Hello fellow forum members. My family has just purchased our first hot tub and have had it up and running for almost a week now. I come here with a request to seek your comments and feedback on what I understand to be a valid comprehension of matters concerning new spa ownership maintenance and water chemistry regiments. I welcome any insight you wish to share and look forward to your responses.
So on to it…
While this isn’t completely foreign to me its been many years since I’ve done any sort of pool and/or spa maintenance. That being, when I was a young’n living with the parents, I was following their established maintenance regiments (Chlorine and later Baquacil). Fast forward, our new hot tub came with a starter pack of chemicals, basic balancing chemicals made by Spagard and the Frog @Ease system that uses the chlorine option in lieu of the Bromine version.
While the starting chemicals are working, it is not my first choice (especially given its cost) but given it was included, we’ll use’m for the interim. Despite my current readings being in line there is a chlorine odor that bothers the three of us, not to the point of deterring our use but certainly not to our liking. Included with the bundle were test strips but I’m finding I really dislike them, I find it very difficult to determine an accurate color match with any real level of confidence. As such, I have order a more traditional liquid drop/Titration tester, the Taylor K2006 FAS-DPD kit. I did have my initial water tested off the tap as well as a new test yesterday, post treatment at the dealer with his analysis machine, the numbers are quite different than what I observed from the strips and have more faith in his numbers. I attribute the difference being, me not being able to determine which color was closest.
My current readings are as follows:
Temp 98d
Total Alk 120ppm
PH 7.6
Calc Hardness 150ppm
Free Chlorine 3.5
Having been out of the loop a few decades of latest trends vs tried and true methods, I elected to research current information with an open mind. That said, I wanted to be mindful of the shall we say snake oil water treatment methods. Several paths lead me to threads on these forums which have been of great help, hence my joining
. Researching systems to use for sanitizing and oxidizing, I found a handful of what seems to be a consensus on legit methods – Chlorine(incl Salt), Bromine, Mineral and Enzymes. The Enzymes method seemed to be more proactive as opposed to reactive which didn’t seem to make as much sense to me given things out of our control can happen… The Chlorine systems I know work, I’ve had experience with them and while yes the harshness can be greatly mitigated I’m still not a fan, which led me to exploring more. Bromine, I’ve read its better in hot tub applications because it holds up better to the heat than Chlorine which is why the later is more well suited for a pool than a spa but to what extent I don’t know, and personally I don’t recall that being a large enough factor to be an issue but perhaps that means greater frequency due to dissipation / shrug. At any rate, I was reading that it’s now being outlawed as of this coming November in Canada due to the possible carcinogens created from possible off gassing, which If I read correctly was large in part due to situations where things went off target, mainly poor maintenance. Now while I’m not required to adhere to Canada rules I still take that as good enough indicator to give me pause. I also understand Bromine is a little more expensive albeit only slightly as compared to that of Chlorine paired with the fact that it too can have a peculiar smell, despite being one of the tried and true methods left me wanting to continue seaking information on other options. Next I did some research on salt systems despite my system not being compatible I still wanted to know about it, boy did I ever have some misconceptions about it. In short, I understand that the salt is merely a medium to act as a vehicle to deliver chlorine into a system amongst some other nuance including corrosional concerns, that ended my knowledge seeking on it. Lastly I went down the path of the natural mineral systems. While being marketed as an all natural method in treating water appealed to me I’ll be the firs to admit I was a bit skeptical about this being some of that snake oil I mentioned earlier. However, it seems like there is enough collective data and acceptance of this as a system to make it appear as a viable legit avenue. Perhaps that's my naivety from the information highway. But at the same time I wanted to keep an open mind because let’s face it, big retail has an agenda to push product and slander other systems that take market share away, Its just hard to tell who’s telling the truth from the blind leading the blind, so I continued on… The fist thing I quickly grasped was that while this was great at sanitizing it lacked a similar means of shocking the system when oxidizing was required, more on that later. The two primary flavors I found are dominantly silver based and conversely copper based ingredients as the primary medium. Initially I was very interested in the copper versions which seemed to have a good means of testing but also had concerns such as excessive exposure turning hair green. That lead me back to the silver basis which seemed to hit all the check boxes seems with exception to having some challenges with testing. Ultimately this is the option I elected to go with, specifically the Nature2 stick given concerns of disingenuineness product / knockoff products in the market. As for oxidation of the system I understand a non-chlorine system such as the cense product that is recommend to go hand in hand with it is not effective as a sanitizer but keeping in mind that's not its role it does seem on paper to work well in tandem as intended as an oxidizer complimenting the natural minerals doing the sanitization. I was not a fan however of the inherent aromatherapy scents offered with there line and opted to go with a fragrant free Monopersulfate, specifically the oxy-spa product. Given this I have added to my testing kit Taylors K-2041 for the Deox Reagent required for Monopersulfate Interference testing. I suppose if I’m disappointed its not a huge risk except for the initial costs because its simple enough to swap things around compatibility wise. I’ll have to report back on how it goes after some time.
