Taking care of the water in your swim spa or hot tub is an important step to ensure your continued enjoyment of your purchase.
Initial Swim Spa and Hot Tub water care
Your new spa will give you years of enjoyable pleasure. It will require a certain amount of maintenance and care to keep it clean. This guide will help you get started and take care of your spa. After you have completed the six steps below your spa will be ready to hop-in and enjoy. Please take the time to test the water that you are using to fill your new spa with the test strips provided in the start-up kit. Make a note of these readings in the space provided in the back of your owners’ manual. This will allow you know where your starting point is and will make the start-up go much smoother for you.
STEP 1: Your spa should be filled using a Pre-filter, see your sales representative. This Pre-filter will help remove many of the minerals existing in the water, which will make adjusting the water balance easier after a new fill. Never use more than 50% softened water when filling your spa.
STEP 2: During the initial filling of the spa, add a sequestering agent (Metal Gone) to combat suspended minerals in the water. Add the whole bottle as instructed on the label. Allow water to circulate and filter for at least 12 hours before adding any other chemicals.
STEP 3: Test water for pH and total Alkalinity using the test strips provided in the start-up kit. The pH should be 7.2 – 7.8 and the total Alkalinity 80-150 PPM. Calcium hardness levels should be maintained between 150 and 250 PPM (part per million).
STEP 4: Adjust pH and total Alkalinity utilizing the directions on the chemical bottles provided in the start up kit. (pH UP or pH Down)
STEP 5:It may be necessary to retest and add additional chemicals to get to the proper levels in Step 3. Once the total Alkalinity is in the 80- 150 range the pH will stabilize and stop fluctuating.
STEP 6: Add 2 tbsp. of concentrated sodium Dichlor-s-triazinetreone (Chlorinating Granules) per 500 gallons on initial start up to begin sanitizing the spa water. It is important not to add the chlorinating granules until the pH and total Alkalinity have been adjusted to their proper levels. Do not enter the spa when chlorine levels are above 5ppm.
Weekly/Monthly Maintenance Schedule
| BEFORE EACH USE | Check spa water with a test strip for sanitation levels and adjust accordingly to the proper levels. |
| AFTER EACH USE | Add 1 tbsp. of non-chlorine shock (Oxidizer Shock). |
| ONCE A WEEK | Add 2 tbsp. of a non-chlorine shock (Oxidizer Shock) to spa per 250 gallons. |
| 3 TIMES A WEEK | Test water using chemical test strips. Adjust, alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer accordingly. |
| AS NEEDED | If water looks hazy, treat with 1 tbsp. of (Chlorinating Granules). |
| ONCE A MONTH | Soak your filter elements overnight in a container with (Filter Cleaner) and then rinse with clean water before re-inserting. The ECO PUR™ mineral element should never be cleaned in a filter cleaner. Just rinse with water. |
| EVERY 180 DAYS | Drain and refill your spa, replace with a new ECO PUR™ element,repeat start up procedure. |
Water Troubleshooting Guide
|
Symptoms
|
Cause
|
Solution
|
| Cloudy water | Excessive organic contaminants or lack of sanitizer | Shock treat with non-chlorine shock and adjust sanitizer level |
| Dissolved chemical solids | Use clarifier to help remove small particles | |
| pH balance or total alkalinity is incorrect | Test total alkalinity and pH. Correct with pH increaser or pH decreaser. | |
| Calcium too high (hard water) | Use a sequestering agent weekly. Replace some water with softer water. | |
| Dirty filter | Clean filter with filter cartridge cleaner. | |
| Chalky, white scale deposits | Mineral deposits in water | Use a sequestering agent. Check water balance and adjust as necessary. |
| Clear green water | High iron or copper content | Use a sequestering agent |
| Cloudy green water | Low alkalinity level | Use pH increaser |
| low sanitizer level | Test sanitizer level, shock with non-chlorine shock | |
| Brown water | High iron or manganese level | Use a sequestering agent |
| Chlorine odor | Chloramines (combined chlorine level) is high. | Shock with non-chlorine shock |
| Eye/skin irritation | Organic contaminants, chloramines, or pH out of balance | Shock with non-chlorine shock. Test and adjust pH level. |
| Foaming | High concentration of chemicals due to evaporation and build-up of body oils, cosmetics and other contaminants | Use foam reducer. Shock treat with non-chlorine shock. Use enzyme reducer weekly as part of regular maintenance |
| Pitting of metal fixtures | pH too low | Test and adjust pH and total alkalinity by adding pH up. |
| Total alkalinity too low |