Like most people, you probably invested in a spa to have your own personal sanctuary to escape the aches, pains and tension that comes with life. What you didn’t expect was the challenges of spa maintenance. Constantly adding chemicals to keep the spa balanced and clean can become a chore that nobody wants to do, kind of like walking the dog and cleaning up after it. Well the drudgery of maintaining a spa has finally come to an end with the introduction of a chlorine generator.

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.

Maintaining Hot Tub Water

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!