So with all that said, the maintenance regiment I intend on implementing is as follows: (unless of course convincing advice otherwise )
So wow that turned out to be much more long winded than I anticipated – sorry about that…
TLDR;
Just starting out and feel like I have a good handle on things but wouldn’t mind some feedback reassuring my understandings are copacetic.
So on to it…
While this isn’t completely foreign to me its been many years since I’ve done any sort of pool and/or spa maintenance. That being, when I was a young’n living with the parents, I was following their established maintenance regiments (Chlorine and later Baquacil). Fast forward, our new hot tub came with a starter pack of chemicals, basic balancing chemicals made by Spagard and the Frog @Ease system that uses the chlorine option in lieu of the Bromine version.
While the starting chemicals are working, it is not my first choice (especially given its cost) but given it was included, we’ll use’m for the interim. Despite my current readings being in line there is a chlorine odor that bothers the three of us, not to the point of deterring our use but certainly not to our liking. Included with the bundle were test strips but I’m finding I really dislike them, I find it very difficult to determine an accurate color match with any real level of confidence. As such, I have order a more traditional liquid drop/Titration tester, the Taylor K2006 FAS-DPD kit. I did have my initial water tested off the tap as well as a new test yesterday, post treatment at the dealer with his analysis machine, the numbers are quite different than what I observed from the strips and have more faith in his numbers. I attribute the difference being, me not being able to determine which color was closest.
My current readings are as follows:
Temp 98d
Total Alk 120ppm
PH 7.6
Calc Hardness 150ppm
Free Chlorine 3.5
Having been out of the loop a few decades of latest trends vs tried and true methods, I elected to research current information with an open mind. That said, I wanted to be mindful of the shall we say snake oil water treatment methods. Several paths lead me to threads on these forums which have been of great help, hence my joining
. Researching systems to use for sanitizing and oxidizing, I found a handful of what seems to be a consensus on legit methods – Chlorine(incl Salt), Bromine, Mineral and Enzymes. The Enzymes method seemed to be more proactive as opposed to reactive which didn’t seem to make as much sense to me given things out of our control can happen… The Chlorine systems I know work, I’ve had experience with them and while yes the harshness can be greatly mitigated I’m still not a fan, which led me to exploring more. Bromine, I’ve read its better in hot tub applications because it holds up better to the heat than Chlorine which is why the later is more well suited for a pool than a spa but to what extent I don’t know, and personally I don’t recall that being a large enough factor to be an issue but perhaps that means greater frequency due to dissipation / shrug. At any rate, I was reading that it’s now being outlawed as of this coming November in Canada due to the possible carcinogens created from possible off gassing, which If I read correctly was large in part due to situations where things went off target, mainly poor maintenance. Now while I’m not required to adhere to Canada rules I still take that as good enough indicator to give me pause. I also understand Bromine is a little more expensive albeit only slightly as compared to that of Chlorine paired with the fact that it too can have a peculiar smell, despite being one of the tried and true methods left me wanting to continue seaking information on other options. Next I did some research on salt systems despite my system not being compatible I still wanted to know about it, boy did I ever have some misconceptions about it. In short, I understand that the salt is merely a medium to act as a vehicle to deliver chlorine into a system amongst some other nuance including corrosional concerns, that ended my knowledge seeking on it. Lastly I went down the path of the natural mineral systems. While being marketed as an all natural method in treating water appealed to me I’ll be the firs to admit I was a bit skeptical