Hi I'm Dana, here at CK Spas - Spa Boutique, I'm the maintenance and chemistry specialist. I hope my article will help many of you take care of your hot tubs by reducing maintenance and increasing the enjoyment of your hot tub.
Why is it important to properly maintain your spa water?
To begin with, you submerge your body in it. If your water is not properly balanced and sanitizer levels are not adequate, you are exposing your body to many risks, with skin irritations and infections being the most common. In addition to your health and well-being, you are also risking your spa. You risk damaging equipment and having to hire a technician to repair your spa, which can not only become costly, but you also risk losing much-needed relaxation time in your spa. Protect yourself and your investment by properly maintaining your spa.
Proper spa water care
Make sure your sanitizer levels are where they should be, between 3 and 5 ppm. You can check your sanitizer levels by using test strips, such as 4-in-1 test strips by Dazzle, or by visiting us in store for a free water test. Why do we need to maintain a certain ppm level of our sanitizer? Because that's the amount Health Canada suggests to keep spa water free of bacteria and germs.
In addition to sanitizer levels, it's important to balance your alkalinity, pH, and calcium levels weekly.
What is Alkalinity?
•The total number of alkaline minerals in the water.
•The measurement of the ability of water to resist a change in pH
• the appropriate level is between 125-150 ppm
Why is it important?
• Allows easier pH maintenance
•Helps protect surfaces from corrosion, staining and scale formation.
•Helps provide clearer water
Why does total alkalinity change?
Aeration will reduce total alkalinity, adding water can reduce or increase total alkalinity, and adding products can change your total alkalinity
• Bromine lowers TA
•PH- lowers TA
• PH+ increases TA
➡️Problems associated with TA when low = ph changes uncontrollably, corroded surfaces, possible stains.
➡️Problems associated with TA when it is too high = high acid demand, high pH, scale forms more easily and water not clear.
What is pH?
•Potential hydrogen
•The measurement of the acidity or basicity of a solution.
• The relationship between hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions.
☆ ph 7 is considered neutral, ph below 7 is acidic, ph above 7 is basic or alkaline
Why is it important?
•Comfort for the bather
•Efficacy of the disinfectant
•Protection of surfaces against scale, stains and corrosion.
•Clear water
• Fewer problems and cloudiness with water
⭐ it is important to maintain the ph between 7.4 and 7.6
Why does the pH change?
•Adding fresh water
•Frequent product additions
•Load of bathers and waste of bathers
•Aeration
➡️Problems associated with pH when it is low (acidic) =
•Uncomfortable, irritating
•Corrodes surfaces
•Disinfectant dissipates quickly
➡️Problems associated with pH when it is too high (alkaline) =
•Uncomfortable
• Scale will form more easily
•Sanitizers will be weaker
•Cloudy water
What is Calcium Hardness?
•The measurement of dissolved calcium present in the water.
•Total hardness is the measure of calcium and magnesium.
Why is it important?
•In spa water, a balanced calcium hardness:
•Helps protect surfaces against corrosion and stains.
•Helps protect surfaces against scale formation.
•Helps obtain clearer water.
• Fewer problems and cloudiness with water
⭐ it is important to maintain the calcium hardness between 100 and 200 ppm
Why does calcium hardness change?
• Make-up water increases or decreases calcium hardness.
• Otherwise, once the Calcium Hardness is balanced, it should not fluctuate much.
• Generally, product additions have no effect on calcium hardness.
➡️Associated problems when calcium hardness is low - water is soft:
• increased corrosivity
• the possibility of staining
➡️Problems associated with when calcium hardness is high - water forms scale:
• Scale forms more easily on the heater element and jets.
• Hard water spots form.
• The water becomes cloudy.
Proper spa filter maintenance.
In addition to regular maintenance and weekly balancing, it is important to clean your spa filter regularly. Your filter is an important factor in maintaining clean, clear spa water.
Here are my recommendations.
(Based on average spa usage of 2-3 bathers, 3-4 times per week in an average 2000 liter spa.)
•Rinse your filters once a week, when applying your weekly maintenance products.
•Soak and clean your filter in a filter cleaning solution such as Mineraluxe Filter Revive, once every 3-4 weeks. Be sure to soak overnight, using warm water and rinse well when finished.
•Filters should be replaced every 1-2 years depending on brand (quality) of filters, spa usage and suggested cleaning frequency.
Your filters should never look like the following, they are due for trash.
In conclusion, the maintenance of your spa is very important for your health and that of your family, as well as for the longevity of your spa. Protect your investment and properly maintain your spa, in return saving you headaches and money for the life of your spa.
- Dana Hyde