Getting the right hot tub vacuum for your spa isn’t about the price alone. It’s also about the power source, whether it’s cordless, and attachment and nozzle options. With those things in mind, we recommend the following hot tub vacuums:

• Pool Blaster Cordless Spa Vacuum (Battery Powered)
• Aura Spa Vacuum (Siphon Powered)
• Intex Handheld Vacuum (Rechargeable Batteries)

Keep reading to learn more about each type of vacuum and what to consider when looking for the right spa vacuum for your hot tub.

Best Hot Tub Vacuums

We find that the most convenient way to vacuum a hot tub is with a cordless vacuum, like the ones listed below. Here are three great options for battery-powered, rechargeable, and manual siphon-powered vacuums.

Best Battery-Powered Vacuum: Water Tech Pool Blaster Cordless Spa Vacuum

POOL BLASTER Cordless Spa Vacuum (Battery-Powered)

This battery-operated hot tub vacuum is powerful enough to capture and trap debris and dirt missed by other manual vacuums. It's designed to run up to 3 hours and is powered by five D-cell batteries. Powerful enough for smaller pools.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Water Tech’s Pool Blaster handheld vacuum makes short work of cleaning your pool or hot tub. This versatile device can clean up leaves, dirt, and debris from your pool or hot tub in a snap. And the Pool Blaster is extremely easy to use. Just aim the powerful suction head at the dirt and debris you want to suck up and watch it disappear. The large capacity bag means you can clean your pool or hot tub without having to stop and empty it constantly.

This vacuum is the perfect solution if you’re looking for an easy way to keep your pool or hot tub clean. Because it’s so quick and efficient, it’s our top pick for functionality and will save you hours of tedious scrubbing. However, keep in mind that it’s the heaviest unit and you’ll need to replace the D batteries often. You can use rechargeable D batteries if you don’t want to keep buying and replacing them.

Best Siphon-Powered Vacuum: Aura 6250 Spa Vacuum

Aura Spa Vacuum (Siphon Powered)

$79.99

This simple spa vacuum utilizes a simple siphon action to remove dirt and debris from your spa. No pumping, no batteries, and no water hook-up are required.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

01/25/2023 11:59 am GMT

The Aura 6250 Paradise Power Spa Vacuum is specifically designed to clean hot tubs and does not need a power source to operate. Instead, this spa vacuum uses siphon power to pick up dirt and debris. No batteries are required! And there’s zero setup.
But because it’s not powered by any batteries or electricity, it can take longer to work, and it’s the least powerful option on the list.

By the way, if you need more help keeping your hot tub clean, check out our Hot Tub Care Video Course!

Tired of trying to keep your hot tub clean all the time and dealing with chemicals?

You'll save $100 right away with this easy-to-follow digital ebook and video course. This is the ultimate maintenance guide that hot tub manufacturer doesn’t provide you.

Click Here to Learn More

Best Rechargeable Vacuum: Intex PureSpa Handheld Vacuum

Intex Handheld Rechargeable Spa and Pool Vacuum

This vacuum's rechargeable batteries provide ongoing, powerful suction capability. Suitable for use with most hot tubs and above-ground pools up to 18 feet in diameter.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

This Intex Handheld Spa and Pool Vacuum is specifically designed for use with inflatable hot tubs and smaller above-ground pools. It has a three-foot-long detachable hose and a reusable debris bag. This vacuum also has an attachment for cleaning spa jets.

It’s also rechargeable, saving you from constantly replacing batteries in your vacuum. But the Intex PureSpa works best on small debris. So if you have larger pieces of debris in your pool or hot tub, you may want to consider a different option.

How to Choose the Best Hot Tub Vacuum for You

Portability and power all play a part in buying the right hot tub vacuum. But you’ll also want to make sure there are enough brush attachments and nozzle options to clean every crevice of your hot tub. Here’s what to consider when buying a spa vacuum:

1. Power Source

You can choose between battery-powered, siphoning, manual power (siphoning or pumping), or pressurized water from a garden hose. If you want longer run times and don’t want to wait for a lithium battery-powered vacuum to recharge, you might prefer a manual pump, siphon, or water pressure-powered option.

2. Corded vs. Cordless

If you have a small tub, a cordless vacuum is best because it doesn’t have to cover a large area and has enough power to pick up small pieces of debris. But, if you have a bigger hot tub, you might need something more powerful to pick up larger pieces of debris.

The size of the debris is also a factor to consider when choosing a vacuum. If the debris is small like sand, dirt, or small pebbles, then a cordless handheld vacuum will be able to pick it up easily. However, you’ll need a corded vacuum with more suction power if dealing with larger debris like leaves, plants, and insects.

3. Telescoping Pole

Getting a hot tub vacuum that comes with a telescoping pole or multi-section pole makes it easier to use. The aluminum pole makes it easier to reach tough places in the spa, like corners and steps. If you already have a manual pool vacuum cleaner for your swimming pool, you might already have a pole.

4. Brush Attachments

A good spa vacuum should not only have strong suction to pull in the debris but also a brush set for scrubbing surfaces. An extra brush that slides on to your spa vac or a brush that is permanently attached to the vacuum head can be helpful.

5. Sponge Included

A sponge can help a vacuum cleaner to remove thick liquid substances from surfaces such as walls. This can be useful for taking out things like lotion residue which may be stuck on the tub’s walls. This isn’t a universal feature, but if you find one that includes a sponge, it may be worth considering.

6. Nozzle Variety

Different types of nozzles are designed to collect various kinds of debris. Having more nozzles gives you more options for cleaning up different messes. Some desirable nozzle types include those designed for spot cleaning and for cleaning in tight corners. More nozzles mean more flexibility in cleaning ability.

7. Filtration System

Spa vacuums come with different filtration systems, and the size of the filter bag is an important factor to consider. A larger filter bag means you won’t have to empty it as often. Microfilters are especially effective at trapping dirt and debris. If you have many people using your spa regularly, choosing a vacuum with a good filtration system is important.

8. Warranty

Most spa vacuums from reputable brands come with a one- or two-year warranty. But check your protection options before you make a vacuum purchase, especially when purchasing from third party sites like Amazon.

How to Keep Your Hot Tub Clean

Using a spa vacuum cleaner is important to keep things clean, but it’s not the only thing you should do. To make things easier:

• Rinse off quickly before getting in. Lotions, cosmetics, and oils on our skin can disrupt your hot tub’s water chemistry. And it’s easy to bring dirt, grass, stones, and debris into the water on the soles of our feet.
• Keep it covered. When the hot tub isn’t in use, keep your cover on to prevent debris from falling into the water.
• Clean your filter. If you use your spa regularly, rinse off your filter once a week with a garden hose or a hot tub filter cleaner. And replace the filter cartridge if it’s become too dirty.
• Clean your surfaces. Use a hot tub cleaner or diluted white vinegar to remove any scum build-up on the surface or water line of your hot tub.
• Drain and clean your hot tub every 3 months. This helps remove any biofilm buildup in your pipes. For more help, check out our guide on How to Drain and Clean a Hot Tub.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Tub Vacuums

Need more help with hot tub vacuums? Here are some common questions and answers.

What is the best way to vacuum a hot tub?

The best way to vacuum a hot tub is to start with a clean floor attachment and then use short bursts with the brush roll on high. This will remove any dirt and debris that may be stuck in the crevices of the tub. If you want to thoroughly clean the inside of the tub, you’ll need to drain and clean your spa. And the hot tub surfaces should be cleaned using a damp microfiber cloth.

Do you need a vacuum for a hot tub?

Yes, you will need a vacuum for a hot tub to pick up small debris like dirt or sand. The vacuum can also help circulate the water, which can help keep the water clean and free of any build-up.

What’s the best vacuum to clean the bottom of a hot tub?

A handheld spa vacuum is a great choice for small jobs and most debris found in hot tubs. It’s also great for cleaning the bottom of your hot tub, as it will be much more portable than a powered vacuum.

Another great choice for cleaning the bottom of your hot tub is a cordless vacuum cleaner. It’s much easier to move around than a power vac, and you won’t have to worry about turning it on and off.

Finally, a corded vacuum cleaner is the last option for cleaning the bottom of your hot tub. This is the most powerful type and is best for large spaces.

Is there a vacuum for a Swim Spa or Jacuzzi?

Yes, most hot tub vacuums can be used with swim spas or jacuzzi-brand hot tubs. A battery-operated, handheld vacuum is the best option. But check your manufacturer’s warranty before using.

Can I use a hot tub vacuum in my pool?

Many battery-powered, cordless, handheld pool vacuums can be used in hot tubs as well. And spa-specific vacuums can be used in most inflatable small pools or smaller above ground swimming pools. But they’re likely not powerful enough for inground pools. Look for a pool-spa combo vacuum made for both hot tubs and swimming pools.

Need More Hot Tub Maintenance Help?

• Download our free Hot Tub Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep your hot tub clean and clear.
• Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials about hot tub care.
• Check out our Hot Tub Video Course. You’ll get step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about hot tub maintenance.

The post Best Hot Tub Vacuums and How to Use Them appeared first on Swim University®.

But before buying a salt water hot tub system, it’s important to know the difference between a salt water spa and a traditional hot tub. Check out the video below or keep reading for a complete guide on salt water hot tubs, including how to convert to a salt water system.

What’s the Difference Between a Salt Water Hot Tub and a Traditional Hot Tub?

A salt water hot tub sanitizes your spa by using salt that’s added directly to your water vs. adding chlorine or bromine to your water. This is done through a salt water chlorinator or chlorine generator that converts salt to chlorine.

Saltron Salt System Chlorine Generator for Hot Tubs & Swim Spas

This drop-in chlorinator lets you convert any hot tub or swim spa up to 2,000 gallons. Simply plug in the controller above ground and out of the water while immersing the chlorinator cell in water.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

That’s right: a salt water hot tub still contains chlorine or bromine. You’re just getting those chemicals into your water in a different way. Instead of buying, storing, and adding harsh chemicals to your water, you’re adding salt.

After installing a salt water system, it’s unlikely you’ll even be able to taste the salt in the water. Sea water has a salinity of about 35,000 parts per million (ppm). The recommended salinity level for a salt water hot tub is between 2,000 ppm and 3,000 ppm.

So as long as you add the appropriate amount of salt to your hot tub, and keep your water balanced, the salinity will be undetectable. For a salt water hot tub, you need about 2 1/3 cups of salt per 100 gallons of fresh water. That’s about 11 cups of salt for a 500-gallon hot tub.

By the way, if you need more help with hot tub maintenance, be sure to check out our Hot Tub Video Course!

Tired of trying to keep your hot tub clean all the time and dealing with chemicals?

You'll save $100 right away with this easy-to-follow digital ebook and video course. This is the ultimate maintenance guide that hot tub manufacturer doesn’t provide you.

Click Here to Learn More

How Does Hot Tub Salt Become Chlorine?

Salt water chlorinators, chlorine generators, or bromine generators (if you prefer bromine to chlorine) contain a chlorinator cell composed of titanium plates and electrodes. When placed into properly salinated water, the chlorinator cell uses a minuscule, safe amount of electricity to transform your water’s salt solution into chlorine (or bromine) via a process called electrolysis. Here’s what a typical salt water system looks like:

Saltron Salt System Chlorine Generator for Hot Tubs & Swim Spas

This drop-in chlorinator lets you convert any hot tub or swim spa up to 2,000 gallons. Simply plug in the controller above ground and out of the water while immersing the chlorinator cell in water.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

For the generator to work, you’ll need to add pool salt or hot tub salt. If you see it labeled as “pool salt,” that’s perfectly fine to use in your hot tub. This salt is chemically the same thing as table salt, but it’s a coarser grind to work better in a chlorine or bromine generator. So only add pool-grade or spa-grade salt to your water. If you want bromine in your water, you’ll want to add sodium bromide salts.

Our Top Pick

Pool Salt for Salt Water Pools

Professional Pool Salt crystallizes early to match the fastest dissolve rates on the market - no more waiting for hours for chlorine tablets to dissolve and produce beautiful clean water.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Benefits of Salt Water Hot Tubs

Switching from other hot tub sanitizing methods has a few big payoffs. A salt water spa can be less maintenance and a smoother soaking experience.

Consistent Bromine or Chlorine Levels

Since salt water systems continuously monitor your chlorine or bromine levels, they’ll only generate as much sanitizer as your water needs. That helps prevents extreme fluctuations and helps eliminate that nasty chlorine smell in your water.

Gentler Soaking

Chloramines—the chlorine byproducts that can cause burning eyes and breathing difficulty—are reduced in a salt water hot tub. Because the chlorinator is continuously creating a small amount of chlorine, the sanitizer level remains more stable to keep chloramines at bay.

Also, salt water is softer water than traditionally chlorinated water, so it’s easier on the skin, hair, and eyes. And if you use bromine, all of these benefits are increased.

Less Maintenance Time

Salt water spas have a steady concentration of sanitizer being added all the time, so the overall hot tub water chemistry may need less adjusting. And you won’t have to constantly buy, handle and add chlorine or bromine. But regular water care, like testing and balancing pH, is still required.

Reduced Cost

Bags of salt are less expensive than chlorine or bromine, plus they’re easier to handle. And after the initial dose of salt, your hot tub’s salinity will stay relatively steady unless it’s diluted with rain or you’ve added fresh water. This means you won’t need to buy salt as often as you would chlorine or bromine.

You’ll still need to test your water on a regular basis to ensure it’s balanced. In addition to using standard test strips you’ll use for pH, alkalinity, etc., you’ll also need to manually test for salinity every month. This is to ensure your salt water generator is reading your levels correctly. You can buy salt water-specific test strips or use a digital salinity reader.

