also Replaces: Unicel C-8320 (discontinued)
  • Cross-References: Pleatco PSD125U, Filbur FC-2790
  • Not the Same As: Unicel C-8326 — also 125 sq ft, but 19 in with a 1-1/2 in male slip top
  • Cleaning: Rinse gently with a garden hose every two to four weeks; deep clean periodically with filter cleaner. Do not pressure wash.
  • Origin: Made in the USA
  • Shipping: Standard ground; not classified as a hazardous material

  • Outer Diameter: 8-7/16"
  • Length: 18-1/8"
  • Top End Cap: castle
  • Bottom End Cap: 2-1/2" / open w/ beveled edge
  • Pleat Count: 200
  • Media: 3 oz.
  • Filtration Square Footage: 120 sq. ft
Compatibility

The C-8325 is built for Sundance® Spas systems using the Universal Length cartridge. It serves as a direct replacement for:

  • Sundance Spas: 6540-490 (also written 6540490)
  • Unicel C-8320 — discontinued; the C-8325 is its replacement

It's also cross-referenced as Pleatco PSD125U and Filbur FC-2790.

Before ordering, confirm the top style — this cartridge has a closed top with a stepped edge, not a slip fitting or a handle — along with the 8-7/16 inch diameter and an overall housing length between 18 and 18-1/2 inches. Also confirm how many cartridges your spa takes. The surest method is to pull your current cartridge and read the part number printed on it. For upkeep, pair it with a dedicated filter cleaner for periodic deep cleaning.

  • Sundance Spas
  • Note: The C-8320 been discontinued by Unicel. Use C-8325.
    Note: Length recorded is measured to first step. Replacement for 18" to 18-1/2" overall length.

Most products purchased from our online shop within the last 30 days are eligible for return. Please review our return policy to see the list of items that cannot be returned.

Some major items that are non-returnable:

  • Gift cards
  • Electronics
  • Pumps / Motors
  • Hot Tubs
  • Closeouts
  • Fireplaces
  • Electric Fireplaces
  • Massage Chairs
  • See return policy below for full list of non-returnables.

UNICEL® Brand FAQs

Who makes Unicel filters?

Unicel filters are made byMeissner Mfg. Co., Inc., a family business that began as a small contract sewing operation in thelate 1950sand moved into pool filtration through the 1970s. By the end of that decade the company was producing cartridge filters for the industry'soriginal equipment manufacturers, and in1985it introduced the Unicel brand as aftermarket replacements. It's still owned and operated by the Meissner family today.

Are Unicel filters as good as the original manufacturer's filter?

Unicel builds its cartridges tomeet or exceed original equipment specifications— and that's a meaningful distinction here, because the company produced cartridges for the industry's OEMs before it ever launched its own brand. Unicel cartridges usedurable, chemical-resistant end capswith an exact fit,high-capacity media,uniform pleatsfor optimal flow, and asolid corethat resists collapsing under pressure.

Where are Unicel filters made?

Unicel filters are manufactured inCalifornia, with components sourcedexclusively in the United States. The line comprisesnearly 500 products, covering replacement cartridges, D.E. grids, filter discs, and related parts.

How do I find the right Unicel filter for my spa?

Unicel cartridges areinterchangeable with all major filter brands, and each one cross-references to a list of original equipment part numbers. The most reliable method is topull your current cartridge and read the part number printed on it, then match it to the Unicel cross-reference. If the number has worn off,measure your old cartridge— diameter, length, and the size and style of the openings at each end — and match those instead. Also confirmhow many cartridgesyour spa uses.

How long does a Unicel filter last?

Cartridge life depends on how heavily the spa is used, yourwater chemistry, and how consistently you clean the filter. Many Unicel cartridges useReemay® polyester media, whosetrilobal fibersprovide considerably more surface area than standard rounded fibers — which increases dirt-holding capacity and extends the time between cleanings. With regular rinsing and periodic deep cleaning, a well-maintained cartridge commonly serves a year or more.

When should I replace my filter instead of cleaning it?

Replace the cartridge when thecycle between cleanings becomes noticeably shorter, when you seelow water flowor high differential pressure, when the media has atear, or if thecenter core collapses. Pleats that stay permanently flattened or discolored after a proper cleaning are another sign the cartridge has reached the end of its service life.

About UNICEL®

Unicel is the nation's leading manufacturer of replacement filter cartridges for pools and spas — and the story behind it is a genuinely American one. In the late 1950s, Richard T. Meissner started a small part-time contract sewing operation. Through the 1970s, Meissner Mfg. Co., Inc. moved into swimming pool filter bags, then D.E. grid element covering, and by the end of that decade the company was producing cartridge filters for the industry's original equipment manufacturers.

That's the detail that matters most: Unicel was building the filters that went into new spas long before it sold a replacement. In 1985, the company introduced the UNICEL brand so dealers and technicians could source elements built to O.E.M. specifications from a single place — even for equipment brands they didn't carry. Today the line spans nearly 500 products, all manufactured in California with components sourced exclusively in the USA.

By staying focused on one thing — filtration — Unicel has built deep expertise in a critical corner of the industry, from media development to cartridge design. Every cartridge is built with chemical-resistant end caps for an exact fit, high-capacity filter mediauniform pleats for optimal flow, and a solid core that holds its shape under pressure. Meissner Mfg. Co., Inc. remains owned and operated by the Meissner family, still recognized for quality and service. American-made products, world-class service.