about this being some of that snake oil I mentioned earlier. However, it seems like there is enough collective data and acceptance of this as a system to make it appear as a viable legit avenue. Perhaps that's my naivety from the information highway. But at the same time I wanted to keep an open mind because let’s face it, big retail has an agenda to push product and slander other systems that take market share away, Its just hard to tell who’s telling the truth from the blind leading the blind, so I continued on… The fist thing I quickly grasped was that while this was great at sanitizing it lacked a similar means of shocking the system when oxidizing was required, more on that later. The two primary flavors I found are dominantly silver based and conversely copper based ingredients as the primary medium. Initially I was very interested in the copper versions which seemed to have a good means of testing but also had concerns such as excessive exposure turning hair green. That lead me back to the silver basis which seemed to hit all the check boxes seems with exception to having some challenges with testing. Ultimately this is the option I elected to go with, specifically the Nature2 stick given concerns of disingenuineness product / knockoff products in the market. As for oxidation of the system I understand a non-chlorine system such as the cense product that is recommend to go hand in hand with it is not effective as a sanitizer but keeping in mind that's not its role it does seem on paper to work well in tandem as intended as an oxidizer complimenting the natural minerals doing the sanitization. I was not a fan however of the inherent aromatherapy scents offered with there line and opted to go with a fragrant free Monopersulfate, specifically the oxy-spa product. Given this I have added to my testing kit Taylors K-2041 for the Deox Reagent required for Monopersulfate Interference testing. I suppose if I’m disappointed its not a huge risk except for the initial costs because its simple enough to swap things around compatibility wise. I’ll have to report back on how it goes after some time.So with all that said, the maintenance regiment I intend on implementing is as follows: (unless of course convincing advice otherwise
)- Spa Body cleaning, as required with sponge or microfiber cloth and white vinegar/water 50/50 solution. Dish soap maybe used (at exterior only) but only while being careful not to round the edge and allowing any to enter the tub area which would contaminate the system.
- Spa Cover, wipe down with wet sponge as needed and apply protectant ‘303’. Caution taken to never use armor-oil or similar product that drys out cover. (could use some guidance here on frequency of application, I’ve read monthly to 6-12mos, the later sounding more appropriate)
- Spa Drain and Fill, to be performed every 3-6mos.
- Prior to drain run ‘Oh Yuk’ to clean any biofilm buildup in plumbing system.
- Use clean filter on refill.
- Use new Nature2 stick on water change even if recently replaced, minerals enter water and are not limited to being just in the stick once used. Meaning if not replaced with water, it is highly likely there would not be enough minerals to sanitize effectively.
- See below for initial fill chemicals.
- Spa Filter cleaning,
- Power off Tub while filter is removed.
- Weekly - rinse gently in the pleats at sink with hose sprayer to mitigate buildup.
- BiMonthly – swap filter with clean dry spare. Dirty filter to be sprayed similar to weekly routine followed with a treatment of ‘Power Soak’ per directions and allowed air dry and store for next reuse.
- Anticipated life of filter is 1year, possibly as much as 2. Ability to retain balance is an indicator that the filtration media is saturated with chemicals that wont release and is ready for disposal, aside from obvious wear or other issues.
- Water Chemistry (225g)
- Testing Kit Taylor K2006 with K2041 MPS Deox Reagent D-0867
- Initialization / system refills (In order)
- Bring Temp up to minimum of 96degrees and have pumps on circulate
- Add 2oz of Spa Stain & Scale Control (dealer recommended value, says I have .5 but don’t know unit of measure etc, could use some suggested testing guidance here for mineral purification). Only needed on initial water fills.
