When you get a saltwater chlorine generator you are making a statement that you are going to be buying and using fewer chemicals, and part of the reduced maintenance is that you don’t have to check your pool chemical balance very often. This isn’t entirely true, you may still need to periodically shock the water and you should measure the chemical balance prior to use if it is a spa and at least once a week if a pool. Over time the chlorine demand of the water will go up as more and more organic material enter the water. A point may be reached where the chlorine demand for the water is the same or exceeds the chlorine output from your electronic chlorinator. You will notice that when the chlorine is low it takes longer over time for it to bring the chlorine levels back up. You may also have to increase the power level to make more chlorine as the water is consuming more chlorine than your chlorine generator can make at the lower power level. This is more likely to happen in a Spa that is used often and if you have a spa chlorine generator. A Spa chlorinator is designed to make much less chlorine than a pool chlorinator as you do not want to over-chlorinate your spa which could lead to corrosion.

Pool or spa shocking is the addition of a sufficient dose of chlorine: calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo), liquid chlorine, sodium dichlor or non-chlorine shock (potassium monopersulfate or MPS). The purpose of a shock treatment is to break-down organic waste contaminants which cause odor, cloudy water, and a decrease in the efficiency of saltwater chlorinators. After treatment, water quality and clarity are often completely restored and you may be able to lower the power level of the saltwater chlorine generator.

When a spa is used every day there can be a quick buildup of organic material, and the water may look just fine and not smell, but the spa chlorine generator is having a harder time keeping up as the days go buy. If you increase the power level of the spa chlorinator that will also decrease the life span of the chlorinator as it will be on longer each day. Shocking the spa is a better alternative and you have to decide on a chlorine or chlorine-free shock.

• If you don’t want to add chlorine, then the chlorine-free shock is the way to go. Just follow the directions on the container.
• If you don’t mind adding chlorine the spa chlorine generator will not mind. This will shock the spa water, and give it some chlorine which is less chlorine that the electronic chlorinator has to make.

Self Cleaning

The chlorine generator has titanium plates with a special rare-earth coating that can have a build-up of calcium or other compounds over time. That is because during the electrolysis process current goes in one direction from plate to plate. Chlorine generators with the feature of self cleaning periodically reverse the direction of the current which helps to break up the compounds that have attached to the plates. If the hardness of the water is very high even self cleaning chlorine generators may still need to be cleaned, but not as often as those without self cleaning.

Adjustable Power

Chlorine generators typically operate at full power. To adjust the power they adjust how long they are on. A chlorine generator operating at half power may be on for 12 hours in a day, and off for 12. Chlorine generators without adjustable power usually need a timer added so you can externally control the amount of chlorine produced. Without controlling the chlorine production you can end up with too much chlorine. You can also adjust the chlorine production by increasing/decreasing the salt level but this can be a hassle.

What makes the ColorChlor and TechniChlor different?

Simplicity, economy and pure relaxation are what you can expect from using the ColorChlor. No more driving to the spa store to buy expensive spa chemicals and no constant testing and adding chemicals are needed to keep your spa in an inviting state. You will also find that the water in a ColorChlor treated spa is like nothing you have ever experienced before. Your water will have a silky-smooth feel without offensive chemical smell, and no itchy, dry skin when you get out – these are problems associated with traditional chemical treatments.

What’s wrong with traditional spa chemicals?

When you bathe in a salt water spa , get out, dry off and go about your evening without feeling the need to take a shower.  Your skin, suit and towel will smell as fresh.  Your skin will be silky smooth.

With all that said, here is how you can really start enjoying your spa with minimal effort and pool supplies purchased from any grocery store for a fraction of what you would pay at a spa store.

1. Put a Chlorination system in your spa according to the directions supplied. It is important to start with fresh water and a clean tub in order to obtain the results expected.
2. Add recommended amount of salt to the spa water.
3. Check the alkalinity of your spa water and adjust to 80-120 PPM if needed. This will help maintain optimal pH levels. Common baking soda is all you need to increase alkalinity. If your alkalinity is too high, you can lower it with pH adjustments listed next.
4. Adjust pH. If you needed to add baking soda, wait 2-3 hours before performing this step. To lower pH add small amounts of white vinegar. To bring alkalinity down maintain a pH of 7.0-7.2 for a week and test again. Low pH can also be increased using a small amount of baking soda. The ColorChlor will also slightly increase your pH so as long as it is 7.0 you don’t need to adjust it.
5. Check your water every month and adjust if needed. Every 2 weeks if heavily used.

