|
Key
to Clean Clear Water
Keeping your water
free from bacteria and viruses will be the first thing you will want to
start with. This is done in a variety of ways that you as the spa owner
will have to decide. Listed below are a few ways this is done. Click on
the one you decide to use and follow the instructions. It may be a good
idea to print these out.
Chlorine
Chlorine is a very
effective sanitizer; it has been used in pools and spas for many years
but is slowly being substituted with other available sanitizer because
of its harshness and strong odor. If this is the sanitizer that you have
chosen you will find it available in granular and 1-inch tablet forms.
The granular form can be distributed directly into the water; usually
2 tablespoons every other day will keep the required level (1.5-3.0 PPM)
to maintain a bacteria free spa. A test kit
is required to achieve this balance. If you are using the 1-inch tablet
form, a floater that houses the tablets will need to be purchased. Once
the floater is loaded with approximately 4 to 6 tablets it is then set
in the water and is distributed through erosion. This choice is the most
popular and convenient.
Once again, you will
need to maintain the proper reading with a test kit to keep your water
fresh and clean. The next step in setting up a "healthy spa"
is checking the pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness. These are very
important measurements to keep in balance; they keep the water from becoming
corrosive, which will attack heating elements, pump seals and internal
gas fired heaters. Read all about these important three in Understanding
Water Chemistry section.
Shocking the spa water
once a week or during heavy bather use, is also a must. This is done with
a non-chlorine shock
or oxidizer; these eliminate odors and reduce irritating contaminants
for fresh, clear water. Remember because of the high temperatures and
heavy bather loads, spas require higher sanitizer levels, as well as heavier
oxidizer doses to eliminate bather waste and maintain clear, sparkling
water.
Also recommended,
as part of your arsenal to keep your spa healthy is an enzyme based clarifier.
This chemical is used literally to eat body oils that attach to the spa
surface giving it the "ring around the tub" title. It also helps
keep your filter from clogging therefore making it last longer. You can
read about this product in the Informative Articles
section.
Last but not least,
get a thermometer that
will tell you the temperature of the spa water. This takes any guessing
out along with keeping the water safe for bathers.
There are several
other different chemicals available, but are not essential in keeping
your spa "healthy." For example: if foaming is a problem, there
is a chemical for that. If you have water high in minerals, there is something
available for that. If making the water smell like a particular scent
is something you want you can find this and all that was mentioned, in
the spa chemicals and accessories section.
Notes on chlorine-bromine
use: More is not better when using these chemicals, it very important
not to overload or try to "shock" your spa water with them.
If you do, you stand an excellent chance of causing equipment failure
due to corrosion. A non-chlorine shock or oxidizers are available for
doing this. (top)
Bromine
Bromine
has become the most popular way to sanitize a spa. It is very effective
and does not have that "strong odor" that chlorine typically
has. It is available in 1-inch tablets and must be distributed into the
water with a floater.
The floater is loaded with approximately 4 to 6 tablets; it is then set
in the water and is distributed through erosion. The proper reading for
bromine is 3.0 - 5.0 PPM. Use a test kit
to achieve this. The next step in setting up a "healthy spa"
is checking the pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness. These are very
important measurements to keep in balance; they keep the water from becoming
corrosive, which will attack heating elements, pump seals and internal
gas fired heaters. They should be checked once a week or if you have added
water or if you have had an unusual bather load. Read all about these
important three in Understanding Water Chemistry
section.
Shocking the spa water
once a week or during heavy bather use is also a must. This is done with
a non-chlorine shock
or oxidizer; these eliminate odors and reduce irritating contaminants
for fresh, clear water. Remember because of the high temperatures and
heavy bather loads, spas require higher sanitizer levels, as well as heavier
oxidizer doses to eliminate bather waste and maintain clear, sparkling
water.
Also recommended,
as part of your arsenal to keep your spa healthy is an enzyme-based clarifier.
This chemical is used literally to eat body oils that attach to the spa
surface giving it the "ring around the tub" title. It also helps
keep your filter from clogging therefore making it last longer. You can
read about this product in the Informative Articles
section.