Salt Water Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Salt Water Hot Tub Myths Debunked

Despite the many wonderful benefits of switching to salt, a few myths persist.

Myth #1. It Requires No Maintenance

All hot tubs require maintenance, no matter what you use to sanitize them. No system is truly “set it and forget it.” And chlorinator cells must be replaced every one to three years. Until then, they need to be cleaned regularly.

Typically, cells are cleaned by soaking them in muriatic acid but always defer to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance for your model.

Myth #2. It’s Chemical Free

While you don’t need to buy or add chlorine or bromine to a salt water hot tub, the end result is still water that contains chlorine or bromine. You’ll also still need chemicals like non-chlorine shock and balancing chemicals, such as pH increaser or pH decreaser, to keep your water chemistry balanced.

Myth #3. It’s Corrosion Free

Despite its low salinity, the salt water in a hot tub can cause corrosion of metal components. For example, your hot tub’s heating element may not be suited to salt and could corrode quickly if it isn’t a titanium-coated element.

Wiping down exposed metals frequently and making sure your water isn’t over-salinated can help prevent corrosion.

What are the Different Types of Salt Water Systems?

The good news is that almost any hot tub can be converted into a salt water hot tub by simply adding a salt chlorine generator.

Before you can convert to a salt water hot tub, you need to decide what kind of salt water chlorinator you want to use: an in-line system or drop-in. Both use electrolysis to create sanitizer from salt but have a couple of important differences.

Drop-In Chlorinators

Saltron Salt System Chlorine Generator for Hot Tubs & Swim Spas

This drop-in chlorinator lets you convert any hot tub or swim spa up to 2,000 gallons. Simply plug in the controller above ground and out of the water while immersing the chlorinator cell in water.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The easiest way to convert to a salt water hot tub is with a drop-in chlorinator. No permanent alterations to the spa are necessary for installation. And setting it up takes minutes. The only drawback is you’ll have a thin cord connected to the chlorinator cell that hangs over the side of your hot tub.

In-Line Chlorinators

If you don’t want a chlorinator line hanging over the side of your hot tub, you can get an in-line salt water conversion kit. This type of chlorinator must be spliced directly into the hot tub plumbing, so the cell becomes part of the spa’s circulation system.

Important: If you’re not an experienced plumber, you may want to hire a pro for in-line installation. Also, these kits may void your hot tub warranty, so check with your spa manufacturer before installing one.

How to Convert to a Salt Water Hot Tub

We’re going to cover how to install a drop-in chlorinator. If you’ve chosen to use an in-line generator, follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions or hire a professional to ensure proper installation. With a drop-in system, it usually takes more work to prepare your hot tub for conversion than it takes to do the actual conversion.

You’ll need:

• Drop-In Salt Water Chlorinator
• Spa Line Flush
• Garden Hose
• Sump Pump (optional)
• Filter Cleaner (or a new filter)
• Hot Tub Surface Cleaner or White Vinegar
• Non-Abrasive Scrub Sponge or Soft Cloth
• Hose Filter
• Salt Water Test Strips
• Hot Tub Salt
• pH Increaser (if needed)
• pH Decreaser (if needed)
• Alkalinity Increaser (if needed)
• Alkalinity Decreaser (if needed)
• Calcium Hardness Increaser (if needed)
• Screwdriver

1. Drain and Clean Your Hot Tub

Before switching from one sanitizing method to another, you must remove all residual sanitizer and any contaminants. Use a spa line flush before you drain and clean the hot tub. This will help clear out biofilm. If you need more help using line flush, be sure to check out our guide on How to Drain and Clean a Hot Tub.

After using the line flush, drain the hot tub with the hose or sump pump. Clean the shell with hot tub cleaner or diluted vinegar and a non-abrasive scrub sponge. Then rinse thoroughly and wash or replace the filter.

2. Refill the Hot Tub

Attach a hose filter to your garden hose to refill your spa with clean, filtered water. The filter helps remove minerals and metals before they get into your spa.

3. Test the Salinity and Add Salt

Before adding anything to the fresh water, test the salinity. Tap water naturally has a small amount of salt in it, so testing first will help you avoid adding too much salt.

Follow the product instructions for adding enough salt to obtain the proper saline level. In general, you need about 2 1/3 cups of salt per 100 gallons of fresh water.

4. Test the Water Chemistry

Test your pH, alkalinity, or calcium hardness and make sure they’re in range based on the recommendations in your chlorinator manual. If anything needs tweaking, adjust it now. And if you need more help with water chemistry, be sure to check out our Hot Tub Chemistry Guide.

Our Top Pick

Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Tests for 7 important chemistries in seconds: Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid.

Buy Now on Amazon Buy on InTheSwim.com

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

You’ll also want to add an initial small dose of chlorine or bromine to the water when starting it up for the first time. Salt system manufacturers recommend this to help your system maintain the proper chlorine or bromine levels. You may need to add an initial dose when you drain and refill your hot tub in the future.

5. Mount the Chlorinator Control Panel

The chlorinator conversion kit should contain a control panel and hardware for mounting it. Place it on the side of your hot tub or a nearby post, making sure the power supply cable will reach your GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) outlet and the chlorinator cell will reach the spa.

6. Attach All the Cables

Connect the power supply cable and chlorinator cell cord, but do not plug the power cord into an outlet yet.

7. Place the Chlorinator in the Hot Tub

Drape the supply cord over the side of your spa, then place the chlorinator into the deepest part of your hot tub. Putting it as low as possible helps distribute the sanitizer more evenly.

8. Plug in and Start the Generator

Plug the power supply cord into the GFCI outlet. Then turn your chlorinator (or brominator) on. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to program your generator.

Frequently Asked Questions about Salt Water Hot Tubs

Need more help with salt water hot tubs? Here are several common questions and answers.

How much salt do I need to add to a salt water hot tub?

For a freshly filled hot tub, you need about 2 1/3 cups of salt per 100 gallons of fresh water. That’s about 11 cups of salt for a 500-gallon hot tub. Remember: you can always add more salt, so add it slowly and retest your water. You’ll have to drain out some of your water if you add too much.

What’s the best salt water hot tub?

Caldera Spas and the Freshwater Salt Systems by Hot Spring Spas both manufacture hot tubs with built-in salt water systems. But you can also buy a salt water system separately and install it on your own.

Can I use bromine in a salt water hot tub?

A salt water hot tub can produce either bromine or chlorine, but you’ll need to by a salt water brominator and sodium bromide salts. These are more expensive than a salt water chlorinator system and salt.

Can I use any salt in my salt water hot tub?

No, you must use pool-grade or hot tub-grade salt. Salts made for other uses can introduce contaminants and impurities such as heavy metals. Table salt, rock salt, Epsom salt, and even some products marketed as natural such as pink Himalayan salt, are best left out of your hot tub. Not only can they mess up your water chemistry, but if they damage your spa, there’s a good chance you will have voided the warranty. Make sure you only use salt meant for chlorine (or bromine) generators.

Need More Hot Tub Maintenance Help?

• Download our free Hot Tub Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep your hot tub clean and clear.
• Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials about hot tub care.
• Check out our Hot Tub Video Course. You’ll get step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about hot tub maintenance.

The post Salt Water Hot Tubs: How to Convert Your Spa and Use Fewer Chemicals appeared first on Swim University®.

Here’s a list of our favorite hot tub accessories, covering everything from maintenance and protection to comfort and relaxation.

Best Hot Tub Accessories for Safety and Ease of Use

With these accessories, you can be sure everyone who uses your hot tub will be safe.

Hot Tub Steps

Confer Handi-Step Hot Tub Steps for Round and Straight-Sided Spas

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Also known as spa steps, these stairs sit outside of the tub and make it easier for people to get in and out of it. They have slip-resistant grip support and the steps are wide and sturdy. And the universal fit ensures they can fit spas of any size or shape.

Hot Tub Handrail

Removable Hot Tub and Spa Handrail

This detachable spa handrail adds balance and stability any time you get in and out of your hot tub. It's easy to install and features a comfortable, foam grip.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Adding a spa handrail ensures you have something to hold onto as you get in and out of your hot tub water. It adds more balance and stability to reduce the likelihood of slips and falls.

And it’s easy to install on the side of your tub. Plus, when you’re in the water, you can use the rail to hold towels.

Water Thermometer

Swimline 9250 HydroTools Solar Powered Digital Pool and Spa Thermometer

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

If you’re ever worried about the accuracy of your hot tub temperature, having a floating thermometer will help. Monitoring your hot tub’s temperature helps to prevent overheating and helps you keep an eye on the water temperature in real-time.

LED Lights

Solar-Powered Floating Lotus Flower LED Pool Light

$16.99

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

01/25/2023 02:58 pm GMT

For those nighttime soaks, adding floating lights helps keep your hot tub well-lit. And solar-powered LEDs will charge in the sunlight, giving you hours of lighting without having to re-charge them or replace batteries.

Best Hot Tub Accessories for Maintenance and Protection

Hot tubs need balanced water chemistry to keep everything clean and in good working order. So while all hot tub owners must invest in the right chemicals, there are a few other things that can make your hot tub cleaning a bit easier.

Hot Tub Cleaning Kit

Hot Tub and Pool Cleaning Kit

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Having the right hot tub cleaning tools makes maintenance so much easier. And a hot tub accessory cleaning kit comes with everything you need, including:

• Skimmer net
• Scrubbing brush
• Sponge brush
• Oil-absorbing sponges
• A pair of lightweight latex gloves

The skimmer net makes it easy to scoop out leaves, dirt, and other debris, while the brushes are great for cleaning the corners and around the waterline.

Hot Tub Filter Cleaner

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Filter Cleaner

Spray Filter Cleanse on your hot tub filters, rinse with water, and your filters will look brand new in less than 20 minutes! Hot Tub Filter Cleanse is a powerful, fast-acting spray cleaner that removes body oils, lotions, and other organic materials from your hot tub filter cartridges.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Keeping your filters clean is absolutely necessary for hot tub water care. Whether you have a saltwater, bromine, or chlorine hot tub, a good hot tub filter cleaner will help keep your water chemistry balanced.

Simply soak your filter in the solution for an hour and then place it back into your hot tub. It’s a hassle-free way to clean your filters since many solutions require an overnight soak.

Hot Tub Oil Absorbing Sponges

Swimables Floating Sponges for Pools and Spas - 2 pack

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

These oil-absorbing sponges help to filter your spa water to prevent a scum line from building up on the walls. With the ability to absorb body oils and lotion up to 40x their weight, these are crucial to keeping your spa water clean.

When you notice the sponge is dirty, squeeze it out, clean it, and reuse it. It’s common for a single sponge to last an entire season when cleaned regularly.

Hot Tub Cover or Thermal Blanket

Horizon Ventures Hot Tub Cover Cap 8 ft. x 8 ft.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

A hot tub cover is essential for keeping dirt and debris out while holding as much heat in as possible. Available in multiple sizes, it’s crucial can get the one that snuggly fits your spa.

To make cover removal easier, you may also wish to invest in a spa cover lift or cover roller. A cover lifter will save you the headache of having to heave your hot tub cover when you’re in your swimming suit.

Alternatively, if you’re not going to close your hot tub every day, you may wish to consider a spa thermal blanket. It’s a great way to keep your water warm by reducing evaporation and heat loss. And it can be cut to fit irregularly shaped hot tubs.

Hot Tub Accessories for Comfort and Relaxation

Chances are you bought a hot tub because you wanted a nice space to decompress. To kick the comfort up a notch, try these options.

Hot Tub Seats

Hot Tub Booster Seat, Non-Slip Weighted Spa Pillow

This hot tub booster seat will sink and stay in place even if the spa jets are on full blast. With a skid-proof surface, this seat provides both comfort and height.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

A spa booster seat helps children and shorter people enjoy your hot tub, especially if you have an inflatable spa. Look for a spa seat with good grip and “sinking” functionality so it stays underwater.

Hot Tub Headrests

Intex PureSpa Hot Tub Headrest

Designed to sit on top of your spa wall, this convenient headrest allows you to comfortably rest your head while using your hot tub. It can be partially filled with air to fit your personal preference for firmness.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

For the tall people out there, a spa headrest provides adequate head and neck support for a better soak. With an inflatable option, you can adjust the firmness by adjusting the amount of air. Attach it to the spa wall and fill it with water to hold it in place.

Hot Tub Pillows

Gorilla Grip Spa Pillow

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

To really amp up your spa relaxation, you need a hot tub pillow. Look for a spa pillow that works with curved or straight back tubs and uses suction cups to attach. Available in different sizes, you can choose a pillow that works best for your needs.

Hot Tub or Spa Aromatherapy

inSPAration Spa and Bath Aromatherapy Sample Gift Bag

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

For the ultimate relaxation experience, consider adding spa aromatherapy to your routine. Many products are available designed specifically for use with hot tubs, so they won’t interfere with the chemical balance of your spa water. And that means they won’t affect pH balance, cause foaming or bubbling, or damage your jets, pumps, or filters.

Hot Tub Umbrella

KINGYES Offset Cantilever Patio Umbrella - 10 ft.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Depending on where your hot tub is installed, you may need to invest in a spa umbrella or a canopy. Spas in open areas require some kind of sun and wind protection. And an adjustable tilt umbrella makes it easy to provide shade no matter what time of day it is.

Hot Tub Accessories for Entertainment

Want to really have fun with your hot tub experience? Check out these entertaining spa accessories.

Waterproof Games

Floating Game Board and Waterproof Playing Cards

This floating game board provides hours of fun for the whole family. It comes with waterproof playing cards, checkers, chess, and backgammon.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Card game lovers will rejoice knowing they can play their favorite games without ruining them. Waterproof playing cards and a floating gameboard are a great way to have fun in the spa.