This is all you will have to do in most cases. Should you experience any difficulties send me an e-mail and I’ll be happy to assist you.

By adding a salt water chlorine generator, half those chores are handled for you – and you get fresher sanitized water to boot!

Now for those who already own spa’s – ther are more than 5,000,000 in the States alone – the chlorine generators will save you a great deal of money.  The SpaChlorinator.com products only require salt, vinegar and baking soda all readily availabe in your local grocery store and without the markups added by the pool chemical specialty stores.

If there is a short power outage, the units will adjust their output to straighten things out when the power comes back on. You can count on them performing this if the power comes back within a half day or so. For longer periods, other precautions and remedies may come into play.

If you know there is going to be an outage and can plan accordingly, pick up a small bottle of liquid chlorine at a local pool store. By adding a large shock right before the power is lost, you will help the warm water to resist the buildup of algae and bacteria. Of course, you should not use the spa during this period. Just let it sit, covered and warm waiting for the power to come back on.

If you didn’t get a warning the power was going out to the spa and chlorinator and will be off for some time (days), we recommend another course of action. You should uncover the spa and try to cool off the water as quickly as possible (cooler water breeds less bacteria) and add liquid chlorine or bleach if you have it around the house. If your outage is being caused by inclement weather, you may not be able to open the cover very far if at all. In this case you may need to add chlorine again later once the water has cooled on its own. Either way once the water has cooled, recover the tub to keep dust and debris from falling in.

High Tech Spa Accessory

If you are looking for a method to lower spa maintenance and operating costs while greatly improving water quality, then adding a chlorine generator should be your first addition.

Lower Spa Maintenance

By adding a chlorine generator the daily need to measure chlorine and add chemicals will be virtually eliminated.

Lower Maintenance Costs

Adding a chlorine generator can reduce your costs on chemicals by up to $300 and year

Chlorine Generators Solve Problems

Chlorine Generators and sanitizers cannot completely replace the need for regular water testing and filtration.  They go a long way in minimizing the amount of time required, though.  In all the cases where a ColorChlor has been added, the spa maintenance has significantly dropped bringing the joy back into the spa experience.

Additionally, no sanitizer can lead to unsafe water or damage to the spa surface or spa finish. They really just don’t work that way.  These are almost always caused by neglect, mismanagement or other forms of abuse.  We always feel sorrow for these situations and quite often offer some support and asisstance.  Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Where does this Chlorine go?

Free chlorine in your tub naturally breaks down over time. The greatest loss is due to its reaction to the UV in sunlight. The next greatest loss, also the largest loss in high bather load situations and in spas and pools not exposed to sunlight, is from chlorine oxidizing ammonia and urea from bather sweat (yes, you are perspiring in the hot water!).

So, with traditional management, you must be continually adding more chlorine – especially when you are using your spa more often.

How does a Chlorine Generator Solve this Issue?

Chlorine generators create just he right amount of chlorine when needed. As your water temperature goes down, it will make less and as your water temperature goes up it will make more to compensate for more breakdown.

Our experience has been that since the chlorine is always in this good range, your bathing expectations quickly adjust. Most of our customers have now forgotten just how obnoxious traditional chemicals can be until they visit another spa. Then, wow! They really appreciate the investment they have made.

In the 23 years I have been in this business, I have seen many things come and go and come again but few ever really do what they claim. I have even been suckered into many of them myself.

Traditional Pool Chemicals

For decades, traditional chlorine and bromine tablets and powders have been the dominant players in the marketplace. They are widely available and you can get started with them for under $100.00. The problem with these products is not so much the chlorine or bromine itself, but all the other “stuff” needed to carry the chlorine and bromine molecules. As these other ingredients dissolve and build up in the water, they actually inhibit the chlorine or bromine from being able to oxidize the contaminants which leads to poor water quality. This is the reason you need to frequently drain a hot tub to keep the water clear.

Another problem with chlorine and bromine tablets is the fact that they are extremely low in pH which causes your water to become very aggressive as the pH and total alkalinity start dropping to low levels. This causes metal parts to deteriorate potential discoloration to the shell and of course eye and skin irritation.