Last but not least,
get a thermometer that
will tell you the temperature of the spa water. This takes any guessing
out along with keeping the water safe for bathers.
There are several
other different chemicals available, but are not essential in keeping
your spa "healthy." For example: if foaming is a problem, there
is a chemical for that. If you have water high in minerals, there is something
available for that. If making the water smell like a particular scent
is something you want you can find this and all that was mentioned, in
the spa chemicals and accessories section. (top)
Ozone
Are you using ozone,
or have you thought about using ozone? It is a very effective and highly
recommended way to sanitize spa water. Read all about this excellent sanitizer
in our Informative Articles and Instructions
section.
If you or one of your
family members are allergic, or have had a reaction to chlorine or bromine,
then this is something you may want to consider.
NOTE: Contrary to
popular belief, ozone does not make your spa a chemical free spa.
Checking the pH, total
alkalinity and calcium hardness is something you still should be doing
on a weekly basis. These are very important measurements to keep in balance;
they keep the water from becoming corrosive, which will attack heating
elements, pump seals and internal gas fired heaters. Read all about these
important three in the Understanding Water Chemistry
section. They should be checked once a week or if you have added water
or if you have had an unusual bather load.
Shocking the spa water
once a week or during heavy bather use is also a must. This is done with
a non-chlorine shock
or oxidizer; these eliminate odors and reduce irritating contaminants
for fresh, clear water. Remember because of the high temperatures and
heavy bather loads, spas require higher sanitizer levels, as well as heavier
oxidizer doses to eliminate bather waste and maintain clear, sparkling
water.
Also recommended,
as part of your arsenal to keep your spa healthy is an enzyme-based clarifier.
This chemical is used literally to eat body oils that attach to the spa
surface giving it the "ring around the tub" title. It also helps
keep your filter from clogging therefore making it last longer. You can
read about this product in the Informative Articles
section.
Last but not least,
get a thermometer
that will tell you the temperature of the spa water. This takes any guessing
out along with keeping the water safe for bathers.
There are several
other different chemicals available, but are not essential in keeping
your spa "healthy." For example: if foaming is a problem, there
is a chemical for that. If you have water high in minerals, there is something
available for that. If making the water smell like a particular scent
is something you want you can find this and all that was mentioned, in
the spa chemicals and accessories section. (top)
Nature
2
Another breakthrough
in establishing alternatives to chlorine and bromine.
Read all about this product in the Informative
Articles section. Nature
2 is the #1 chlorine alternative, according to an independent spa
industry survey. This is definitely a chemical that should be checked
out. Checking the pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness is something
you still should be doing on a weekly basis. These are very important
measurements to keep in balance; they keep the water from becoming corrosive,
which will attack heating elements, pump seals and internal gas fired
heaters. Read all about these important three in Understanding
Water Chemistry section. They should be checked once a week, or if
you have added water, or if you have had an unusual bather load.
Shocking the spa water
once a week or during heavy bather use is also a must. This is done with
a non-chlorine shock
or oxidizer; these eliminate odors and reduce irritating contaminants
for fresh, clear water.
Remember, because
of the high temperatures and heavy bather loads, spas require higher sanitization
levels, as well as heavier oxidizer doses to eliminate bather waste and
maintain clear, sparkling water.
Also recommended,
as part of your arsenal to keep your spa healthy is an enzyme-based clarifier.
This chemical is used literally to eat body oils that attach to the spa
surface, removing "ring around the tub". It also helps keep
your filter from clogging therefore making it last longer. You can read
about this product in the Informative Articles
section.
Last but not least,
get a thermometer that will tell you the temperature of the spa water.
This takes any guessing out along with keeping the water safe for bathers.
There are several
other different chemicals available, but are not essential in keeping
your spa "healthy." For example, if foaming is a problem, there
is a chemical for that. If you have water high in minerals, there is something
available for that. If making the water smell like a particular scent
is something you want, you can find this and all that was mentioned in
the spa chemicals and accessories section. (top)
|