How to maintain your spa water?
This article is here to help you become an expert in spa maintenance! When you first set up your spa, or after draining and refilling it, you'll need to take a few small steps to get your water ready for use. If you are installing your spa for the first time, our team can guide you through the process. They will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have when it comes to filling the spa. In this guide you will also find all the information you need to maintain your spa water.
Once your spa is filled, the next step in the preparation process is to add chemicals to your spa for the first time.
If left untreated, spa water can become unsanitary; bacteria and other micro-organisms can accumulate. Minerals can also build up and eventually damage the internal systems or cause scale or unwanted residue to form on the wall of your spa.
Spa water maintenance is not complicated, but you must have a good understanding of your system and the maintenance programs needed to keep the water clean and enjoyable. Understanding your water chemistry before it fills your spa is as important as the water care option you choose. The water should be free of metals (iron, copper and manganese) and have a low calcium hardness. Our team can advise you on how to test the tap water before you start your first fill.
TYPES OF SPA WATER MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS
All spas use technology and additives to keep the water fresh and clean. Without a system to remove contaminants and destroy microorganisms, spa water would become much less enjoyable and potentially harmful. To prevent this, various water treatment systems have been designed and proven effective over the years of spa use. Combined with scheduled water testing, maintenance, draining and refilling, innovative water treatment systems can keep spa water crystal clear and comfortable for daily use.
Spa water treatment systems work in different ways to achieve proper disinfection. Some of the most popular spa water treatment systems are salt water chlorine generators, ozone generators, automatic chlorine sanitation and manual chlorine addition.
AUTOMATIC CHLORINE SANITATION
Spas with automatic systems automatically distribute chlorine and important minerals into the spa water. This maintains a constant residual amount of chlorine, which prevents bacterial growth and removes contaminants. The minerals inhibit bacterial growth and soften the feel of the water.
These systems eliminate the need to continually test and adjust multiple chemical levels in the spa water.
OZONE GENERATORS
Spas equipped with ozone systems, such as Softub's patented ozone water oxidation system, you can be assured that you get sparkling clean water and use fewer chemicals. The Ozone system is an additional accessory that is integrated into the engine block at the factory and connected with an imperceptible hose, it is a standard feature of a Softub.
It is a passive system that runs and cycles itself internally, requiring no effort or maintenance by the user. These systems require less chlorine overall than spas that do not use ozone; this reduction in chlorine can also reduce odour and irritation.
MANUAL ADDITION OF CHLORINE
Without an automatic water maintenance system, the owner must regularly add chlorine manually to ensure that the spa water is ready for use. This requires frequent checking of the amount of chlorine in the water, as well as the pH and calcium levels of the water. This can be done with test strips and there are now new connected systems to make this process easier. As chlorine dissipates quickly in the water and needs to be replaced, this type of system requires a little extra chlorine to maintain a constant residual amount for sanitation.
TEST AND BALANCE YOUR SPA WATER
Now that your spa is warm and ready, the next step is to test the water regularly to ensure that it remains clean and balanced. The amount and type of testing you need to do will be determined by the type of spa water treatment system you have installed.
Remember that the order in which you add your chemicals is important. First you need to adjust your pH level. The aim is to find the pH level between 7.2 and 7.6 so you can use PH- or PH+, the chlorine level should be between 3 and 5 ppm (parts per million) to adjust it you can use Euro choc. It is important that you balance the pH first before moving on to the next step of adding a sanitizer; if the pH is not balanced it can make the sanitizer ineffective; remember that when you add chemicals you are always spraying them onto the surface of the water when your spa jets are on.
When you test your water, if the levels of each chemical are within the acceptable ranges on your test strips, you don't have to do anything to prepare for a relaxing bath. However, if a test strip comes back outside the acceptable range, you will need to take a few minutes to rectify the imbalance.
CLEAN UP AND BALANCE
Balancing your spa's chemical levels is relatively easy and doesn't take long. Depending on the results of your test strip, you will need to adjust either your chlorine levels or your pH/alkalinity levels.
WHIRLPOOL FILTRATION
The final part of spa water maintenance that you should keep in mind is the maintenance of your filtration system. While disinfectants and treatment products reduce bacterial growth and destroy small amounts of contamination, large foreign objects, such as pine needles, pollen or leaves, must be filtered out.
In conclusion, spa water treatment is an essential aspect of the use and enjoyment of your spa. With the right spa treatment process, your water treatment ritual will require minimal attention and effort. And once the water treatment is complete, you are free to enter your spa and relax at any time.
If you own one of our Softub models, our team can offer you even more in-depth advice on the water maintenance features of your spa. They can help you determine a schedule for weekly, monthly or yearly tasks, and help you plan the simplest approach to water maintenance. It is important that you understand the ins and outs of your spa so that your water is clean and ready to use at all times.