Floating Bluetooth Speaker

Portable Floating Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

$49.99

Waterproof Bluetooth speakers for 100% protection against water and dust, rubberized rugged exterior for ultimate impact resistance. Enhanced bass and loud volume: 10W subwoofer for loud sound and three passive radiators for rich bass

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

01/25/2023 09:28 pm GMT

Want to enjoy some music and get some lights while you’re at it? Get a floating Bluetooth speaker. With a built-in mic and a 50 ft wireless range, you keep your phone away from the water while still using it to play DJ. It’s also rechargeable, so you never have to worry about batteries. After a full charge, you’ve got about 8 hours of playtime before needing to charge it again.

Hot Tub Cupholders and Trays

Intex PureSpa Cup Holder

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

If you want a convenient way to keep your drink nearby, invest in a few cupholders. Anti-spill drink holders make it convenient to hold cups, bottles, or cans and come with space to hold snacks, too.

Side Table Cooler

Hot Tub Side Table with 7.5 Gallon Cooler

This portable bar table allows your guests to grab chilled beverages while never being far from any of the action. The lid elevates upwards 10 inches above the rim for use as a patio bar table. And top reveals a hidden cooler with 7.5-gallon capacity.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

To save space while keeping your outdoor area looking stylish, consider a patio side table that doubles as a cooler. Raising the tabletop reveals a hollow center you can fill with ice to store drinks. Just lift the table, grab your drink, and keep it on the table next to you during your soak.

Inflatable Spa Bar

Life Floating Spa Bar Inflatable Hot Tub Side Tray for Drinks and Snacks

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

For the times you want to keep your drinks and snacks closer to you while you’re in the water, there’s always the inflatable spa bar. These can hold your snacks and drinks and float around from person to person for easy access. It’s not a bad idea to add a second one to your collection if you have parties regularly.

Need more help with your hot tub? Be sure to check out our hot tub video course!

Tired of trying to keep your hot tub clean all the time and dealing with chemicals?

You'll save $100 right away with this easy-to-follow digital ebook and video course. This is the ultimate maintenance guide that hot tub manufacturer doesn’t provide you.

Click Here to Learn More

The post The 18 Best Hot Tub Accessories for Under $100 appeared first on Swim University®.

Here’s a simple guide on how to get rid of hot tub foam. You can watch the quick video below or keep reading for a complete hot tub foam tutorial.

What Causes Foam in a Hot Tub?

Maybe you’ve seen seafoam for yourself. Seafoam is fundamentally the same as hot tub foam, just with a slightly different chemical makeup.

For foam to appear, it needs three things: water, air, and surfactants. If you’re not a chemistry geek, surfactants are basically super-sticky molecules that reduce the surface tension of a liquid, which makes it easier for substances like oil and water to mix.

Your hot tub contains water and some surfactants, even if you properly maintain your chemistry. But if you slip a little on your maintenance schedule or don’t clear the water after a big hot tub party, you might flip on your jets—unlocking that final ingredient—and find yourself with a foamy mess.

Because the surfactants often end up creating a thin layer of water in between themselves, they tend to push the water molecule into a ball, and suddenly you have a bubble. The more surfactants you have, the more stacking you get, and the more bubbles you get. The final result? Hot Tub Foam!

If you want to skip to solving foam in your hot tub, you can pick up some of our exclusive 3-in-1 hot tub water clarifier and conditioner called Weekly Cleanse. Not only will it help eliminate foam, but it’ll also keep your water crystal clear.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Weekly Cleanse: Water Conditioner & Clarifier

Keep it always feeling like new between Detoxes with our one-time-a-week treatment that combines hot tub cleaner, conditioner, and clarifier to give your hot tub water a soft & silky feel plus sparkling clean water!

Buy Now On Swim University

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The Main Surfactant Culprits In Your Hot Tub

If you regularly maintain your hot tub chemistry, your spa water is thoroughly mixed with sanitizing chemicals and calcium, which help neutralize surfactants and prevent them from creating bubbles.

But if you miss even just a couple of maintenance days, surfactants build up from three main sources.

1. Personal Care Products

Makeup, conditioner, shampoo, mousse, hairspray, lotion, and deodorant can make your sanitizing chemicals work overtime and eventually wreak sudsy havoc. The more of these products you use—say, you have long hair that requires more styling products—the more likely it is that surfactants will build up in your hot tub.

Laundry detergent and soap are also major culprits. Yes, we need to wash our swimsuits, but any leftover detergent in the fabric can really mess with your water’s chemical balance.

2. Beverages

You might enjoy a glass of wine, a beer, a fancy tropical concoction, or even just a soda with your weekend soak. Nothing wrong with that, but you may want to keep beverages away from the hot tub.

Spilling alcoholic or sugary beverages in your carefully tended water can lead to foaming. Plus, who wants to clean up a sticky mess on the edges of a spa, anyway?

3. Human Bodies

When you get down to it, the things the human body can produce are kind of gross. Oils and dead skin cells are all over us whether we like it or not. But that’s why we have sanitizing chemicals in our hot tubs.

If your sanitizing agents are overburdened with body oil and dead proteins, you’re probably going to have a problem with foam in your hot tub.

A Warning About Cheap Hot Tub Chemicals

We all love saving money, but sometimes the savings just aren’t worth it. This is especially true with cheap hot tub chemicals.

They may not be as effective or as concentrated as more expensive options, which means you’ll have to use more to make sure your hot tub is clean. Which means you have to buy more. And then you use more. It’s a vicious cycle.

Even worse, those cheap chemicals could actually cause a buildup of surfactants and a whole slew of other water chemistry problems. That means you’ll have to spend more money on corrective treatments, more time cleaning your hot tub, and less time actually enjoying it.

Good hot tub chemicals aren’t a splurge—they’re an investment. Get the best you can, and save yourself the headache. After all, a hot tub is all about relaxation.

How to Get Rid of Foam in a Hot Tub

Got foam? That’s OK. While clearing a hot tub full of foam may seem like an impossible, messy task, it’s actually pretty simple.

1. Test Your Water

Before you do anything corrective, test your water to find out what your pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels are, as well as check for total dissolved solids (TDS)—these are the surfactants. Knowing what your water chemistry looks like after foaming can help you understand how to avoid the problem in the future.

Another thing to note is low calcium hardness may cause foam in your hot tub. Low calcium can cause other problems, too, like corrosion and etching on your finishes, so it’s important to regularly test these levels as well.

Our Top Pick

SpaGuard Chlorinating Concentrate

Easy to add chlorine to your hot tub with granules (powder) and a cap that's perfect for measuring the amounts you add.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

2. Drain and Refill

Once you’ve tested your water and made note of all the chemical levels, the best thing you can do to get rid of the foam is drain and clean your hot tub. If you have enough surfactants in your water to cause foaming, you may also need to do a line flush and replace your filters.

Since you need to drain your hot tub anyway, this is the perfect time to perform a hot tub deep clean as well.

Basic Steps to Drain Your Hot Tub

1. Use a line flush product, as needed, according to the package directions.
2. Remove the filters. Depending on how dirty they are, you can either clean them with a cartridge filter cleaner spray or replace them.
3. Turn off the power to your hot tub, disconnect anything electrical, and trip the breaker.
4. Drain your hot tub using a sump pump or the drain plug.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Filter Cleaner

Spray Filter Cleanse on your hot tub filters, rinse with water, and your filters will look brand new in less than 20 minutes! Hot Tub Filter Cleanse is a powerful, fast-acting spray cleaner that removes body oils, lotions, and other organic materials from your hot tub filter cartridges.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Basic Steps to Clean and Refill Your Hot Tub

1. Once your hot tub is entirely drained, wipe down the interior surface with a mixture of one part white vinegar to four parts water. Or you can use hot tub cleaner.
2. Thoroughly rinse the inside of your hot tub and wipe it down.
3. Make sure to remove all traces of cleaner. Otherwise, you’ll end up with foamy water again!
4. Replace your filters.
5. Refill your hot tub. We recommend you use a hose filter attached to your garden hose to prevent chemical impurities.

After you’ve drained, cleaned, and refilled your hot tub, test the water, add chemicals, and allow the water to circulate for at least a day. When the circulation is complete, test the water one more time to ensure it’s ready for soaking.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Detox: Hot Tub Cleaner & Purge

Don't let your hot tub fill with hard-to-remove gunk. Clear out the gunk and keep your hot tub water fresh. It removes gunk in your pipes caused by lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, etc.

Kills bacteria inside the pipes for maximum effect.

Buy Now On Swim University

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

For Quick Fixes: Anti-Foam Chemicals

Say you’ve got a party coming up and not enough time to go through all the steps to correct a foamy hot tub. You can buy a foam remover chemical, which will get rid of the foam in your hot tub almost instantly and can last for up to 24 hours.

Remember, foam remover chemicals do not address the cause of foam in your hot tub. It just relieves the problem for a little while. You’ll still need to drain and refill your hot tub to get rid of the foam for good.

Besides, knowing what you know now about the makeup of hot tub foam, do you really want to soak in that? Didn’t think so.

Leisure Time Hot Tub Foam Remover - 32 oz.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

How to Prevent Hot Tub Foam

• Shower before soaking in the hot tub to remove any soap residue, makeup, or deodorant. It doesn’t have to be a full shower. Just a quick rinse is enough.
• Rinse your clean bathing suit with fresh water before getting in your hot tub.
• Avoid dunking your head underwater unless you’re sure your hair is free (or as free as possible) of natural oils, conditioner, and styling products. If you or one of your guests has long hair, tuck it in a baseball cap or pull it into a bun to keep it out of the water.This goes for beards too.
• Keep sugary or alcoholic drinks away from the hot tub. This eliminates the chance of something spilling in the water.
• Buy your chemicals from a trusted source, even if you end up paying a little more. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.
• Maintain a regular hot tub maintenance schedule. This includes weekly or biweekly water testing and a full hot tub draining and cleaning every three to four months.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Water Care Kit

Our kit makes taking care of your water easy and lasts 6-8 months. It includes two (2) bottles of Hot Tub Weekly Cleanse to keep your hot tub water clear and one (1) bottle of Hot Tub Detox, which includes two treatments every 3-4 months for deep cleaning.

Buy Now

Leave the Bubbles for the Bathtub

Waking up to a foamy spa might feel a little nightmarish, but correcting foam in a hot tub is relatively simple. Once you have a clean hot tub and freshwater, preventing foam in the future will be easy. Just remember to avoid adding things that make your sanitizing chemicals work overtime and keep a regular maintenance schedule.

These simple steps mean more time to spend in your relaxing, foam-free hot tub.

Happy Soaking!

The post How to Get Rid of Foam in a Hot Tub appeared first on Swim University®.

So here’s a complete step-by-step walkthrough on which hot tub chemicals are definitely required, which ones you can skip, and how to add each chemical to your hot tub (and in what order).

You can watch the quick video below or keep reading for the complete guide on spa chemicals.

What Chemicals Do You Need for a Hot Tub?

If you want to keep your hot tub water balanced and avoid major problems like algae, bacteria, and biofilm build-up, you’ll need to have these hot tub chemicals on hand:

• Hot tub sanitizer, like chlorine or bromine
• Hot tub shock
• Alkalinity increaser
• pH increaser
• pH decreaser
• Calcium hardness increaser
• Line flush cleaner
• Water clarifier, metal sequestrant, filter cleaner (optional)

Before you add anything to your hot tub, you’ll need to test your water. You’ll want a good supply of test strips. Or for more accurate results, you can use a liquid test kit. You can also take a water sample to your local pool and spa store if you want to test your water source for metals or other minerals. Now after you have your baseline readings, you can start adding your chemicals.

Here are the right hot tub chemical levels:

By the way, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by hot tub water chemistry, check out our Hot Tub Video Course. It’s an easy-to-follow guide to help you save time and money on hot tub maintenance.

Tired of trying to keep your hot tub clean all the time and dealing with chemicals?

You'll save $100 right away with this easy-to-follow digital ebook and video course. This is the ultimate maintenance guide that hot tub manufacturer doesn’t provide you.

Click Here to Learn More

1. Hot Tub Sanitizer

First, you’ll need to decide which type of sanitizer you want to use: chlorine, bromine, biguanide, minerals, or a saltwater system. Each one has its pros and cons. But the biggest debate is whether to use chlorine or bromine.

• Chlorine: Many outdoor hot tub owners use chlorine to sanitize their water. It’s cost-effective, easy to add and manage and it’s an aggressive bacteria and algae killer. The downsides? That chlorine smell. Chlorine kills contaminants by oxidizing. But as this chemical reaction occurs, it gives off waste products called chloramines that cause that smell. If you can smell chlorine, it probably means your chlorine has been used up in your water and you need to add more. Remember, the proper chlorine level for a hot tub is 1 to 3 ppm.

SpaGuard Hot Tub Granular Chlorine - 2 lbs.

This granular, stabilized chlorine is fast-acting and quick-dissolving. You can add it directly to your hot tub water. Because this product contains CYA (stabilizer), it's best used in outdoor hot tubs that are exposed to UV rays.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

• Bromine: Bromine doesn’t produce that chlorine-like smell in your hot tub. It also lasts longer than chlorine and has a lower pH, making it a little easier to keep the water balanced. And many hot tub owners prefer using it because it’s gentler on your skin. But it tends to work more slowly. It’s also unstabilized. That means if you use it in an uncovered, outdoor hot tub, it’ll burn off pretty quickly under the sun. Bromine is best for indoor hot tubs, or hot tubs that aren’t in direct sunlight. The proper bromine level is 3 to 5 ppm.

SpaGuard Hot Tub Granular Bromine - 2 lbs.

