When we at the Hot Tub Pros teach about hot tub chemical maintenance, we divide it up into two different sections to help better understand what we need to accomplish to keep the water safe and sanitary for use as well as to protect the equipment systems and plumbing from damage and corrosion. Testing is recommended three time per week with heavy use, minimum once per week
The first section is the sanitary section and, in our opinion, the most important of the two, shock and chlorine are necessary to sanitize the hot tub water to protect against infection. Shock is the most important product to start with, shock will breakdown the organic material that is leftover after bathing. Organic material such as oils, dirt, lotions, deodorant, hair products and sweat are just some of the left-over materials and that material will need to be filtered out and broken down allowing the chlorine to be free to work on destroying bacteria. Showering before use always helps and is recommended. There's a common misconception that chlorine cleans hot tub water but the truth is chlorine is very inefficient at breaking down excess organic materials in hot tubs but it does a great job of killing bacteria.
Shocking more often and more frequent water changes may be necessary depending on level of use. This is a general outline and may need to be adjusted for hot tub size and level of use, see your chemical bottle for dosages. Keeping up a proper shock regiment is key to proper hot tub maintenance. When shocking the water always make sure to leave the cover open for 30 minutes, shock is very corrosive for a short period of time, if you do not allow 30 minutes it may damage the underside of the hot tub cover. Do not enter the water for 30 minutes after shocking.
Shock Regiment
Shock once per week regardless of use or not and add a smaller dose after each use. We recommend shocking weekly on Monday, a large cleanup dose after the weekend helps breakdown organic material and total dissolved solids. For example after an increase in the level of use on weekends
1) Add roughly 4oz Shock weekly regardless of use (dosage may vary)
a. Run all jets for 20-30 minutes (gives shock time to work) keep cover open
2) Shock after each use 1-2oz keep cover open 30 minutes
Chlorine Regiment
Now that a shock regiment has been established, we can proceed to test the water for chlorine. Using a chlorine test strip to determine whether chlorine is needed or not. The chlorine level should be kept at 3-5ppm to prevent bacterial growth and infection. If chlorine drops below 3ppm bacteria can present and put bathers at risk of infection
1) Add 1-2tbsp Chlorine
a. Run all jets for 20-30 minutes (gives chlorine time to dilute)
b. Repeat until chlorine level reaches 3-5ppm
Second to the sanitary section is Ph and alkalinity. Balancing Ph and alkalinity is important to protect the equipment systems in the hot tub. Typically, Ph and alkalinity will test low, causing the water to be acidic and corrosive potentially damaging the heater, pumps and gaskets causing costly leaks and repairs. High Ph and alkalinity are not as damaging as low Ph but still not good (think the white scale build up in the shower) Proper sanitation protects you, proper Ph and alkalinity balance protects your hot tub. This is a general outline and may need to be adjusted for hot tub size and level of use
Ph & Alkalinity
Ph should be kept at 7.6 - Alkalinity should be kept at 100ppm
1) Test Ph and alkalinity with Aquacheck 4-in-1 chlorine test strip
a. If Ph and alkalinity are low add 1tbsp of Ph Increaser
b. Run all jets for 20-30 minutes (gives Ph increaser time to dilute) and retest
If still low repeat until Ph reaches 7.6
If Ph and alkalinity are high
1) Add 1tsp of Ph decreaser
b. Run all jets for 20-30 minutes (gives Ph increaser time to dilute)
If Ph and alkalinity are still high repeat until Ph reaches 7.6
Filter Cleaning and Replacement
1) Once per month remove filter cartridge and soak with filter cartridge cleaner for 15-30 minutes, rinse thoroughly to remove oils, debris and left-over filter cleaner
refer to your owner's manual or a professional for instructions on filter cartridge removal. Replace filter cartridge every 2 years or if the filter pleats start to degrade
Change water every 4-6 months
After a period of time on average usually somewhere between 4-6 months (can vary due to gallon size and level of use) small hot tubs will need more frequent water changes, frequent use and high bather load will also require more frequent water changes as well. Consult your manual or a professional for proper drain and cleaning instructions
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