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 However, for many spa owners, chlorination and bromine are old and outdated sanitation methods discarded in favor of maintaining a salt water tub.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!

Saltwater / Chlorine Generation Process

When salt is dissolved in your water and your spa chlorinator in running, the chloride portion of the salt is transformed into pure liquid chlorine. Chlorine dissolves in the water to form hypochlorous acid. The acid performs the same functions as conventional “Pool Chlorine” in oxidizing bacteria, algae, mildew, etc.

Salt chlorinator systems generate free chlorine that destroys odors and irritating chloramines as the water passes through the TechniClor or ColorClor. Chloramines are responsible for the chlorine odor, red-irritated eyes, bleached hair and ruined bathing suits that are associated with traditional pool and hot tub chemicals.

Chlorine Generator Benefits

Chlorine is an agent to disinfect water and is necessary for safe swimming pool water. Chlorine residual is necessary so that it may instantly react to kill disease causing organisms and oxidize bacteria, algae, ammonia and other organic matter that may be introduced into the pool.

After purchase and installation of a TechniChlor or ColorChlor chlorine generator, you simply add Pool Salt (99% pure or better) to the water and sodium hypochlorite (free chlorine) is produced automatically by electrolysis of the water.

• Eliminates the need to handle and store hazardous chlorine containing chemicals
• Softened water does not sting eyes and leaves your skin silky soft
• Sufficient chlorine oxidizes chloramines
• No more chlorine smell
• No dryness, itchy skin, red eyes, or green hair
• No more bleaching of bathing suits
• Lower cost than liquid chlorine (bleach), powders or tablets
• automatically generating chlorine on demand
• there is always sufficient chlorine in the water to remain sanitized

In summary, it’s a convenient, simple and safe way to disinfect water, producing high quality pool water with reduced maintenance.

Few things are harder on your family than hard water. It’s hard on your clothes, your skin, and your hot tub.

What Makes Water Hard?
Hard water contains natural calcium and magnesium, the hardening minerals. Rain water begins as soft water, free of these minerals, but as it passes through and over the earth, it absorbs these minerals. While they aren’t harmful to your health, they do affect the water and how the water affects us.

Why Hard Water is Hard on your Spa?
Hard water can turn simple cleaning tasks into hard work. Tubs and fixtures will be covered with an unsightly film that turns into heavy deposits unless it is kept clean. These deposits can actually shorten the life of your spa by up to 35%.

Why Soft Water is Such an Advantage
Not only does soft water make your skin and suits feel good, it also saves money and time. You need less chlorine to keep soft water clean. You can say good-bye to annoying water scaling and scum as well as stubborn tub rings. Your pipes and filters remain stain- and clog-free, requiring less maintenance and repair.

How can I tell if my water is hard?
You may have hard water if your glasses and dishes are left with spots, or colored clothing looks dull. You can have your water tested by your water dealer or you may use a home water testing kit.

TechniChlor and ColorChlor manuals recommend a salt level of close to 3,000 ppm. The amount of salt required will depend greatly on the size of you tub in gallons. Most applications will require about 5 pounds, but please refer to the users guide instructions for the specific amount of salt for your particular tub.

These are simplified equations here.

• Cups of Salt = Spa Gallons * (3000 – Current Concentration) / 81,000
• Pounds of Salt = Spa Gallons * (3000 – Current Concentration) / 120,000

The current concentration can be found using the included test strips. It will take your tub some time to dissolve all the added salt. If the water is hot this should take 30 minutes to an hour. if the water is cold, it may take overnight.

It is always recommended you start the conversion to salt water chlorine generation with a complete flush, rinse and cleaning of your tub or spa to remove any contaminates and residual.

While your TechniChlor or ColorChlor is oxidizing bacteria and other reductants, the chlorine reverts back to chloride ions to maintain the salt concentration in the pool. Top-off salt needs to be added when fresh water is added to the pool due to water losses from splash out, pump outs or filter backwashing. In northern climates, pools are usually drained and “winterized” at the end of the swimming season and new salt is necessary when the pool is re-filled the following spring.

If your tub is used year-round, it is also recommended to drain and refill every six months.