These bromine granules dissolve quickly and can be added directly to your water. If you have an indoor hot tub, a covered hot tub or you want to avoid that "chlorine smell," this granular bromine is a great option to sanitize your spa.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

If you want to learn about more sanitizer options, be sure to check out our other in-depth guides on mineral systems and saltwater systems.

2. Hot Tub Shock

Hot tub shock is a great problem-solver and a must-have for regular hot tub maintenance. It provides a large dose of sanitizer to help ward off any developing water issues.

So if you see algae starting to bloom or you notice cloudy hot tub water, your hot tub shock will help. And a weekly shock treatment is a great way to help refresh your sanitizer levels and prevent issues down the road.

There are two types of shock: chlorine shock and non-chlorine shock. And they both have different applications:

• Chlorine or bromine hot tub: Use either chlorine or non-chlorine shock. If you use a non-chlorine shock, you’ll be able to use your hot tub a lot sooner after you shock it. But chlorine shock is more effective at killing algae or bacteria, so that’s what we recommend.

Hot Tub All-In-One Chlorine Sanitizer & Shock

$44.86

This chlorine shock helps reduce bacteria growth of bacteria and treat algae problems in your hot tub. It's best used in chlorine or salt water spas.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

01/25/2023 02:10 pm GMT

• Mineral hot tub: We recommend using non-chlorine shock to keep your chlorine levels low.
• Saltwater hot tub: Use chlorine shock. If you’re worried about your chlorine levels being too high, it’s okay to use a non-chlorine shock.

If you want more information on what type of shock to use, check out our complete guide on How To Shock A Hot Tub.

3. Alkalinity Increaser, pH Decreaser, pH Increaser

One of the most confusing elements of hot tub water chemistry is pH and total alkalinity. pH measures how acidic your water is. And alkalinity acts as a buffer for pH, neutralizing incoming acid and keeping your pH from drastically changing. These two go hand-and-hand and affect each other whenever they change.

Your total alkalinity levels should be between 100 and 150 ppm. And the proper level for pH is between 7.4 to 7.6. Low pH can cause corrosion in your spa. And high pH can cause itchy, dry skin and burning eyes.

There are a lot of products out there designed to raise or lower both pH and alkalinity all at once. But it’s important to have chemicals on hand that do one thing at a time.

• Alkalinity increaser: If your water’s total alkalinity dips too low, it can also bring your pH levels down. That’s why it’s important to have an alkalinity increaser on hand.
• pH decreaser (pH Down): But what if the alkalinity gets too high? Well, there’s actually no product called alkalinity decreaser. To lower your alkalinity, you’ll need to use a pH decreaser. And a pH decreaser obviously lowers pH, too. If your pH is too high, it can reduce your sanitizer’s effectiveness and cause cloudy hot tub water.
• pH increaser (pH Up): If your pH is too low, it could cause burning eyes and corrode parts in your hot tub. That’s when you’ll need to use a pH increaser.

Because this part of water chemistry can feel so complex, we have an entire guide on How to Balance Hot Tub pH (and with it, alkalinity).

4. Calcium Hardness Increaser

If you live somewhere with hard water, you may get calcium deposits on faucets and showerheads. But you actually want some of that hard water in your hot tub. If your hot tub water is too soft, it can eat away at your hot tub shell, pipes, and other parts. That’s why a calcium hardness increaser is so helpful.

Your calcium hardness levels should be between 175 and 250 ppm. Unfortunately, if your calcium hardness levels are too high, the best solution is to drain your hot tub, scrub it, and start over with fresh, filtered water. That’s why it’s important to add calcium hardness increaser a little at a time.

5. Line Flush Cleaner

Over time, the plumbing inside your hot tub can begin to accumulate mineral deposits, dirt, and grime. The only way to get rid of that build-up is to use a line flush cleaner and then drain your hot tub.

You’ll want to flush the plumbing and drain your spa every 3-4 months. And if you’ve never done that before, be sure to check out our complete walkthrough on how to drain and clean your hot tub.

We also make our own hot tub line flush cleaner at Swim University. You can check that out here:

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Detox: Hot Tub Cleaner & Purge

Don't let your hot tub fill with hard-to-remove gunk. Clear out the gunk and keep your hot tub water fresh. It removes gunk in your pipes caused by lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, etc.

Kills bacteria inside the pipes for maximum effect.

Buy Now On Swim University

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Optional Chemicals

• Hot Tub Water Clarifier: A water clarifier helps keep your water sparkling clear. Your hot tub water will look, smell, and feel cleaner when you use a clarifier once a week. Just keep in mind that a water clarifier treats the symptom, not the cause of cloudy water. If you don’t address the root of the problem, like low sanitizer levels or high pH, your water will go back to how it was once the clarifier wears off.
• Metal Sequestrant or Stain and Scale Preventer: If your water source has metals like iron and copper, you may end up with rust-colored or green stains in your hot tub. You can prevent them from occurring by using a metal sequestrant (also called a metal remover). If you have a mineral sanitizer, you’ll have to use metal sequestrant sparingly. Copper is often one of the active ingredients in mineral sanitizers. And too much sequestrant can possibly make the mineral sanitizer less effective.
• Hot Tub Filter Cleaner: You’ll need to remove and clean your filters every week if you have heavy hot tub use. You can use a filter cleaner or phosphate-free dishwashing detergent granules.
• Hot Tub Enzymes: Enzymes help break down organic contaminants like skin cells, body oils, and leaves. They’re not really necessary as long as you keep your sanitizer level balanced, and you drain, clean, and refill your hot tub every quarter.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Weekly Cleanse: Water Conditioner & Clarifier

Keep it always feeling like new between Detoxes with our one-time-a-week treatment that combines hot tub cleaner, conditioner, and clarifier to give your hot tub water a soft & silky feel plus sparkling clean water!

Buy Now On Swim University

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

How To Add Chemicals To Hot Tub Water

Adding the right chemicals in the right order can prevent cloudy water, slimy surfaces, and nasty hot tub smells. And if it’s the first time you’re starting up your hot tub, it’s extra important to add them in the correct sequence. Luckily, all the chemicals you need to start up your hot tub are the same ones we mentioned before that you need to maintain your spa throughout the year.

You can watch this video tutorial or keep reading for the step-by-step guide on how to add chemicals:

Before you start adding any chemicals to your spa, you’ll want to know how many gallons your hot tub holds. This will help you add the correct amount of chemicals to your hot tub. You can find your hot tub’s volume or water capacity in your owner’s manual or with a quick Google search.

Here’s how you’ll be adding chemicals to your water:

• Add chemicals directly to your hot tub water. Measure out your chemicals, then add them one at a time to the surface of your hot tub water.
• Wait at least 20 minutes before adding the next chemical. Keep your jets running and your air valves off to help your chemicals evenly and quickly disperse. You’ll want to make sure each chemical is completely dissolved before adding the next one.
• Keep your cover off. You’ll want your hot tub cover removed so chemicals like chlorine can “off-gas.”
• Be safe. Use gloves, goggles, and a mask when handling chemicals. And keep your chemicals separate before adding them to your tub. Mixing chemicals outside of your water can be dangerous and less effective.

What Order Do You Add Hot Tub Chemicals?

Before adding chemicals, test your water. If this is your very first time filling up your hot tub, you may want to use a more comprehensive test kit to measure calcium hardness or metals like iron and copper.

Tip: Filling up your hot tub with a hose filter can help remove impurities like metals and calcium before they get into your spa.

Next, heat up your spa until the water temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 30 degrees celsius. The hot water will disperse your chemicals more effectively. And run your jets, turn off air valves and keep your cover off of your hot tub.

Finally, it’s time to add your chemicals one at a time, waiting at least 20 minutes between each chemical before retesting. Here’s the step-by-step sequence we recommend for adding chemicals to your hot tub:

1. Add metal sequestrant or stain preventer if necessary

If you need to add this to your water, do so before adding any other chemicals. This neutralizes metals in the water before they can stain your hot tub or harm your equipment.

2. Adjust alkalinity and pH

Your pH helps your sanitizer work more effectively. And Alkalinity helps prevent fluctuations in pH, so it’s important to adjust this level first. Alkalinity and pH go hand-in-hand, so adjusting one can affect the other. That’s why it’s important to add your chemicals one at a time, wait for them to dissolve, then retest your water. And remember, you can always add more, so don’t overdo it. Start with a few tablespoons if your levels are only a bit off.

• Both pH and alkalinity are low: Add alkalinity increaser first. Then test the pH again to see if it needs a pH increaser.
• Low pH: Add a pH increaser. If your pH is too high, add a pH decreaser.
• Low alkalinity: Add an alkalinity increaser.
• Either pH or alkalinity are high: Use pH decreaser to drop them back to the right level.

And after adding each chemical, let them circulate for at least 20 minutes, then retest your water.

#3. Adjust sanitizer levels, like chlorine or bromine

Now’s the time to add your chlorine granules or liquid bromine directly to the water. You can also use bromine tablets in a floating dispenser system. As always, start with a smaller amount of sanitizer, test your water, and add more if necessary.

Bromine does not dissolve as quickly as chlorine, so you’ll need to wait a bit longer to retest these levels. And if you’re using bromine tablets in a floater, this can take several days to disperse in your water before you get a proper reading.

If you’re using chlorine to sanitize your hot tub, we recommend using dichlor granules over trichlor tablets. It’s easier to control your dosing with granules compared to tablets. And trichlor can damage your hot tub’s acrylic shell.

4. Adjust calcium hardness levels

These levels do more damage in the long run, like eroding parts in your hot tub parts, so you can wait until your water is sanitized and balanced before adjusting your calcium hardness. Your calcium hardness levels should be between 175 and 250 ppm.

If you need to raise your levels, add a calcium hardness increaser. If your calcium hardness levels are too high, the best solution is to drain your hot tub, scrub it, and start over with fresh, filtered water.

Do You Need to Add Shock after Filling a Hot Tub?

You actually don’t need to add any spa shock right at this stage. Shock helps kill contaminants and remove compounds that build up over time, like chloramines or bromamines. Because your hot tub is full of fresh water, and you don’t have any build-up of contaminants, you don’t need to add shock right away.

You can add a non-chlorine shock once a week when your hot tub is in use. This will help refresh your sanitizer levels. You can also use a chlorine shock if you’re experiencing issues with your hot tub water, like cloudy water or algae, or if your hot tub is in high use.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Tub Chemicals

Looking for more help adding chemicals to your hot tub? Here are some common questions and answers.

Can you go in a hot tub without chemicals?

It’s not safe to soak in a hot tub without chemicals. That’s like getting into a bathtub after someone else has used it!  A hot tub without chemicals is the perfect breeding environment for bacteria, algae, and contaminants. Just like a swimming pool, you’ll need to keep your spa water sanitized and balanced. If you’re the very first person to get into a  freshly filled hot tub, you might be okay. But that water will get very nasty very quickly.

How soon can you use a hot tub after adding chemicals?

You’ll want to wait until your chemicals completely dissolve and your water levels are adjusted correctly before using your hot tub. This means waiting at least 20 minutes after adding chemicals before soaking in your hot tub. And if you’ve just added chlorine shock, you’ll need to wait even longer.

How often should you change the water in your hot tub?

You should drain and refill your hot tub every 3 to 4 months. This is the chance to remove biofilm and build up that gets stuck in your plumbing and can contaminate your water. Use a line flush cleaner and then drain, clean and refill your hot tub with fresh water.

Is chlorine or bromine better for sanitizing a hot tub?

Many spa owners choose bromine over chlorine. It can cost a little more, but it lasts longer in your water and is very effective at killing bacteria at high temperatures. You’ll also avoid that chlorine-like smell caused by chloramines.

Need More Hot Tub Maintenance Help?

• Download our free Hot Tub Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep your hot tub clean and clear.
• Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials about hot tub care.
• Check out our Hot Tub Video Course. You’ll get step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about hot tub maintenance.

The post Hot Tub Chemicals for Beginners: What You Need and How To Add Them appeared first on Swim University®.

Relax. It’s not as confusing as it may seem. And once you get a handle on the what, when, and how of spa chemicals, taking care of your hot tub will be easy.

Want to learn more about how to keep your hot tub water balanced and sanitized? Then you should check out The Hot Tub Handbook and Video Course to help you save hundreds on chemicals and less time on hot tub maintenance all year long.

Tired of trying to keep your hot tub clean all the time and dealing with chemicals?

You'll save $100 right away with this easy-to-follow digital ebook and video course. This is the ultimate maintenance guide that hot tub manufacturer doesn’t provide you.

Click Here to Learn More

Do I Really Need to Use Hot Tub Chemicals?

Yes. Yes, you do. This isn’t like a bathtub that you fill, use, and immediately drain. The same water stays in your hot tub for weeks, sometimes months. Without chemicals to keep it sanitized, it would quickly turn into an incubation chamber for numerous organisms you definitely would not want to soak in.

If you were thinking you could just vacuum the tub once in a while, keep leaves and other debris out of the water, and that would be enough, you’re setting yourself up for a lot of cleanup work, potential equipment failure, and possibly even hot tub–related illness.

The key to preventing all of those things is using the right spa chemicals. We have a complete guide on what hot tub chemicals to buy here. Or keep reading to learn more about using each chemical.

Hot Tub Chemistry: The First Step

You have three main questions about balancing your hot tub water. The first is, “What chemicals do I need for my hot tub?” The second one is, “How much of those chemicals do I use?” The only way to get the answers to both of those questions is to test the hot tub water, and there’s a lot to get through before you even consider the third question about how to add them.

The only way you’ll know which chemicals you need to add, and how much of each one is needed to balance the hot tub chemistry is to test your water. Be sure to keep test strips or, for more accuracy, a liquid test kit stocked and on hand at all times.

You can also take a water sample to a local pool and spa store and ask them to test it for you.