Ozone Sanitation Systems

Ozone is a very effective oxidizer provided you have enough being properly introduced into the water. It’s only real downfall is that it is highly unstable and only lasts a short period of time so there is no residual of ozone in the water. It doe make for a very effective supplement though. If you do have ozone, it is necessary to replace the cartridge every couple of years in order to keep it producing an effective level of ozone.

Mineral Treatments

Now we have mineral treatments which have plenty of arguments for and against them. These are typically copper/silver ions being introduced into the water by passing water through a cartridge filled with beads containing low levels of copper/silver ions. The ions have the ability to kill bacteria and algae but at a slower rate and they will not oxidize impurities so they can be filtered out. Minerals are also likely to fall out of solution when the pH goes up and then stain surfaces, skin and clothing.  Ozone in high enough quantity will actually oxidize the ions so they end up in the filter. Minerals must have a supplemental oxidizing agent in order to make the water acceptable to use.

Bromine Generation

Bromine generation was a short lived fad that showed promise but was found to have produced questionable by-products and would work great for an undetermined amount of time and then suddenly crash.

Chlorine Generation

Chlorine generation has been the best option in the alternative sanitizer category because it actually makes pure chlorine that is highly effective in keeping water clear & sanitary as long as it is properly used. Chlorine generation also is good as it recycles. The electrolytic cells split ordinary salt into chlorine and sodium. When the chlorine is used, it reverts back to salt and the process begins all over again.

Quality chlorine generation systems that are properly sized and maintained have proven themselves over a long period of time. They continually produce chlorine at a user selected rate to satisfy the demand of their particular situation. Chlorine generation users also have the benefit of clearer water, increased comfort and ease of maintenance. Chlorine generation has become so popular that it is now installed in approximately 50% of all new pool construction.

Chlorination has been the traditional method of spa sanitation for decades-almost by default, since there were no alternatives for this crucial aspect of owning a hot tub. However, for many spa owners, chlorination and bromine are old and outdated sanitation methods discarded in favor of maintaining a salt water tub.

Chlorine / Bromine

So what’s wrong with chlorine? Nothing really.  It does what it is supposed to—killing algae and bacteria, keeping your spa attractive and sanitary.  A hot tub that doesn’t get regular chlorine / bromine will become green with algae and bacteria.  Depending on where you live – especially in a climate like California or Florida, an unmaintained hot tub will become a green, bowl of soup within a week.

Hot Tubs, Spas and Jacuzzies require attention. It is vital to test your water daily/weekly to watch for unexpected changes water quality (chemical makeup).   They will get out of hand quickly, just like a temperamental two-year-old at times.

If you are testing your water regularly, it’s not enough to dump chemicals in and let the tub do the rest.  Each brand and type of chemicals have different combinations of active ingredients and fillers.  These fillers tend to build up over time and inhibit the normal actions of the product.  There are plenty of other chemical additives too.  When things stat going wrong, folks tend to over do it making the tub a nasty chemical mix.

Chlorine and Bromine are important for sanitation, but many people react badly to sitting in a chemical bath. The harsh chemicals that are added to store bought chemicals irritate the skin and eyes, making swimming a highly unpleasant experience. It is important to note that it’s not the chlorine that’s the problem—in most cases it’s the chemicals which are added to the pre-packaged mix.

Salt Water

The main advantage of a salt water hot tub is that it only uses enough chlorine to do the job. Yes, a salt water spa does use chlorine to keep the water clean, but it is only a very small amount of pure chlorine with none of the additives and fillers that build up over time.   The advantage is that the owner doesn’t have to add  chemicals.  The chlorine generator creates the chlorine it needs from the dissolved salt.  The water is much less salty than your tears!  So, when bathing, there is no smell of chlorine gas from excess chlorine in the water – just crystal clear water.  You can’t even taste the salt.  The saltwater also tends to soften the water, so it’s much less harsh on your skin leaving it silky smooth.  Some say their saltwater spas “feel“better than a bath upstairs in the bath tub.

Another important benefit is more of a long-term one. In the short term, converting from chlorine to a salt water spa will involve a complete flush and rinse of the tub to remove all remnants of the chemical soup, the addition of a saltwater chlorine generator and a good amount of natural salt – we highly recommend un-iodized, 99% or purer salt developed from Solar Evaporation.

Over the first year or two, you will save many times the start-up costs – all the while greatly improving the spa experience for your guests!