Spa/Hot tub chemical & water care guide
A little time pays dividends: By properly using your spa / hot tub chemicals will ensure that your hot tub provides the perfect way to unwind at the end of a hard day, a place to relax and spend some precious quality time with a partner, friends or family. A haven where everyday stresses & strains can be left behind and aches & pains washed away.
Know your equipment: You don’t have to be a spa expert or qualified repairman, but it does help to re-read the instruction manual you got with your hot tub and familiarise yourself with the basic components of your system. Never run your spa without water, or very low water levels.
Maintenance guide: By reading the sections below, this guide is designed to provide basic information on the water treatment so that your hot tub is always ready for use. If you have any further queries then please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to help you out.
Our recommended maintenance routine
Daily: Check sanitiser level & dose as required
Check pH level & dose as required
Clean water line with Waterline Cleaning Paste
Weekly: Oxidise spa with Non Chlorine Shock
Add Spa Sparkle to help obtain beautifully sparkling water
Add No Foam to control foaming
If in area of high calcium hardness add No Scale to prevent scale deposits
Monthly: Clean filter cartridge using Cartridge Cleaner
Take water sample to check water balance
Periodically: Due to the build up of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) the spa will need completely draining & refilling. There are no hard and fast rules as to when this should be done but the following formulation seems to work well in practise.
Spa litres divided by daily bathers divided by 12 = days between draining & refilling
Example : 1200 litres divided by 2 divided by 12 = 50 days.
Water balance
By balancing the water you are creating the right conditions for bather comfort, chemical efficiency and equipment protection. A number of factors are involved in balancing the water but the main areas are : Calcium Hardness, Total Alkalinity & pH
Calcium Hardness
This will vary depending on where you live and where your water supply comes from and it is very important that the correct level is established. As a guide soft water tends to be low in Calcium Hardness and hard water more obviously is high. The level should be checked each time you top-up or refill the spa with fresh water.
The ideal Calcium Hardness level for spas is between 100 – 200mg/l.
When it is below this level the water could be corrosive which could lead to damage of plant equipment such as the heater. If this is the case apply Hardness Plus to achieve the correct level.
When it is above this level the water has a tendency to appear cloudy and also calcium can precipitate out and deposit itself on the spa shell finish, heater element, cartridge element & within pipework. If this is the case apply No Scale to achieve the correct level.
Total Alkalinity
This will again vary depending upon your water source so must be checked each time fresh water is added. It acts as a buffer to prevent pH change and if the level is too low the pH will fluctuate widely, if too high pH adjustment will be difficult to effect.
The ideal Total Alkalinity for spas is between 125 – 150mg/l.
When it is below this level not only will pH fluctuate but the water could be corrosive, cause damage to equipment and be uncomfortable to bathers. Use pH Plus to raise levels.
When it is above this level not only is pH difficult to adjust but also the water could be scale forming and clarity impaired. Use pH Minus to reduce levels.
pH Levels
Regular pH checks are an essential part of your spa maintenance routine using Test Strips.
The pH scale has a range of 0 – 14 with 0 being very acidic, 7 being neutral & 14 being very alkali. For spas the ideal range is between 7.4 – 7.6, this being slightly alkaline to protect the spa and prevent equipment corrosion. This also provides the most comfortable conditions for bathers and good sanitiser efficiency.
If the level is below 7.4 use pH Plus to raise the level.
If the level is above 7.6 use pH Minus to reduce the level.
Speciality products
Other products that also help keep your spa clean, clear and enhance your bathing pleasure.
Control of Foam
The rapid circulation & aeration of spa water can cause unsightly foam to appear on the waters surface especially when oils and lotions are within the water.
No Foam used regularly will prevent and control excess foaming.
If excessive foaming is a continuous problem drain the spa and refill with fresh water.
Ensuring Water Clarity
Discolouration or cloudiness of the water is often caused by minute particles suspended in the spa water which are too small doe the filtration system to remove.
Soaps, cosmetics, body oils and greases can all cause dull, cloudy water.