Once you have the baseline readings, you can start measuring and adding the right amounts of the necessary hot tub chemicals.

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Sanitizer

You could say this is the most important of all the spa chemicals you’ll use. After all, it’s what keeps your hot tub, well, sanitized.

The first thing to decide is which sanitizer you want to use, and you have a handful to choose from:

• Chlorine
• Bromine
• Biguanide
• Minerals
• Salt System

Each one has its pros and cons, so take the time to learn about them before making your choice.

Chlorine

Being the most common sanitizer, chlorine has a few advantages over the others:

• It’s cost-effective.
• It’s easy to add and manage.
• It’s an aggressive bacteria and algae killer.

The same way you may use bleach to kill bacteria, fungus, and viruses in your bathroom, chlorine does all that for your hot tub water.

One drawback to chlorine can be the smell it gives off. Except it’s not the chlorine that smells. Chlorine kills contaminants by oxidizing, breaking down into its chemicals components. As this chemical reaction occurs, the oxidation gives off waste products called chloramines. They’re what causes that “chlorine smell.”

If you can smell “chlorine,” it probably means you actually don’t have enough chlorine in your water because it’s been used up.

Test your water, and if the level is below where it should be, shock your hot tub to bring it back up quickly, get rid of the chloramines, and put the chlorine back to work killing contaminants.

Proper Chlorine Level: 1 part per million (ppm) to 3 ppm

Our Top Pick

SpaGuard Chlorinating Concentrate

Easy to add chlorine to your hot tub with granules (powder) and a cap that's perfect for measuring the amounts you add.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Bromine

Probably the second-most common sanitizer, bromine has one distinctive advantage over chlorine—it doesn’t oxidize, which means it doesn’t give off chloramines. Instead, bromine ionizes contaminants, breaking them apart at the molecular level.

The process produces a different waste product—bromamines. While they don’t smell and aren’t as noxious as chloramines, they still reduce the sanitizer’s effectiveness, and you don’t want them hovering around your hot tub. Keeping your bromine level steady will prevent this.

Bromine also has a few other advantages over chlorine:

• It has a lower pH than chlorine, making it a little easier to keep the water balanced.
• It lasts longer.
• It’s gentler on your skin.

Bromine does have a couple of drawbacks, though. While it lasts longer than chlorine, it also works more slowly, which means contaminants are in the water longer before they’re destroyed.

It’s also unstabilized, which means if you use it in an uncovered, outdoor hot tub, it’ll burn off pretty quickly under the sun. Unlike chlorine, which can be stabilized by cyanuric acid, bromine doesn’t have a stabilizing partner chemical. We think it’s best for indoor hot tubs, or at least ones that are outside but not in direct sunlight.

Proper Bromine Level: 3 ppm to 5 ppm

Biguanide

A non-chlorine sanitizer, biguanide (sold under brand names such as BaquaSpa) kills bacteria just as well as chlorine and bromine do. It has a few other advantages as well:

• It’s doesn’t need to be used as frequently as chlorine or bromine.
• It’s odorless at every stage.
• It makes the water feel smoother to you and your hot tub guests.

On the downside, biguanide usually costs more than chlorine and bromine. It’s also been known to cause deterioration in some spa parts like rubber gaskets and certain plastics. Check with your hot tub manufacturer before using it.

Proper Biguanide Level: 30 ppm to 50 ppm

Minerals

Silver is a known bactericide, and copper is a known algaecide. For these reasons, a hot tub mineral sanitizer uses one or both of them as active ingredients. Its biggest pro is also a bit of a con.

Using a mineral sanitizer means you can use less chlorine, which means the water won’t be as harsh on your skin. But you’ll notice we said less chlorine, not no chlorine. Minerals alone aren’t enough to properly sanitize water, so you must supplement with chlorine to get the full sanitizing effect.

Minerals are also on the less expensive side but remember you’ll be using two spa chemicals for sanitation rather than just one. That said, because you use so little chlorine, you also won’t have a problem with chloramines or the smell they produce.

Minerals are also super easy to manage. There’s no measuring out chemicals to add them to the water, and then waiting for them to disperse. They come in an automatically dosing “stick,” which you simply add to your filter and replace every three to four months. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Proper Mineral Level: 0.5 ppm of chlorine or 1.0 ppm of bromine

Zodiac Nature2 Hot Tub Mineral Sanitizer

Reduce the amount of chlorine (0.5ppm) you use in your hot tub by adding this mineral sanitizer to your filter system and let the power of minerals sanitize your water.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Salt Systems

You’ve heard of salt water pools, right? Well, you could have a salt water hot tub, too, if you wanted one. All it takes is a device called a salt chlorine generator.

You see, salt water hot tubs still use chlorine as a sanitizer. The generator converts the salt into chlorine, so instead of buying chlorine, you buy salt, which is a lot less expensive. The water will also be a lot softer and gentler on your eyes, hair, and skin.

To measure both salinity and chlorine, use test strips made for salt water.

Proper Salt Level: 2,000 ppm to 3,000 ppm, with 2,500 being ideal

Proper Chlorine Level: 1 ppm to 3 ppm (just like a chlorine spa)

Shock

Even if you’re keeping your sanitizer levels exactly where they need to be, your hot tub can benefit from a weekly shock (or more often, depending on bather load). But what makes this one of the most important hot tub chemicals around is its ability to give your hot tub some super sanitizing when it needs it.

Seeing algae starting to bloom in your spa? Did you wake up to a cloudy hot tub? Shock to the rescue! It’s not the only thing you’ll need to do, but it’s one of the more effective methods to quickly clear things up.

Chlorine Hot Tubs

You can use:

• Chlorine shock
• More chlorine
• Non-chlorine shock

Bromine Hot Tubs

You can use:

• Chlorine shock
• More bromine
• Non-chlorine shock

Mineral Hot Tubs

Because mineral systems use so little chlorine, we recommend using a non-chlorine shock to keep the chlorine levels low.

Biguanide Hot Tubs

If you’ve gone the alternative route, and are using biguanide as your sanitizer, be aware that those chemical systems have their own shock designed specifically for the brand you use.

Regardless of which sanitizer you use, your hot tub water’s alkalinity and pH will need to be balanced for the sanitizer to do its job.

Alkalinity

When balancing your hot tub chemistry, you’ll need to adjust alkalinity before trying to balance the pH level. Alkalinity acts as a pH buffer, keeping it from drastically changing.

It can be a delicate operation to get alkalinity levels just right, and if your water’s alkalinity gets too low—less than 100 ppm—it can also bring the pH level down, and the water will become acidic.

For this reason, you absolutely must keep an alkalinity increaser in your spa chemical storage cabinet.

But what if the alkalinity gets too high? Well, there’s actually no such spa chemical as alkalinity decreaser. To lower it, you’ll use a pH decreaser, which will lower both. This dependency and interaction is part of the difficulty in getting these two levels right. Click here for more information on lowering hot tub alkalinity.

Proper Level For Alkalinity: 100 ppm to 150 ppm

SpaGuard Hot Tub Total Alkalinity Increaser - 2 lbs.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

pH

Once you have the alkalinity where it needs to be, turn your attention to the hot tub pH level.

Too-high pH is one of the main causes of cloudy hot tub water. If the level goes above 7.6, and you start to see problems, try using a pH decreaser to brings things back down to normal.

If it’s too low, break out the pH increaser, remembering that it will also raise the alkalinity, and you’ll have to test and possibly adjust that level again.

If both the pH and alkalinity levels are low, just adding alkalinity increaser will raise both, but make sure to adjust the pH if the alkalinity doesn’t bring it up to the correct level.

If both the pH and alkalinity levels are too high, use pH decreaser to drop them back to the right level.

While you’re adjusting alkalinity and pH, you may need to test the water numerous times to get everything right, so keep a supply of test strips on hand.

Important: Low pH and alkalinity can damage your hot tub because of the acidity of the water. High pH and alkalinity can cause scaling, which can also damage the equipment. The heater is at risk both ways. Acid due to low pH will eat away at the heater element, and high pH will deposit scale around the element, making it work harder to heat your hot tub.

Proper Level For pH: 7.4 to 7.6

SpaGuard Hot Tub pH Decreaser - 22 oz.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Calcium Hardness

This is a measure of how hard the water in your hot tub is. If you live somewhere with hard water, you know how you get calcium deposits on faucets and showerheads and causes all kinds of problems? Well, it’s actually sort of the opposite in your hot tub.

You want the calcium hardness in your hot tub to be a little on the higher side. If it’s too soft, it can eat away at your hot tub shell, pipes, and other parts, slowly breaking them down over time. It’ll basically just wreak all kinds of havoc in the water. Sort of like what Mysterio did in Venice.

But what if the calcium hardness level somehow gets too high? That can make it difficult for the other hot tub chemicals you’re using to dissolve properly in the water, so it’s definitely a problem. It can also lead to cloudy water and scaling on your hot tub and its components, just like what happens to your shower head.

In this case, the best solution is to drain your hot tub, scrub it, and start over with fresh water.

To keep the calcium hardness steady and your hot tub healthy, keep a bottle of calcium hardness increaser with the rest of your hot tub supplies.

Proper Calcium Hardness Level: 175 ppm to 250 ppm

SpaGuard Hot Tub Calcium Hardness Increaser - 12 oz.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Hot Tub Enzymes

These naturally occurring substances help break down organic contaminants like skin cells, body oils, leaves, twigs, insects, all kinds of other nasties that can end up in your hot tub. If left too long, those contaminants will break down, and you’ll have to deal with a wicked case of hot tub scum.

Whether you use hot tub enzymes or not is really up to you. They’re not really necessary as long as you keep your sanitizer level balanced, and you drain, clean, and refill your hot tub on a regular basis, which is at least quarterly.

Water Clarifier

Heck, if we’re talking about keeping the water clean, why even worry about all those other hot tub chemicals?! Why not just use water clarifier?! Because it’s not a maintenance item—it’s a temporary measure.

Water clarifier treats the symptom, not the cause of cloudy water, so it’ll clear things up for a little while. But if you don’t address the actual problem, it’ll go right back to the way it was once the clarifier wears off.

So why have it? Well, say you’re planning a hot tub get-together, or maybe a romantic evening with your sweetie, and the water’s looking less than inviting. Instead of spending a lot of time on testing and balancing, you can just pour in some clarifier, and then deal with the root issue later.

But remember, it’s always preferable to keep your water clear and balanced. Water clarifier is a last and temporary resort.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Water Care Kit

Our kit makes taking care of your water easy and lasts 6-8 months. It includes two (2) bottles of Hot Tub Weekly Cleanse to keep your hot tub water clear and one (1) bottle of Hot Tub Detox, which includes two treatments every 3-4 months for deep cleaning.

Buy Now

How To Add Hot Tub Chemicals

The third question you’ll ask is: “How do I add all these chemicals to my hot tub?” It’s easier than you think. You just need to follow a few simple steps.

Keep Your Hot Tub Running

You want the spa chemicals to mix into the water, and the hot tub jets will do this for you.

Do Not Cover Your Hot Tub

You might’ve heard this is a good idea to keep the chemicals from evaporating. Sure, that’s true on an everyday basis. But right after you add chemicals, they need to off-gas, which means the chemicals break down, and a portion of them is released into the air.

You know that new-car smell? Yeah, that’s actually all the new fabric and plastics off-gassing, so don’t enjoy it too much.

Anyway, off-gassing is normal, and you want those chemical gases to dissipate, so don’t trap them under your hot tub cover.

If your hot tub is outside, the gases will just dissipate into the air. But if your hot tub is indoors, it’s a good idea to open a window, or turn on a ventilation fan, or both, so those gases don’t hang around the room where you’ll have to breathe them in.

Turn Off the Air Valves

Speaking of off-gassing, you also don’t want this to happen too quickly. You need some of the chemicals to remain in the water to do their jobs. Too much air in the water, and too much of the chemicals will off-gas. So if your hot tub has air valves that increase jet pressure, turn them off.

Test the Water

Now, before you add any hot tub chemicals, you need to know what the water needs, and how much. To get this information, test the water using test strips or a liquid test kit.

Remember, the three main levels to be concerned about are alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer. If your alkalinity and pH are out of whack, the sanitizer can’t do its job.

Follow the Instructions

Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on every chemical’s packaging to figure out how much of the chemical you need to either raise or lower the specific factor it’s going to address.

Measure Twice, Pour Once

Once you’ve determined which spa chemicals you need to add and how much, measure them out. You don’t want to just pour chemicals into your water straight from the container. Remember, the goal here is balanced water, not a chemical crapshoot.

Add the Hot Tub Chemicals

Finally, just pour the measured chemicals straight into the hot tub water, and walk away. The jets will mix everything up. Leave it for at least 15 minutes, then you can cover your hot tub to prevent evaporation.

Before you get into the hot tub, test the water again to make sure the levels are where they need to be. If they’re not, repeat this process until they are.

Our Top Pick

Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Tests for 7 important chemistries in seconds: Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid.

Buy Now on Amazon Buy on InTheSwim.com

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Only You Can Prevent a Dirty Hot Tub

Aside from keeping your water balanced and having the right spa chemicals on hand to clear your water when necessary, you can do a few other things to keep your hot tub clear.

Keep Your Hot Tub Clean

Duh. Seems like common sense, right? But hey, we all get lazy from time to time, or we procrastinate. We’re human. But this is one area where slacking can get you into more trouble than just not-so-clear water.

Use a good hot tub cleaner on a regular basis to keep things sanitary, and your water sparkling.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Weekly Cleanse: Water Conditioner & Clarifier

Keep it always feeling like new between Detoxes with our one-time-a-week treatment that combines hot tub cleaner, conditioner, and clarifier to give your hot tub water a soft & silky feel plus sparkling clean water!

