Maintaining a hot tub isn’t just about making sure that the parts, such as the hot tub filters or the hot tub cleaners, are working properly. You also have to check the chemicals in the hot tub and ensure that they are intact. Even if you prevent components from entering your tub with your hot tub cover, chemical reactions do tend to happen, and you need cleaning agents to help you balance out the changes in the water.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be very knowledgeable in chemistry to maintain your tub. All you need to know are: (1) what chemicals are supposed to be used and (2) how to use them. Here are a few things that you should know about using spa chemicals.
Why Use Hot Tub Chemicals
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Hot tub chemicals are necessary to make sure your hot tub water is well-balanced and safe to use. Here are a few benefits that you may want to take note of:
- Hot tub chemicals can sanitize the pool.
- Hot tub chemicals can clean up dirt in the water.
- Hot tub chemicals can make the water safe for you to use it.
Common Chemicals Used
Even if you have one of the best hot tubs in the market, it won’t work well if you don’t know how to maintain it properly. To start, you need to have a few chemicals ready. In general, there are five types of chemicals that you should use for your hot tub. Let’s go through them one by one:
1. Classifiers:
The first type is the classifiers. These chemicals would help clear water that is murky. Clarifiers act as balancers to negatively charged water particles by using their positively charged particles to cancel out the effects of the negative charges.
2. Balancers:
Balancers would refer to chemicals that balance the alkalinity and the pH level of the spa water. Typically, the ideal pH level must be at 7.4-7.6 pH while the alkalinity must be maintained at 80-120 ppm. Balancers either increase or decrease the pH and alkalinity levels so that they reach the ideal range.
3. Cleaners:
Spa cleaners are generally used for cleaning the water. A spa filter cleaner prevents the biofilm from building up in the pipes. This would also prevent clogging and blockage in the pipeline.
4. Sanitizers:
Sanitizers are the chemicals that are used for killing unwanted components such as bacteria, molds, viruses, fungus, and other things that you wouldn’t want in your water. Good sanitizers include bromine and chlorine in either capsule form or granular form.
5. Spa Shocks:
Spa shocks are also good sanitizers but are a bit different as compared to the usual sanitizers. Unlike sanitizers, spa shocks dissolve much faster. The great thing about spa shocks is that they can be used with sanitizers. This is why you must use a spa shock on your hot tub regularly.
The Importance of pH and Alkalinity
After knowing the different chemicals to be used in your hot tub, it’s very important that you familiarize yourself with two very crucial aspects of hot tub maintenance, namely the pH measurement and the alkalinity level.
First would be the pH level of the hot tub. The pH level of the water refers to how acidic or basic the chemicals in the water are. The base measurement of the pH level is 7.0. If the pH level is below 7.0, then the water is acidic. However, if the pH level is above 7.0, then it is basic. As stated above, you need to make your water’s pH level 7.4-7.6, which means that it has to be slightly basic.
The other aspect to take note of is the alkalinity of the water. Alkalinity refers to the amount of carbonates and bicarbonates in the water. The amount of carbonates and bicarbonates is a buffer to help balance the pH level. The reason as to why the pH level is so important is because a low pH level can make the water corrosive and a high pH level produces cloudy water. On the other hand, if the alkalinity is low, the pH level can change quickly. On the other hand, if the alkalinity is high, it will be hard to adjust the pH level.
Tips on How to Balance pH Level
- If your water has a low pH and a neutral alkalinity level, then one way on how to raise pH in hot tub is to add a pH increaser that won’t affect the alkalinity.
- If your water has a low pH and high alkalinity, add a pH decreaser so that your alkalinity level goes down. After that, use a pH increaser that won’t affect the alkalinity levels.
- If your water has a low pH and low alkalinity, you first add a pH increaser in order to raise both the alkalinity and the pH level.
- If your water has a high pH level and total alkalinity, you have to learn how to lower ph in hot tub. In order to do this, add a pH decreaser in the water so that both pH and alkalinity levels go down.
- If your water has a neutral pH level and high alkalinity, add a pH decreaser to lower the alkalinity level, and then use a pH increaser that won’t affect the alkalinity level.
- If your water’s pH level is neutral with a low alkalinity level, use an alkalinity increaser that won’t affect the pH level.
- If your water has a high pH level and neutral alkalinity, add a pH decreaser and add an alkalinity increaser if the alkalinity level drops.
- If your water has a high pH level and a low alkalinity, then you add a pH decreaser and an alkalinity increaser.
Conclusion
While hot tubs have many benefits to its users, it is the job of the user to maintain the water quality to ensure safety while taking a dip in the water. Using the proper cleaning agents can help ensure that your tub’s water is always clean and safe for you to soak yourself in. Take note of the things mentioned above and have the best hot tub spa experience!
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