Encourage spa users to shower before getting into the spa to minimise these problems.
Spa Sparkle used once a week will assist in the removal of suspended matter via the filtration system thus restoring and maintaining the water clarity.
Cleaning your Spa
At water line level, grease and debris can accumulate creating an unattractive ‘tide mark’ and providing an ideal breeding ground for bacteria & algae.
These can be easily removed and prevented by using Waterline Cleaning Paste daily or when the spa is in regular use.
Waterline Cleaning Paste should also be used to clean all spa surfaces every time the spa is emptied prior to refilling.
Cleaning the Filter Cartridge
When the filter cartridge is dirty the circulation in the spa may be reduced and water cleanliness will be affected.
To avoid interference in the optimum working of the filter, the cartridge should be cleaned at monthly intervals, or more regularly after heavy usage.
Cartridge Cleaner makes cleaning the filter cartridge easy and readily restores the filtration system to full efficiency.
Fragrances
Normal bath fragrances will only create a foam on the water surface so use specific spa fragrances that are hot tub water compatible.
Choose between Spring Rain, Herbal, Alpine Forest & Musk
Adds a touch of luxury and enhanced aesthetic benefit
Oxidising and sanitising
Keeping your spa water clean is important
Sanitising
The sanitising of your spa water is necessary to kill bacteria and help in the prevention of algae growth. The level should be checked regularly using Test Strips and can be in the form of Chlorine or Bromine.
Bromine
This is an effective hot water sanitiser and ideally suited to spas.
It is effective over a wide pH range and has little odour.
Comes in tablet form making it easy to apply and avoids having to dose everyday.
The ideal Bromine level is between 3 – 6mg/l.
Chlorine
This is available in granule form which are rapid dissolving and therefore a good sanitiser.
It has little effect on the pH levels.
The ideal Chlorine level is between 3 – 5mg/l.
Oxidising
It is necessary to oxidise your spa weekly using Non Chlor Shock.
It destroys odours and wastes such as perspiration, cosmetics and body oils.
Restores sparkle.
Increases bather comfort.
Ozone Generator Water Purification System
Our Eco range of spas is delivered Ozone Ready. The Ozone Generator can be fitted as an extra. This state of the art purification system makes spa water sparkling clean and clear as Prozone purifies spa water, making it sparkle and reduces the need for chemicals whilst aiding the normal operation of the pool and hot tub chemicals.
Ozone, the most powerful oxidiser in nature, is the natural water purifier of the century. Prozone is the simplest, most effective ozone system on the market today. This system greatly reduces the need for sanitiser and water balance chemicals, saving maintenance, time and money and prolonging equipment life.
It produces crystal clear water that smells fresh, feels softer and is more refreshing although a separate sanitiser must be used in addition to the prozone unit.
Ozone is generated when a molecule of oxygen is illuminated by high energy ultraviolet light. Ozone is formed when three atoms of oxygen are bound together instead of the normal two, the extra oxygen atom makes ozone a highly energetic oxidiser.
Oxidation ~ ozone destroys algae, viruses and bacteria on contact, with no harmful by-products. Ozone oxidses combined chlorine and bromine, freeing them to be continuously reused, therefore the use and cost of chemicals is reduced.
Precipitation ~ it breaks down harmful chemicals and acts as a flocculent, causing total dissolved solids to be precipitated and easily removed by the water filtration process.
Sanitisation ~ ozone is the most powerful non-selective sanitiser which produces no harmful by-products.
Spa and chemical safety tips
Never allow the water temperature to exceed 40°C
Do not drink alcoholic beverages before or during the use of the spa
Before children use the spa ensure the water temperature does not exceed 30°C
Do not allow children to use the spa without supervision
If you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, any cardiovascular condition or on medication consult your doctor before using the spa
Keep all spa chemical containers sealed and out of reach of children
Read and follow all label directions
NEVER mix products
Accurately measure products
Always add products into water, never the reverse
Store products in a cool, dry place
Never store products in direct sunlight
Always handle products with great care.