Buy Now On Swim University

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Shower Before Every Soak

This should also be common sense, but an alarming number of people will just jump right into a hot tub (or pool) without a shower (or at the very least a quick rinse-off) because they figure the sanitizer will just take care of everything.

Sure, that’s what sanitizer is for. But it only does so much. Put too much burden on it, and it becomes a lot less effective. Do your part and help your sanitizer out by showering before you soak. This is even more important when you’re a guest in someone else’s hot tub. Or when someone’s a guest in yours.

Need another reason? We have two words for you: gluteal fold. We’re gonna let the Water Quality and Health Council explain that one.

Keep Your Filter Clean

The filtration system in your hot tub has a tough job. It’s there to remove everything from small bits of debris to bacteria (depending on the type of filter you have) from the water to keep you safe and healthy.

But if you’re not cleaning it regularly, you’re making it a lot more difficult for the filter to do its job. It can’t grab all the debris and gunk if it’s already full of debris and gunk. Do your filter, your hot tub, and yourself a favor by cleaning it regularly.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Filter Cleaner

Spray Filter Cleanse on your hot tub filters, rinse with water, and your filters will look brand new in less than 20 minutes! Hot Tub Filter Cleanse is a powerful, fast-acting spray cleaner that removes body oils, lotions, and other organic materials from your hot tub filter cartridges.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Change Your Filter When Necessary

Even if you clean it regularly, your hot tub filter will still need to be replaced eventually. Keep an eye on its condition when you remove it for cleanings and replace it when cleaning isn’t enough to get it clean anymore.

Use Hot Tub Sponges or Tennis Balls

Remember those organic substances we talked about floating on top of the water, creating a nasty ring of scum in your spa shell? Tossing a couple of hot tub sponges or a few tennis balls into the water will help keep that film at bay. The sponges or the tennis balls’ fuzzy exterior will soak up some of the oil and other things that can cloud your water.

Just remember, they won’t work forever. While you can wash them and keep using them for a while, just like anything else, they’ll eventually need to be replaced.

Keep Your Hot Tub Covered

Whether your spa is outside and exposed to leaves and bugs, or inside and exposed to dust and maybe a too-curious dog, using a hot tub cover will help keep things out that can dirty your water.

This also means less work and fewer chemicals, which translates to less money spent on maintaining your hot tub. If you don’t have a cover, get one.

Drain and Clean Your Spa on a Regular Basis

So you’re already cleaning your hot tub regularly. That’s great! But you know you can’t just keep the same water in there forever, right? Think about that for a minute. Do you really want to?

At least quarterly, drain and clean your hot tub. This is also the perfect time to use a line flush product to get rid of any biofilm that may be lurking in your plumbing. Give it a good scrubbing, refill it with clean, fresh water, and off you go again.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Detox: Hot Tub Cleaner & Purge

Don't let your hot tub fill with hard-to-remove gunk. Clear out the gunk and keep your hot tub water fresh. It removes gunk in your pipes caused by lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, etc.

Kills bacteria inside the pipes for maximum effect.

Buy Now On Swim University

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

You Passed Hot Tub Chemistry 101!

Keeping your water clear isn’t always about using spa chemicals. A big part of it is simply taking good care of your investment. Hot tubs are not cheap. The better you maintain yours, the longer it will last, and the more you’ll be able to enjoy it.

And you’ll be better able to maintain it if you have the right hot tub chemicals and equipment available. So don’t skimp. Get what you need, and use it. Your hot tub will repay you by always being ready when you want to relax.

Happy Soaking!

The post Hot Tub Chemistry 101: What, When, and How to Add Spa Chemicals appeared first on Swim University®.

Hot Tub Maintenance Basics

Before you sink into the warm water of your new spa, take a moment to familiarize yourself with some essential terms. For instance, you might see it referred to as a portable spa, or just a spa. Some folks like to call every hot tub a “Jacuzzi.” But that’s an unfortunate case of universalizing a brand name.

Knowing the make and model of your specific hot tub is important. Having this information on hand makes it easier to get parts and service when you need them.

It also helps to have your spa’s “vital statistics” handy. These include water capacity, age, and specific water challenges (such as hard water) you might need to consider while maintaining your hot tub.

Is a hot tub HIGH maintenance?

Not really. It just requires a basic understanding of water chemistry and a simple schedule (which we’ll dive into), but it’s not expensive. All you really need is some chemicals and testing supplies which is about a $20/month investment.

Before we dive in, stop fussing with hot tub chemistry and maintenance right now and invest in our hot tub care video course. You’ll learn how to keep your hot tub chemistry in check so you never have to deal with messy spa again.

Tired of trying to keep your hot tub clean all the time and dealing with chemicals?

You'll save $100 right away with this easy-to-follow digital ebook and video course. This is the ultimate maintenance guide that hot tub manufacturer doesn’t provide you.

Click Here to Learn More

The 3 Basic Rules of Hot Tub Maintenance (The 3 Cs)

You can think of your spa as a tiny swimming pool because it requires the same basic care.

1. Maintaining good water circulation.
2. Stick to a simple cleaning schedule.
3. Balancing your water chemistry.

1. Maintain Good Hot Tub Circulation

Circulating the water helps keep it free of contaminants by passing it through your hot tub’s cartridge filters.

Depending on the model, your spa may have an automatic circulation schedule that ensures it runs once or twice daily. These cycles circulate the water for around 15 to 20 minutes (or longer) to ensure all the water in your tub passes through the filters.

If your hot tub doesn’t have an automatic cycle, make sure you turn it on for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day, to ensure your water’s been refreshed.

Don’t be afraid to put those filters to work. The more you run your hot tub, the cleaner it’ll be.

2. Stick to a Simple Hot Tub Cleaning Schedule

Cleaning your hot tub is a critical part of effective hot tub maintenance.

Indoor and outdoor hot tubs are both prone to developing scum, but if your spa’s outdoors, keep an eye out for debris like leaves, wind-blown trash, and the occasional stray critter, too. Keep the waterline and seats clear for a clean hot tub, and to help prevent potential water issues.

A weekly clean with a sponge and some white vinegar on your spa’s shell and jets will keep things tidy. Use it to scrub away the scum line at the water’s edge as well.

Make sure you clean the inside of your hot tub as often as possible and don’t forget to wipe down the shell, too. While you’re at it, give the hot tub cover a quick once-over with a 10% bleach-to-water solution to keep mildew at bay.

A weekly clean is essential hot tub care. But plan to drain your spa completely for a thorough cleaning every three to four months, and more often if you’re using it often, or having a lot of guests in it, or both. After all, you wouldn’t fill the family bathtub once a year and expect everyone to reuse the same water over and over, right? Blech.

Protip: Set a timer when you’re refilling your hot tub after cleaning. It’ll remind you to check in on your spa and avoid messy, expensive overflows.

How to Clean Your Spa Filters

They’re on the job whenever your hot tub’s running, and your hot tub filters need a good cleaning to work properly. You can clean them using three methods: rinse, spray, and soak.

1. Rinse your hot tub filters as often as possible with warm water or your garden hose, especially if you’ve been using your spa more than usual.
2. Spray your filters every week or so with a hot tub filter cleaner to provide a deeper clean. Don’t forget to rinse them after.
3. Soak your filters in chemical cleaner every time you drain and refill your hot tub to extend their life and loosen any stubborn particulates. Rinse them thoroughly afterward.

When your filters get to the point where even a chemical soak doesn’t completely clean them, it’s time to replace them.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Filter Cleaner

Spray Filter Cleanse on your hot tub filters, rinse with water, and your filters will look brand new in less than 20 minutes! Hot Tub Filter Cleanse is a powerful, fast-acting spray cleaner that removes body oils, lotions, and other organic materials from your hot tub filter cartridges.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Drain and Clean Your Hot Tub Every 3-4 Months

Since you’re dealing with a small body of water, contaminants will build up making it harder for your chemicals to work. This is called TDS or Total Dissolved Solids.

In order to combat this issue, it’s recommended you replace the water in your hot tub every 3-4 months. You should replace it more frequently if you use the hot tub a lot.

And since you have to do this anyway to keep your hot tub water in top shape, it’s also a good idea to clean in the inside and outside of your hot tub while you drain and refill it. We have an entire video and article on how to drain and clean your tub.

In a nutshell, you should add a chemical that cleans all the built-up gunk in your pipes right before you drain it. This will clean the inside of your hot tub.

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Detox: Hot Tub Cleaner & Purge

Don't let your hot tub fill with hard-to-remove gunk. Clear out the gunk and keep your hot tub water fresh. It removes gunk in your pipes caused by lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, etc.

Kills bacteria inside the pipes for maximum effect.

Buy Now On Swim University

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

3. Balance Your Hot Tub Water Chemistry

Balancing your hot tub’s water is similar to balancing pool water, but a bit trickier due to the drastic size difference. But before you add anything to your spa, you need a baseline reading on your water chemistry. Once your hot tub’s full, test your water to determine the pH and alkalinity levels.

What Hot Tub Chemicals Do You Need?

Keep a good supply of essential chemicals on hand so you’ll be ready to tweak your water as needed:

• pH increaser and pH decreaser for adjusting your pH.
• Alkalinity increaser to protect your pH from drastically changing.
• Sanitizer (chlorine or bromine) to kill bacteria and other contaminants.
• Shock (non-chlorine or di-chlor) to give your sanitizer a boost by adding oxygen and removing chloramines and bacteria.
• Test strips or a liquid test kit to make sure all your chemical levels are in the right range.
• Defoamer (optional) for quick relief from foamy hot tub water.

You can learn more about how each of these chemicals works in our Hot Tub Chemicals Guide.

Adjusting The Hot Tub pH and Alkalinity

Aim for a pH level of 7.4 to 7.6. Values below this range will be too acidic. The water might eat away at your hardware and will likely irritate your skin and eyes. Values above the range will be too basic. The water will reduce your sanitizer’s effectiveness and will be prone to cloudiness.

For alkalinity, shoot for 100 parts per million (ppm) to150 ppm. If alkalinity gets too high, it can cause scaling and cloudiness. Here’s some information on how to lower your hot tub alkalinity.

How to Add Sanitizer to Your Hot Tub

Add the sanitizer of your choice according to the directions on the package, and test again to make sure your pH and alkalinity are within optimal ranges.

You can speed up the mix rate of your chemicals (and help your hot tub heat more quickly) by turning off the air valves.

Shocking Your Hot Tub

If you’re using your spa after a long period of inactivity or you’ve been using it heavily, it’s a good idea to shock your hot tub to make sure it’s completely sanitized.

Make shocking a regular part of your scheduled hot tub maintenance to keep your water safe and clean.

Testing Your Spa Water

Test your water every week, either with test strips or a liquid test kit, and adjust your water chemistry as necessary.

Following the Three Cs provides a firm foundation for hot tub care that’ll get you started on that fabled path to soaking satisfaction. To further solidify your spa care regimen, add an effective and consistent hot tub maintenance schedule. You’ll expand your hot tub skills with more advanced tasks while minimizing the risk of nasty surprises.

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Hot Tub Maintenance Schedule

And the key to good maintenance? Consistency and simplicity. You’ll find it’s much less stressful—and much easier to keep track of tasks—when you break the process into manageable steps that won’t overwhelm you.

This technique, known as chunking, is used by educators, project planners, and businesspeople all over the world to improve their productivity. But it’s just as effective for planning a personal project—like, say, a year’s worth of hot tub maintenance—without feeling like your head’s going to explode.

Each hot tub is different, but every hot tub benefits from simple and consistent maintenance. It’s easier than you might think to set up a schedule that’ll keep your hot tub hummin’.

Like your car, your computer, or, well, you, your hot tub needs regular maintenance to be at its best. Your spa will have its own special needs with regard to water chemistry, accessories, and repairs. But these tasks, broken out by daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly intervals, are universal.

Daily Hot Tub Maintenance

Chances are, a few moments will be all you need to attend to your home spa’s daily maintenance. Make sure your checklist includes:

• Ensure the spa cover is clean and secure. A properly secured cover keeps heat, water, and chemicals in while keeping debris, pets, and kids out.
• Check the water temperature and adjust as necessary. Take careful note of any drastic temperature changes, as they could indicate a serious system issue.
• Check for damage to the cover and spa. This is especially important for outdoor spas, which are exposed to animals and the elements.

Weekly Hot Tub Maintenance

Adding these tasks to your list three times a week will help keep your hot tub in tip-top condition. Don’t forget to schedule them at near or the same time as daily tasks to save yourself time and stress.

• Check the water’s alkalinity.
• Check and balance the pH. Along with alkalinity, hot tub ph is one of the most important parts of hot tub chemistry.
• Check your sanitizer levels. Sanitizer keeps your spa water clean and free from bacteria that might otherwise sicken your friends and family.
• Clean above the waterline. Wipe away the debris that might contaminate the water and throw off the chemical balance.

Weekly

These tasks need your TLC only once a week. Look for opportunities to combine tasks, and don’t forget to keep careful track of your hot tub’s water chemistry for comparison to your daily and monthly values if you’re tracking potential water quality issues.

• Test your hot tub water. Every single week, check your alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer levels, and if you adjust them, test again after the period recommended by the manufacturer. NOTE: this step counts as one of your thrice-weekly checks. Yay for efficiency!
• Sanitize and shock the water. When you shock your hot tub, it recharges your sanitizer and keeps your hot tub healthy.
• Rinse your hot tub filter with water. A clean filter is worth its weight in gold and protects against cloudy water, funky smells, bacteria, and the much-dreaded algae bloom.
• Wipe down your spa cover. Cleaning the cover inside and out protects against mold, mildew, and the nasty smells they bring.

