Welcome to Hot Tub Maintenance 101, brought to us by SpaGuard.
-This post is going to cover how to chemically maintain your new hot tub, but there is more to maintenance than the chemicals. Watch the video above for an overview of the 6 keys to spa care.
If you are a first-time hot tub owner, follow these steps for stress-free maintenance.
For Chlorine Spas/Hot Tubs
A proper maintenance schedule for spas depends largely on how often the spa is being used and by how many people. Follow the basic guidelines below for caring for your chlorinated spa.
Sanitize:
It is important to maintain a free chlorine residual of 3 – 5 ppm at all times. When first starting a spa with Chlorinating Concentrate, test the free chlorine residual frequently to determine how often you will need to apply the product. Add 2 tsp. of SpaGuard Chlorinating Concentrate per 200 gallons at a time with the pump running. Circulate 2 hours, then retest the free chlorine residual. Adjust as needed.
Oxidize:
Spas contain a small amount of water relative to pools. Each person who enters the spa has far fewer gallons of water to share than the same number of people in a pool. And each person who enters the spa introduces cosmetics, perspiration, and other undesirable compounds into the water. Because of this, shocking should be frequent.
A shock treatment should be applied following each spa use. If the spa is not being used for a long period of time, shock weekly. Chlorinating Concentrate, Spa Shock, or Enhanced Shock can be used for maintenance oxidizing. Many spas are equipped with ozonators, which help eliminate some insoluble compounds, but periodic shocking is still necessary.
Add any of these shock products from SpaGuard directly to the spa with the pump running. Brush up any undissolved product.
- Spa Shock: Add 2 Tbs. per 300 gallons.
- Enhanced Shock: Add 3 tablespoons per 500 gallons.
- Chlorinating Concentrate: Add 1 tsp. per 100 gallons.
After shocking, do not use the spa until the chlorine residual drops to 5 ppm or lower.
Balance:
Spa water must be balanced to prevent equipment corrosion and surface damage. To balance the spa, perform a complete water analysis or bring in a sample for a free analysis and follow recommendations. Maintain pH between 7.4 – 7.6 at all times. Add balancing products with the aeration off. For help controlling pH, use Spa Sentry, a pH buffer.
Clean:
Rinse the cartridge filter off periodically, and chemically clean the cartridge when the spa is drained and cleaned. The following formula is a good rule of thumb for estimating when to drain the spa.
Spa volume / 3 / average daily bather load = number of days between drains
Use System Flush to clean out the plumbing before draining your spa
When cleaning the sides of the spa after draining, use Off the Wall®.
For Bromine Spas/Hot Tubs
Sanitize:
It is important to maintain adequate total bromine residuals. This varies depending on the product you are using.
Brominating Tablets
- Residential Spas using Brominating Tablets should maintain 2 – 4 ppm total bromine residual.
- Commercial Spas using Brominating Tablets should maintain 4 – 6 ppm total bromine residual.
- When starting with a fresh fill, fill up the feeder or floater with Brominating Tablets according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Shock the spa using Brominating Concentrate or Chlorinating Concentrate according to label instructions to eliminate undesirable compounds and establish a sanitizer residual. Adjust the feed or flow rate for the Brominating Tablets and test frequently for the first week. Shock as needed until the proper bromine residual can be established and maintained for several days.
Brominating Concentrate
- Spas using Brominating Concentrate should maintain 3 – 6 ppm total bromine residual.
- When starting with a fresh fill, add 2 tsp. per 400 gallons with the pump running. Test frequently the first week and add Brominating Concentrate as needed to establish and maintain 3 – 6 ppm total bromine residual.
Oxidize:
Add any of these SpaGuard shock products directly to the spa with the pump running. Brush up any undissolved product.
- Brominating Concentrate: Add 4 tsp. per 200 gallons.
- Spa Shock: Add 2 Tbs. per 300 gallons.
- SpaGuard Enhanced Shock: Add 3 tablespoons per 500 gallons.
- Chlorinating Concentrate: Add 1 tsp. per 100 gallons.
After shocking, do not use the spa until the bromine residual has dropped to 8 ppm or lower.
Balance:
Spa water must be balanced to prevent equipment corrosion and surface damage. To balance the spa, perform a complete water analysis and follow ALEX recommendations. Maintain pH between 7.4 – 7.6 at all times. Add balancing products with the aeration off. For help controlling pH, use Spa Sentry, a pH buffer.
Clean:
Rinse the cartridge filter off periodically, and chemically clean the cartridge when the spa is drained and cleaned. The following formula is a good rule of thumb for estimating when to drain the spa.
Spa volume / 3 / average daily bather load = number of days between drains
Use System Flush to clean out the plumbing before draining your spa
When cleaning the sides of the spa after draining, use a cleaner that has been specifically designed for spa use, such as Off the Wall®.
