Essential hot tub supplies

Many spa owners find themselves using what they consider to be an inordinate amount of hot tub chemicals in order to keep the water crystal clear. If this sounds familiar, it may be that there are some very simple things you can do to keep water treatments and hot tub supplies working the way they should for a long period of time. Some of these "tricks" are surprisingly simple.

It has been said time and again but it bears repeating: Keep detergents, toiletries and bath and shower products away from the spa if they were not designed specifically for the spa. Hair styling products, body oils, dish detergent, kitchen cleaners and even poorly rinsed bathing suits can leach residuals into the spa. Many of these products contain oils and soaps that cloud the water and create lots of unwanted suds because they disrupt the chemical balance you worked so hard to achieve. Hot tub supplies such as floating oil absorption devices will help reduce any oils that do end up in the spa and keep them from gumming up filters or reducing the life of the motor.

Aside from keeping out foam-causing substances, it is important for a spa owner to rid the water of any harmful bacteria that might grow. A number of sanitizing hot tub chemicals are available here to help you do just that:

• Chlorine - similar to the product used in swimming pools; granule or tablets are available specifically for spas
• Biguanide - popular for its "nostril-friendly" properties; kills bacteria with no harsh fumes at high temperatures
• Bromine - just like biguanide, bromine doesn't produce fumes; can be used in combination or in place of chlorine
• Ozone - not technically a sanitizer, but it does make them more efficient at what they do