Why shouldn’t you use chlorine tablets to sanitize your hot tub water?
There are generally two types of chlorine to use in a hot tub. Granular chlorine, and chlorine tablets.
While chlorine tablets may be more convenient to add because you can put them in a floater, there are some major disadvantages to using chlorine tablets. It is very easy to over-chlorinate your hot tub when using tablets which can damage the spa shell, jets, and internal components. Tablets contain Cyanuric Acid, AKA stabilizer, which is not needed in a hot tub and can prevent the chlorine from working properly. Chlorine tablets also have a very low pH, which will cause your hot tub water to be more acidic and likely to cause costly damage quickly if left unchecked.
Granular chlorine is the more common way to sanitize your spa water. Using chlorine granules, you should be testing your spa water regularly for the recommended free chlorine residual (3-5ppm) and add chlorine as needed. This is a pretty straightforward way to chlorinate the water and keep it safe for use while protecting the spa equipment. The amount of times you will need to add chlorine to your spa varies, depending on the size of your spa, the number of bathers and usage, and the water temperature. The hotter the water and the more it’s used, the more chlorine it will need. If the chlorine is low, add some 15 minutes before you get in to keep the water sanitized. It’s a simple method, but may not be the most convenient. If you are using chlorine tabs for convenience, there are a couple of different options that will be safer for your hot tub.
Brominating Tablets
- Organic brominating compound (BCDMH) in compressed 1-inch tablets
- Dissolve slowly and protect continuously
- Ideal for heavy bather loads and commercial spas
- Apply in a brominator or in a SpaGuard floating dispenser
- Easy conversion from chlorine to bromine
Frog @ease Floating System
- Up to 75%* less chlorine with no frustrating yo-yo chlorine levels
- Shock only once a month
- Self-regulates for continuous crystal clear water
- Easy on hot tub surfaces with less odors
- Single color match for easy reading – exclusively with FROG @ease Test Strips
- No constant monitoring
- No mixing chemicals
- No Cyanuric Acid
We offer free water testing all year. Bring us a sample of your spa water for a free analysis and ask us about how to make your spa maintenance easy and stress-free.
