Comprehensive Guide to Spa Chemicals

• Three fundamental areas of water maintenance are:
  1. Water Filtration
  2. Chemical balance/pH Control
  3. Water sanitization
• Five Factors affect water balance
  1. Total Alkalinity
  2. Calcium Hardness
  3. pH
  4. Total dissolved solids
  5. Temperature

HOW TO ADD CHEMICALS TO THE WATER.

• Once your spa water reaches 80 degrees, you can start adding chemicals. Warm water allows the chemicals to dissolve properly.
• Add your chemicals with the cover off and the jets running. Dispense chemicals near the filter. Let the jets run for about half hour or a minimum of 10 mins.
• Always add small amounts of chemicals at a time, then retest. Its tought to remove excess chemicals from your water, but easy to add a lil more.
• Add only one chemical at a time to the water. Never mix chemical or chemical solutions together.

Testing the Spa Water Accurate water testing and analysis are important part of effectively maintaining your spa water. You must have the ability to test for Total Alkalinity, pH, and Sanitizer.
Test strips are easy to use and formulated to measure the level of bromine, chlorine, biguanide or mineral content of your hot tub water along with your pH levels and sanitizer levels. Remember to keep your test strips away from any kind of heat or moisture.
Check first your spa water to get a base reading, then add neccessary chemicals.

Balancing / Adding your chemicals

1. Balancing the Total Alkalinity
• The recommended Total Alkalinity for your spa water is 125-150 ppm.
• Total Alkalinity is a measure of the total levels of carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides, and other alkaline substances in the water. Total Alkalinity is referred to as the water’s “pH buffer”. In other words, it’s a measure of the ability of the water to resist changes in pH level. Proper maintenance of the total alkalinity of your spa will pay great dividends. You will use less chlorine and will suffer fewer algae problems.
• If the Total Alkalinity is too low, the pH level will fluctuate widely from high to low. If the Total Alkalinity level falls below the recommend amount the water can become corrosive causing damage to the hot tub equipment. If your alkalinity levels are testing below 80 ppm add 1oz. of Alkalinity Increaser to spa water, allow to circulate for 30 minutes before retesting your water.
• If your Total Alkalinity levels are too high the pH level will tend to be high and may be difficult to bring down. Your water can become poor in clarity and scale will form. It can be lowered by adding Spa Down (sodium bisulfate).
• Once your Total Alkalinity is balanced, it normally remains stable, but should be checked every time fresh water is added. Once it is within the recommended range, proceed to the next step
2. Balancing the Calcium Hardness
• The ideal Calcium level is 150-400ppm.
• Calcium Hardness is the measure of the total amount of dissolved calcium, or calcium salts. It is important to achieve the correct level of calcium in your water, the levels of which will vary depending on where you live and where your water supply comes from.
• Low levels of Calcium Hardness occur in soft water areas (most domestic supplies are soft) and can lead to corrosion and potential damage to equipment.
• High levels of Calcium Hardness occur in areas of hard water (well water) causing cloudy water and can often lead to the formation of scale in pipe work and equipment.
• Calcium Hardness is increased by adding calcium chloride to the water.
• Calcium helps control the corrosive nature of the spa’s water. If the calcium level is too low we recommend using Calcium Booster to bring the calcium hardness levels within the recommended range. 1 ounce of Calcium Boost raises your water only 7ppm in a 500 gallon tub. You want your CH to at least be 150ppm. By simply adding one bottle of Calcium Boost, to a 500 gallon tub, on fill up you will take the hassle out of having to test and retest your calcium levels.
• If the calcium level is too high you can adjust the pH and alkalinity to their lower ranges to help avoid cloudy water and scale.
• Once the CH is balanced, it normally remains stable, although the addition of more water with a high or low calcium content will raise or lower the CH reading of the water.
3. Balancing the pH
• You want your spa pH to be between 7.2 and 7.6. With 7.4 being idea spa pH. Not concidentally, this is the same as the pH of the human eye!
• High pH(Above 7.6) makes sanitizers less effective, surfaces and equipment can scale, water may cloud, and shorter filter runs may occur. Correct this with Spa Down(sodium bisulfate).
• Low pH(Below 7.2) cuases sanitizers to dissipate more rapidly, increases corrosion of surfaces and equipment, and may make water irritating to spa users.
• To get your spa water in its desired range add the recommended dosage of either Spa Up, or Spa Down. Allow your water to filter for 30 minutes before retesting.
• Its important to check the pH on a regular basis. The pH will be affected by the bather load, the addition of new water, the addition of various chemicals and the type of sanitizer used.
4. Adding your Sanitizer
      One of the most important tools in keeping your hot tub clean is using the proper amount of sanitizer. Sanitizer in a spa disinfects the water and kills bacteria and microbes that want to live in the water. All Halogens (Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine) go bad in a short period of time. The average life span of chlorine staying effective(60% or better strength left) is 9 months. If your buying from a place like the big box stores there's a good chance that stuff came from China and is already 4 months old. Important: Before adding any sanitizing agent to your hot tub, you must first test the current levels by using a test strip.