Monthly

Once a month, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. Specifically, the “gritty” that’s accumulated in your jets and filters. You can also take water testing to the next level.

• Give your filter a chemical rinse. This deeper clean clears out more crud and ick than water alone can. Just replace one weekly water rinse with a chemical rinse.
• Give your hot tub jets a once-over. Are they clogged or frozen? Uh oh. It’s time to troubleshoot your hot tub jets.
• Have your spa water checked by a professional. Pros have access to more advanced testing equipment and can help you identify and solve water quality issues before they turn disastrous.

Quarterly (Every 4 Months)

Once every three or four months, you should empty the hot tub and replace it with fresh water. Empty it out, give it a good clean, and make sure everything’s in good working order. Schedule a drain and refill day that lines up with your other tasks to give yourself time to clean the cover and attend to your hardware while the spa is out of commission.

• Clean your hot tub cabinet. Your hot tub will look great with a quarterly clean, and you can touch up any cosmetic or structural damage while you’re at it.
• Give your filter a chemical soak. This is the super version of the chemical rinse and gives your filter the deep clean it needs to keep your hot tub free of contaminants.
• Drain, clean, and repair your hot tub. The best time to make repairs is when you drain and clean your hot tub. And a quarterly drain and clean frees your whole hot tub from chemical buildup and other gunk and goop that can cause performance issues. Soaking your filter while the tub is empty kills two gunky birds with one cleansing stone!

Our Top Pick

Hot Tub Water Care Kit

Our kit makes taking care of your water easy and lasts 6-8 months. It includes two (2) bottles of Hot Tub Weekly Cleanse to keep your hot tub water clear and one (1) bottle of Hot Tub Detox, which includes two treatments every 3-4 months for deep cleaning.

Buy Now

Yearly

Many of the tasks we recommend could, in theory, be done annually without significant impact on your hot tubbing experience. But for optimal performance and the happiest hot tubbing, we’ve recommended them as monthly or quarterly tasks instead.

Remember, while your hot tub is empty and drained, you can attend to weekly or quarterly tasks such as cleaning, repair, and system flushing.

That said, we recommend you tackle these tasks at least once a year, and preferably more often:

• Flush the lines to remove bacteria and biofilm. It’s actually a good idea to use line flush any time you drain and refill your hot tub.
• Inspect your hot tub’s hardware and wiring. Be on the lookout for damage due to wear and tear, pests, and chemical imbalance.
• Have a professional perform a tune-up. They’ll evaluate all your hardware and wiring for potential issues, inside and out.
• Inspect your cover. Keep an eye out for physical damage, moisture absorption, and mildew or mold infestations.
• Replace or update your hot tub maintenance calendar. As the years go by, you’ll learn what works best for you and your hot tub. The new year is the perfect time for adjustments to next year’s maintenance schedule.

3 Hot Tub Care Tips While You’re On Vacation

With just a little bit of extra work before you head out of town, you can sit back and enjoy your trip without worrying how your hot tub will handle being ignored for a week or more.

1. Check Your Local Weather

Before you head out of town, check the weather you’re gonna have in your area during the week you’re gone.

During the warm months, you have to keep a close watch on the algae growth in your hot tub. This means adding shock to the hot tub whenever you need to increase the levels of chlorine in your hot tub to kill off any potential algae growth.

Before you go out of town, go ahead and add a little extra shock to your hot tub and allow the jets to run for thirty minutes to ensure that the shock has reached all of the water. Once that is complete, turn off the jets and go ahead and turn off the heater and the pump as well.

If you want, go to the breaker and turn off the power at the source and lock it, if necessary, to make sure no one can mess with it while you are gone.

During those colder months, your concerns are a little different. When I say colder, I mean when the temperatures could drop below freezing during the day and even at night.

Depending on the time of year, your daytime temperatures could be rather pleasant while the nights can still be cold. This largely depends on where you live. No matter when it happens, if the outside temperatures drop below freezing, the water in your hot tub and the plumbing for your hot tub is at risk for freezing.

Before you head out of town, add water to your hot tub if necessary and be sure it is properly heated. Remember, the colder it is, the faster the heat will escape. Once you have it heated properly, go ahead and turn the thermostat down about ten degrees. This will save you on your heating bills while still keeping the water warm enough so it won’t freeze.

While you are gone, you will need to leave the pump and the heater on long enough to maintain these temperatures to be sure the water does not freeze.

2. Test the Water

Before you go out of town, always test the water to be sure you have the proper water balance. If you don’t, go ahead and add the appropriate chemicals to either increase the acidity or the alkalinity of your water chemistry.

This will help you maintain the hot tub and keep your plumbing in the best possible shape while you are away.

3. Lock the Cover

Never go out of town without closing and locking your hot tub cover. Keep in mind that no one will be at home while you are away and that means that kids could wander onto your property and go for a dip without you ever knowing. If something were to happen, you could still be held liable.

So close that cover and lock it tight before you set one foot out of your front door.

Owning a hot tub should never be a tether keeping you home when you could be off enjoying life. Never be afraid to take a vacation that takes you out of town away from your hot tub.

Just remember to perform a little extra maintenance on it before you go and be sure you set the hot tub for the temperature that it is in your area, and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. So get out there and enjoy life and quit worrying about your hot tub.

Trust me, as long as you perform the proper care tasks before you leave and check it when you get home, hot tub maintenance while on vacation will be a snap.

Happy Soaking!

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Hot Tub Maintenance appeared first on Swim University®.

Before you resign yourself to brittle hair, dry skin, and having to wear a breathing mask in your spa with, consider trying a hot tub mineral sanitizer. But before you just throw out the chlorine, get a complete understanding of what a spa mineral sanitizer is, how it works, and how it can benefit both you and your hot tub.

What is a Hot Tub Mineral Sanitizer?

When you think of minerals, what comes to mind? Calcium, sodium, potassium, Flintstone vitamins? What about silver and copper? They’re minerals too, and they’re what make spa mineral sanitizers work.

Silver has been used as an antibacterial since Roman times, and copper has been shown to fight algae. In fact, it’s the active ingredient in a lot of the algaecides sold for pools and spas.

Hot tub mineral systems put silver and copper to work to keep your spa clean and free of bacteria and algae. Some also include limestone. This mineral absorbs the acid from chlorine, which helps maintain a neutral pH level.

But should you choose a mineral sanitizer over chlorine or bromine?

Frog @Ease SmartChlor Floating Hot Tub Mineral and Chlorine Sanitizing System

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Hot Tub Mineral Sanitizer Benefits

Before you just go with chlorine because it’s what you know, consider what hot tub minerals have to offer.

You’ll Use Less Chlorine

Using a mineral sanitizer means you can use less chlorine, which means the water won’t be as harsh on your skin. And because you’ll need so little chlorine, you also won’t have a problem with chloramines, or the nasty smell they produce.

They’re Less Expensive

Hot tub minerals don’t cost as much as chlorine, bromine, or other sanitizers. Also, you only have to change out a mineral cartridge every few months, provided your hot tub doesn’t get a lot of heavy use.

They’re Easy to Manage

With a spa mineral sanitizer, there’s no measuring out chemicals to add them to the water, and then waiting for them to disperse before you can use your hot tub again.

Zodiac Nature2 Hot Tub Mineral Sanitizer

Reduce the amount of chlorine (0.5ppm) you use in your hot tub by adding this mineral sanitizer to your filter system and let the power of minerals sanitize your water.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Hot Tub Mineral Sanitizer Drawbacks

We can’t think of any reasons not to use spa minerals, but we do think you should be aware that they do have a couple of downsides.

Watch Out For Stains!

Remember, copper is one of the active ingredients in mineral sanitizers. It’s also a common cause of staining in hot tubs. And if you already have high copper content in your water source, adding more copper to the mix is just asking for a stained spa shell.

If this is a concern, you can use a metal sequestrant to keep the copper from settling on any surfaces so it can be filtered out of the water.

Important: If you do use a metal sequestrant, do so sparingly. Remember, copper is often one of the active ingredients in mineral sanitizers. Too much sequestrant can possibly make the mineral sanitizer less effective.

You Still Need Chlorine or Bromine

Minerals alone aren’t enough to properly sanitize water. You need to supplement spa minerals with chlorine or bromine to fully clean the water, and more importantly, to kill bacteria and viruses.

Our Top Pick

SpaGuard Chlorinating Concentrate

Easy to add chlorine to your hot tub with granules (powder) and a cap that's perfect for measuring the amounts you add.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Are You Really Spending Less?

While minerals may be less expensive than chlorine, you do still need chlorine or bromine, so you’re actually paying for two sanitizing chemicals. Depending on how often you use your hot tub, and how well balanced you keep the water, the cost for both chemicals may be less than or possibly even the same as using chlorine alone.

Once you’ve weighed the pros and cons, if you decide a hot tub mineral sanitizer is the way to go, it’s an easy process to get started.

Spa Mineral Sanitizer Types

One clear advantage hot tub minerals have over chlorine granules and bromine tablets is that there’s no measuring, and no gloves needed to handle them. They’re available in three forms.

Filter Sticks

This is the easiest type to use. You simply insert a “stick” into the filter. As water passes through the filter, it also passes through the stick, releasing minerals into the water that makes its way back into your hot tub.

Frog Filter Mate

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Inline System

This type of spa mineral sanitizer is made by Frog, and is a little more complex because your hot tub has to have an inline system pre-installed. It’s a compartment into which you slide the part that holds the cartridges.

If your hot tub doesn’t already have this compartment, you can use the filter stick or the floating dispenser and get the same sanitizing and benefits.

If you’re thinking about buying a hot tub, and you want the inline system, you’ll need to get your spa from Marquis Spas, Caldera Spas, Artesian Spas or Hot Springs Spas. They all have the in-line system installed on select models. Be sure to ask about this before you make your purchase.

Tired of trying to keep your hot tub clean all the time and dealing with chemicals?

You'll save $100 right away with this easy-to-follow digital ebook and video course. This is the ultimate maintenance guide that hot tub manufacturer doesn’t provide you.

Click Here to Learn More

Floating Dispensers

The second-easiest option, all you have to do is connect a mineral cartridge and either a chlorine or bromine cartridge to a floating dispenser, and then let it float in your spa. The minerals are released at a constant rate to keep the water clean. One cool benefit—you’ll know it’s time to replace one or both of the cartridges when the dispenser turns on its side.

Whatever type you choose, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Frog Serene Floating Sanitizing System plus 2-Pack Bromine Cartridges

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

How to Use Hot Tub Minerals

If you’re converting to minerals from any sanitizer other than chlorine or bromine, you may want to completely drain and clean your hot tub before adding minerals.

If you’ve been using chlorine, just let the level drop to at least 0.5 parts per million (ppm) before you begin. For bromine, let it drop to at least 1 ppm.

Test Water Hardness

Starting From Empty: Test the hardness of your water source. You can do this with test strips or a liquid test kit. If it’s over 250 ppm, use a hose filter when filling the spa. This is a good idea anyway to remove and reduce some impurities, such as copper.

Our Top Pick

Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Tests for 7 important chemistries in seconds: Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid.

Buy Now on Amazon Buy on InTheSwim.com

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Starting From Full: Test the water in the hot tub, and make sure the calcium hardness level isn’t over 250 ppm. If it is, drain some of the water from the spa, then refill with fresh water, using a hose filter. Repeat as necessary until the calcium hardness level is in the correct range.

Our Top Pick

Hose Filter with Flexible Hose Protector

Fill your pool or hot tub with this hose filter that'll filter your water so you can have a fresh start with water chemistry.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Test for Metals

Starting From Empty: Test your water source for metal content. Kits or strips that test for metal are usually geared toward drinking water, so your best bet is to take the sample to your local hot tub store and have them test it for you.

Note: If you like, you can also ask them to test for calcium hardness and get both of those results at the same time. If the metal levels—especially copper—are high, add a metal sequestrant to the water after you fill the hot tub.

Starting From Full: Exact same procedure as above, except you’ll take the water sample from the hot tub and not the spigot.

Hot Tub Metal Remover

$15.33 ($0.96 / Fl Oz)

Quickly remove metals like iron and copper from your hot tub water.

Buy Now on Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

01/25/2023 04:04 pm GMT

Balance the Water

Starting From Empty: Just like you would balance your hot tub any other time, you’ll go in this order: alkalinity, pH, calcium hardness. You want all of those factors to be in the following ranges:

Total Alkalinity: 125 ppm – 150 ppm
pH: 7.4 – 7.6, with 7.5 being ideal
calcium hardness: 175 ppm – 250 ppm

Starting From Full: No difference.

Add the Minerals

Once the water is balanced, you’ll add the spa minerals to the filter, in-line system, or floating dispenser. Regardless of which type of hot tub mineral sanitizer system you’ve decided to use, the cartridge or stick will need to be changed every three to four months, or whenever you drain, clean, and refill your spa.

Also note that some brands such as Jacuzzi and Sundance Spas produce mineral sanitizers specifically for their hot tubs.

Add the Supplemental Sanitizer

Whether you’ve decided to use chlorine or bromine, add a small amount at a time, testing in between, to reach the correct level:

Chlorine: 0.5 ppm
Bromine: 1.0 ppm

Spa Choice Bromine Tablets for Hot Tubs - 5 lbs.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

How to Shock a Mineral Hot Tub

The frequency with which you shock your hot tub won’t really change no matter what kind of sanitizer you use. Once a week, at least. More often if you have a high bather load, or a problem like cloudy water. But what kind of shock you use may change.

On start up, use chlorine shock to kill bacteria and clear the water. After that, you may want to use non-chlorine shock.

