Spa sanitation question

[amin36]

Guys

A client of mine has an outdoor spa and asked me about the proper sanitation of it so I have a couple of questions regarding spa sanitation.

I know that if we use chlorine for spa sanitation we are going to have more amount of disinfection by products due to high bather loads compared to swimming pools.so chlorine alone will not be a good choice
So I am thinking of using an ozone system for sanitation. I think it should be a good option for spa due to its short complete turn over time
but the problem is that it is an outdoor spa so algae is going to be an issue therefore I plan to add liquid chlorine one time throughout the day when the pump is running to stop algae formation.
So my questions are:

1-Is an ozone system alone a good option for spa sanitation?
2-If I am using liquid chlorine to stop algae formation does ozone eliminates DBPs formed after adding chlorine?
3-He is using well water to fill the spa and it is a hard water as I tested.is there a way to reduce the hardness of water before in enters the spa? I am thinking of a water softener

P.s: if there is better way for spa sanitation I'd be grateful if you share it with me

Thanks

 

[tim5055]

1-Is an ozone system alone a good option for spa sanitation?
Ozone is not a sanitation system. There are only three EPA-approved disinfection alternatives:

• Chlorine
• Bromine
• Baquacil/biguanide/PHMB.

In the industry, be careful "selling" something as a sanitation system that is not actually one.

2-If I am using liquid chlorine to stop algae formation does ozone eliminates DBPs formed after adding chlorine?

The chlorine is there to kill pathogens (viruses, bacteria and stuff like that). That it also kills algae is a side benefit. I personally use the Dichlor/Bleach Method for my spa, but a bromine floater may be easier if they are not doing their own maintenance.

Chlorine Kill Time

Does anybody know of a source where I can calculate chlorine kill time given a certain Cyanuric Acid level.. I'm not looking for spot on information just a rough guide. For example it is widely accepted that to have a good sanitization level then the free chlorine should be roughly 7% of the...

www.troublefreepool.com

Welcome to TFP!

The method is described in the sticky How do I use Chlorine in my Spa. Note, however, that unless you are using the spa regularly every day or two, then the method may be more work than you are willing to do compared to bromine tabs in a floating feeder. The reason is that you need to maintain a chlorine level in between soaks.

Also, the method requires some work after a fresh fill to get the water in balance, but after that it should last at least twice as long between water changes compared to Dichlor-only or bromine. It will certainly be the least expensive method because bleach is not expensive.

The method starts out using Dichlor until the Cyanuric Acid (CYA) builds up to around 30-40 ppm (after cumulatively adding around 33-44 ppm FC over time). You then switch to using bleach (except once a month one day of Dichlor use). In order to prevent the pH from rising from carbon dioxide outgassing, the Total Alkalinity (TA) is lowered to around 50 ppm and 50 ppm borates are added (usually from boric acid) for additional pH buffering. After that it's just adding bleach after each soak in proportion to the bather load and adding more chlorine in between soaks if one isn't soaking regularly.

So it's not a trivial method, especially at first, but it results in the best water quality.

Before you do your next refill to start the method, I strongly suggest you use Ahh-Some in the spa as it will get rid of any biofilms or greases that may be present so that you start with a clean slate. Even new spas can have such problems.

Dichlor/Bleach Method

I've seen reference on other threads to a technique for Spa maintenance that seems to alternate Dichlor and Bleach as a fairly fuss free maintenance program. I believe it was chemgeek who mentioned it, but the exact details were not given. I just refilled my tub and am due to purchase...

www.troublefreepool.com

How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

If you have a question about any information within this Sticky, please start a new thread for yourself where you will receive very quick responses to your specific questions. Thank you! Introduction There are two main things to consider when maintaining your hot tub water, Water Balance and...

www.troublefreepool.com

3-He is using well water to fill the spa and it is a hard water as I tested.is there a way to reduce the hardness of water before in enters the spa? I am thinking of a water softener

If they have a water softener, then yes - that will help. The other thing to look for in well water is iron content. On my well on a fresh fill my water witl have an orange color that goes away in a few days as the iron is captured in the cartridge. I also use a hose end filter that helps capture teh iron.

https://www.amazon.com/Hose-end-Filter-Filling-Spa-spot-Free/dp/B00AXP8B9O