Chlorine vs. Bromine

Chlorine

• Chlorine residual should be 3-5 ppm.
• With the pump on, add ½ teaspoon per 100 gallons of water as an initial treatment. Repeat at 15 minute intervals until a residual of 3 - 5 ppm of available chlorine is established by your test kit. Test your water regularly to maintain this level
Advantages
• More neutral pH. sodium di-chlor has a pH of 7.0
• Less expensive than bromine
• Can be used with Nature2
• Chlorine has been used the longest in the spa industry It comes in granular form and ideally should be dissolved in water before adding to your spa
Disadvantages
• Less convienent needs to be added manually serveral times a week.
• Confusion of varietiesNumerous types are available, only sodium di-chlor should be used in spas(Chlorine granules). Chlorine tablets are to only be used in poolsThis type of chlorine is too strong to be used in warm spa water and doing so will eat away at your jets, interior plumbing, and void your warranty. Use of an incorrect product such as tri-chlor, which has a very low pH (2.6), dissolves too quickly in hot water resulting in extremely high levels of chlorine, and is designed for concrete or plaster swimming pools, it WILL cause damage to your spa.
• Chlorine added to water with small amounts of metals in it will turn your water brown. (Adding Metal Gon on fill up will eliminate this problem.)

Bromine

• The ideal Bromine level is 2ppm.
• Before initially using Brominating Tablets in your spa you will need to add ½ oz. of sodium bromide for each 100 gallons of water. Repeat this every time you drain and refill your spa. Introduce 3 tablets per 300 gallons of spa water with the use of a brominator. Adjust feeder to obtain an active bromine residual of at least 2 ppm. Maintain spa by adding 3 tablets per 300 gallons every 5-7 days or as needed to maintain an active bromine residual of 2 ppm at all times.
Advantages
• Convenient to use...put tablets into floater and refill every 10 to 14 days.
• Does not have "chlorine smell"
• Bromine contains some chlorine and has become one of the more popular chemical sanitizers in recent years.
Disadvantages
• Has low pH(aprox. 3.5 - 4.5)...pH levels need to be adjusted frequently to prevent equipment damage
• More expensive than chlorine
• Can not be used with Nature2Bromine and biguanides will chemically react with the sanitizing action of the silver ions. This will eliminate their beneficial sanitizing effect.
• Require the use of 'sodium bromide' when water is changed to establish a bromine reserve.

Adding your Shock

• The key to keeping nice clear water in your spa is to "shock" or oxidize the water regularly.
• You shock your water by adding ‘SeaKlear Non-Chlorine Shock’ to break down any left over dead organic goodies killed by your sanitizer -- the shocker also breaks down soaps and shampoos and other materials, allowing the filter to get rid of them permanently. Even sanitizing your water is not enough -- that kills these organic creatures, but doesn't break them down enough to eliminate them -- that is what the oxidizer shock does.
• You should shock your water weekly at a minimum, or after each use of the tub if you use it more than 2-3 times per week.
• With the circulation jets on, disperse Shock at 2 oz. per 500 gallons into spa water. After each application, run your pump and filter system continuously for at least 2 hours and leave your cover half open for an hour after application to allow the oxidizer gas to vent

IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES

Twice a Week(or before use):
• Test sanitizer levels and dose according to instructions.
• Test Hot tub pH Levels to see if they fall between 7.2 and 7.6(If not within these parameters use Spa Up or Down according to instructions.)
• if water is foaming use Foam Down
Twice a Week(or After use):
• Shock water with SeaKlear Shock
Weekly
• Check water level, Fill the spa up to at least one-half the depth of the filter opening
Monthly
• Clean Filter using Hot Tub Filter Cleaner and swap with spare. (you should always have a spare filter as filters have to be allowed to dry first so that the fibers can bind together after cleaning).
Periodically:
• Clean your hot tub cover(once every 2 months)
• Replace your filter cartridge(6months - 1 year)
• Change water(every 2 months for heavy usage, every 5 months for light usage)