- Add 1oz Water Clarifier
- Add 3oz. Spa Alk Increaser wait an hour, Add 3 oz more wait another hour, and 3 oz more wait 15min. (tap is 40ppm)
- Add 2oz Spa PH Decreaser wait 15min.(tap is 7.9)
- Add 2oz Spa Calc Hardness Increaser, wait 2hrs, Add 2oz more and wait 2hrs, Add 2oz more and wait 15min.
- Add .5 oz of Shock wait 30min.
- Add .25oz AntiFoam
- Full water test to verify System Balance.
- Test Weekly & Adjust / Treat as require
- Will use MPS procedures per instructions on kit (I don’t know yet values to look for and expect that to be outlined in the Nature2 instructions)
- Alternate testing required if treatment method changes in the future.
- Check water level in tub for leaks/evap/splash loss, maintain above jets always but approx. 6” below rim. Add top off if required prior to test / adjust.
- Test TA, aim for 100-200ppm, 125 being ideal – Adjust up/down as necessary. Wait 15m in after chemical added with Jets on and move to next step.
- Test PH, aim for 7.4-7.6 – Adjust up/down as necessary. Wait 15m in after chemical added with Jets on and move to next step.
- Test Chlorine as req’d for MPS
- (I believe I recall seeing .5ppm but will verify with literature on receipt of product coming in the mail)
- Add Oxidizer if required, otherwise await monthly routine shock
- Test CH, aim for 150-250ppm – Adjust up/down as necessary. Wait 15m in after chemical added with Jets on and move to next step. (This number is based on Frog numbers but other notes I found state 200-400ppm, will need to compare documentation with the Nature2 system as to how this compares and reevaluate, would mind some input here on recommended levels and why)
- **see note below regarding my unclarity on Acid testing.
- Will use MPS procedures per instructions on kit (I don’t know yet values to look for and expect that to be outlined in the Nature2 instructions)
- Perform Routine Monthly Shock - Use Monopersulfate Non-Chlorine Oxidizer ‘Oxy Spa’ per label dosing.
- May require more frequent shock if system levels are out of balance and struggling to maintain proper levels.
- Troubleshooting system becomes unbalanceable or issues with water quality likely requires filter clean or replacement and/or biofilm plumbing clean with full water swap.
- If new fill, Nature2 stick replacement required given minerals are in water not just in stick itself. Meaning if not replaced with water, it is highly likely there would not be enough minerals to sanitize effectively.
- Chemical Substitutions and Dosing once SpaGard and Frog @Ease products are depleted.
- Alk increaser, use Sodium Bicarbonate, AKA pure Baking soda like Arm & Hammer
- Dosing .5oz for 10ppm increase at 220g via Broadcast over surface
- Alk decreaser, use Muratic Acid (this will lower PH in the process)
- Dosing, adjust alk by PH decrease first then raise both back normally
- Pump circulation significantly impacts effectiveness, the oxygen entered minimizes its change, so if significant lowering desired turn off pumps otherwise leave on.
- PH Up, use Sodium Borate, AKA Borax by 20 Mule Team (detergent cleaner)
- Dosing .25oz per .1PH for 220g via broadcast
- PH Down, use Muratic Acid
- Dosing .25oz per .1PH for 220g via pouring into tub.
- Alk increaser, use Sodium Bicarbonate, AKA pure Baking soda like Arm & Hammer
- Float an Oil Scum Absorber in tub while not in use, such as ‘Zorbo’ or similar product.
- Run Filtration Cycles at during sleeping off-peak hours to reduce energy consumption costs.
- Keep lid on during non use or chemical treatment times to reduce energy consumption costs.
- Don’t shutdown Hot Tub unless going to be away for 3 or more weeks to offset costs (energy, water and chemicals)
So wow that turned out to be much more long winded than I anticipated – sorry about that…
TLDR;
Just starting out and feel like I have a good handle on things but wouldn’t mind some feedback reassuring my understandings are copacetic.