You’ll be keeping the chorine level low while you’re using spa minerals, and chlorine shock can raise that level above the 0.5 ppm mark you’re aiming for. Granted, it will dissipate, but if you don’t want to have to wait too long between shocking and using your hot tub, opt for non-chlorine shock.

You can still use chlorine shock on occasion. Just remember to check the water afterward, and rebalance as necessary.

SpaGuard Non-Chlorine Hot Tub Shock

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Ready to Kick Chlorine to the Curb?

A clean hot tub, softer water, and less money spent on shampoo that removes chlorine. Sounds like a hot tub mineral sanitizer may be the way to go if those things are important to you.

Just remember, regardless of the kind of sanitizer you choose for your spa, be vigilant about keeping the water balanced, and you’ll avoid a lot of potential problems. All that’s left to do is enjoy your hot tub the way it was meant to be.

Happy Soaking!

The post The Complete Guide to Hot Tub Mineral Sanitizers appeared first on Swim University®.

We’re not talking cup holders and cute bathing suits. We mean the hot tub supplies that will help you take the best possible care of your hot tub, from the water, to the shell, to the (spoiler alert!) cover. If not, there’s no time like the present to stock up.

Hot Tub Supplies: More Than Just Chemicals

Of course you have a full complement of spa chemicals on hand to keep your hot tub water clean, clear, and sanitary. But it takes a lot more than that to keep your spa clean and running smoothly.

Suck It Up!

You know you need to drain and clean your hot tub at least once a quarter. But what about those times when debris falls into your spa, but it’s not enough to warrant a full deep clean?

That’s when it’s time to break out the spa vacuum. Use it to pick up sand, leaves, or whatever else might’ve made its way into the water, and save yourself a lot of work and time.

GAME 4855 Manual Pool and Spa Pump Action Vacuum

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Cover It Up!

If you’re leaving your hot tub uncovered when you’re not using it, you’re losing four important things. First, water, chemicals, and heat, all of which disappear through evaporation. And those three losses add up to the fourth: money.

Keep the first three things in your hot tub, and the fourth one in your wallet, by using a hot tub cover. It has other benefits, too, like keeping things out of your spa that don’t belong there, and keeping you from having to wait for the water to heat up before a soak.

MySpaCover Hot Tub Cover, Fits Any Shape Any Size Up To 96" - 5-inch taper

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Lift It Up!

You know what? Hot tub covers are heavy. They get heavier with time, too, as the core accumulates and holds water. Sure, you could ease your aching back with a nice, long soak. But you could go one better by treating yourself to a spa cover lifter.

Choose one that relies on manual power, or one that’s fully automated. Either way, you’ll be saving effort, energy, and a pulled muscle or two.

Blue Wave Low Mount Spa Cover Lifter

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Soak It Up!

Eeeeewww! What is that stuff floating on top of your hot tub water?! What you take into the water stays in the water, including body oils, hair conditioner, and makeup. Mix all those things together in a warm tub of water, and you’ll eventually get a layer of hot tub scum floating on the surface. Blech!

After it’s there, your spa will need a good cleaning. But to keep it from accumulating and turning your hot tub into a grimy soup, soak up that scum and grime with floating sponges. Don’t have any? Tennis balls work too. And don’t forget to at least rinse off before you step into the hot tub to keep as much of that icky stuff out as you can.

Swimables Floating Sponges for Pools and Spas - 2 pack

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Seal It Up!

Any time you have a large volume of water putting pressure on, well, anything, the potential for leaks increases. Your spa is no exception. Even if you take the best care of it, you may still encounter a hot tub leak at one point or another.

The key to keeping a small leak from turning into a gusher is to seal it up as soon and as quickly as possible. To do this, make sure you keep hot tub leak sealant on hand, and replace it as soon as the materials are used up.

Marlig Industries Fix a Leak for Pools and Spas - 32 oz.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Buff It Out!

What if it’s not an actual leak, but just cracks or scratches in your hot tub shell? Depending on the severity, you’ll either need to fill it and buff it out, or just buff it out.

What you use to fill a crack will depend on what your hot tub shell is made of. They’re usually composed of acrylic, vinyl, or rotomolded plastic. When buffing out a scratch, be sure to use fine-grit sandpaper. You want to smooth it out, not create a whole bunch of new scratches.

3M Sanding Sponge - Extra Fine Grit - 6 Pack

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Test It Out!

How do you keep your water balanced, prevent algae, and make sure there’s enough sanitizer in the water to prevent illness? You must test your hot tub water on a regular basis. No, actually, it’s best to do it frequently.

How you do this is really a matter of preference. You can use test strips, which are quick and easy. But if you’re a Bill Nye fan, and want to feel like a scientist in a lab, you can try a liquid test kit. Either way, stay on top of water balancing to keep everything—and everyone—clean and healthy.

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

Buy Now On Amazon

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Filter It Out!

Sometimes, all spa filters need is a good hosing off. When they’re really dirty, you can clean hot tub filters with a special cleaner. But when the filter is just worn out and isn’t doing its job anymore? It’s time to replace it.

Filters don’t spoil, so keeping one or two in your spa care toolkit means as soon as you find your filter failing, you can fit a new filter in fast.

Spa Filter Cartridges - Replace Unicel, Pleatco and Filbur - 2 Pack

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Do It Up!

Don’t get caught with your bathing trunks down. Even if you only use them once in a while, having all the hot tub supplies you may need readily available will save you trips to the store, allow you to address potential problems as soon as they arise, and help you keep your spa cleaner than it’s ever been.

And if you only use your bathing trunks once in a while, well, that’s up to you. No judgment.

Happy Soaking!

The post 8 Hot Tub Supplies You Absolutely Need appeared first on Swim University®.

Ready to click your heels together and get ozonating? Once you understand how your ozonator works, which style is right for your spa, and how to install and maintain it properly, it might just whisk you away to a new land of hot tub satisfaction.

How Much Sanitizer Do I Need With An Ozonator?

If you’re using a hot tub Ozonator, maintain your chlorine levels at 0.5 PPM (compared to the typical 1-3 PPM) and your bromine levels at 1.0 PPM (compared to the typical 3-5 PPM). Because ozone frees up your sanitizers and breaks up the chlorine and bromine molecules bonded to contaminants, you need less sanitizer in your spa.

However, a little sanitizer is a good backup to prevent severe water chemistry issues. Be sure to test your water regularly to help maintain the right chlorine and bromine levels.

What Is a Hot Tub Ozonator?

While it sounds like a frankly amazing modification to a hot tub balloon basket, a hot tub ozonator is actually a device used to generate and inject ozone gas into your spa water.

Doing so helps scour impurities from the water and reduce the amount of chemicals you need to keep your hot tub running clean and serene.

Now You’re Cleanin’ with Gas

You’re probably familiar with good old oxygen, or O₂. It’s abundant in our air supply, and our bodies need it to do fun stuff like transfer nutrients and, y’know, stay alive. Think of ozone, or O₃, as oxygen’s burly big brother.

This gas has serious sass. Ozone kills bacteria and other contaminants in your hot tub, even without strong chemicals. It has three oxygen atoms per molecule instead of two, and it’s a real social butterfly.

It’ll attach itself to all sorts of gross and grimy contaminants in hot tub water, including lotions and potions like soap, makeup, cologne, sunscreen, and hair spray. It even tackles bodily fluids like saliva and urine.

What Does Ozone Do?

When used in conjunction with your regular hot tub sanitizer (e.g., chlorine or bromine), ozone helps kill pathogenic bacteria, germs, and viruses. That means you can use less sanitizer, cutting your spa spending while making your hot tub a happier place for anyone with chemical sensitivities.

Ozone not only destroys microorganisms, but also breaks down harmful chemicals, and causes total dissolved solids to clump together for easier removal by your filter cartridge. You get cleaner and clearer water that feels smooth and silky on your skin.

Because it’s so reactive, ozone also breaks up chlorine and bromine molecules that have bonded to contaminants. You won’t have to shock your hot tub as often, since the ozone frees up the sanitizers and allows them to be reused continuously. This can boost your savings even further.

Note: Despite its many virtues, ozone’s reactivity can wreak havoc on the vinyl interior of your hot tub cover. Add a hot tub thermal blanket, and you’ll not only protect your cover, but boost your energy savings by further reducing heat and moisture loss.

Hot Tub Thermal Cover 7 ft. x 6 ft. x 3/8 in.

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

How Ozonators Work

It might seem like sorcery, but there’s no dark magic involved in making O₃. Ozonators split oxygen molecules into two free oxygen atoms in one of two ways: intense ultraviolet (UV) light or by using what’s known as a corona discharge (CD) unit.

When these freed oxygen atoms collide with existing oxygen molecules present in the water, they create ozone.

Ultraviolet Light or Corona Discharge?

While their functions are identical, UV and CD ozonators each bring their own set of pros and cons to the table.

Ultraviolet Light Ozonators

These bad boys are the OGs of O₃. They use ultraviolet light to split oxygen molecules into free oxygen atoms that recombine with ambient oxygen to create ozone.

They’re not as powerful as CD units, have a shorter functional life, and may cost more to run if you’ve got a large hot tub. Also, their bulbs inevitably succumb to solarization, or reduced UV output over time, and have to be replaced every two to three years to regain their ozone-making power.

On the plus side, UV systems aren’t affected by ambient humidity, and will produce ozone as efficiently in the swampy Florida summer as they do in an arid Colorado autumn. They’re also easier to clean than their CD counterparts.

UltraPure 1006520 UPS350 115V Spa UV Ozone Generator With 4-Pin AMP Cord

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Corona Discharge Ozonators

These models use much newer technology than their older cousins. The “corona” in “corona discharge” is a sheet of plasma created when a conductor is ionized by electricity. This purplish curtain resembles a halo or a crown (corona is the Latin word for crown).

CD ozonators have a long working life, high efficacy and efficiency, and lower costs than UV units. They can also handle much larger volumes of water, despite being generally smaller than UV models. They don’t have cartridges, chips, or bulbs to replace, and their plate ionizers can last as long as ten years.

The drawback is that, much like static electricity, conductor ionization is hampered by high humidity. So if you live in an area with very high humidity (60% or higher) during the season(s) you’ll be using your spa, a CD unit might not be the best option for you.

Hot Tub CD Ozone Generator

$170.46

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

01/25/2023 03:29 pm GMT

When Should You Run Your Ozonator?

Depending on bather load (the number of people your hot tub using your hot tub, and how frequently), you’ll need to run your ozonator anywhere from 3 hours during a 12-hour period to 24 hours a day to see maximum performance.

For best results, turn it on and leave it running, especially if you use your hot tub on a regular basis.

What You Need to Add an Ozonator to your Spa

You’ll find that many of today’s spas are sold as “ozonator ready,” which means they already have a hook-up for the unit of your choice. All you really need is your ozonator and a properly primed hot tub.

Note: While adding an ozonator is straightforward for most, we recommend you consult a professional if you’re uncomfortable with installing hardware, don’t have time, or just want a little extra quality assurance. Water and electricity might be a recipe for success when making ozone, but it’s as bad for humans as it is Wicked Witches.

To get your hot tub ready for your ozonator:

• Verify that your hot tub will accept an ozonator by consulting your owner’s manual. If there is room and a power hook-up for your device, you’re good to go.
• Determine the proper voltage (120v or 240v).
• Check your electrical system to make sure your timer works properly and your entire hardware system is protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
• Find and repair any leaks in your spa plumbing.
• Check the filters, and clean them if necessary.
• Drain your hot tub and fill it with fresh water to give your ozonator a clean start.
• Balance and sanitize your hot tub water. Remember: ozone reduces the amount of chemicals needed and improves water quality, but it won’t replace your sanitizer.
• Verify the plug type you will need to connect the ozonator to your hot tub’s control pack.

Del Ozone Universal Hot Tub Ozonator

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Ozone-ready hot tubs usually have a small ozone jet near the bottom of the tub. This jet will have a water port, and an air (ozone) port. When no ozonator is present, the jet acts as a water jet only.

You’ll often find a capped, clear, ¼” interior diameter (ID) air suction tube hanging in the equipment bay of your spa if it doesn’t already have an ozonator.

How to Install an Ozonator in Your Hot Tub

You might be surprised by just how easy it is to add an ozonator to your spa. Gather your courage, heart, and ruby slippers, and get to it.

1. Mount the Ozonator

Physically install the unit under the spa cabinet or near the hot tub depending upon your tub and your setup. Mount the device firmly, and make sure it has plenty of room for airflow.

2. Install The Check Valve and Connect it to Your Spa

If your hot tub has an ozonator jet, simply connect it to your unit. If not, you may need to do a bit of plumbing. Consult your hot tub manual (or hire a pro) before you proceed.

Locate the ozone suction connection. This is typically ¼″ inner diameter (ID) × ⅜″ outer diameter (OD) vinyl air tubing. If the tubing has a cap, you can snip it off to accommodate the one-way check valve included in the ozonator kit

Note: The check valve is designed to prevent water backflow from ruining your ozonator. After you connect your ozonator to your hot tub, cut the tubing at around six inches, and install the check valve. Remember, you want air to be able to travel from the unit to the spa, but water needs to be stopped before it reaches the ozonator.

Attach the ozone check valve to one end of the vinyl tubing supplied with your ozonator kit. Attach the check valve’s other end to the hot tub’s suction tubing.

Set the air (ozone) to flow away from the ozonator and toward the hot tub. The valve may have a directional indicator for easy setup. If it doesn’t, determine the flow direction by blowing into one end of the valve. Be extra careful with this step, as installing the check valve backward will keep your ozonator from working properly.

3. Create a Hartford Loop

Your check valve is the first line of defense against backflow destroying your ozonator. But you can add another layer of protection by arranging your ozone tubing into a special fault-protection configuration known as a Hartford Loop.

Originally designed to protect steam boilers from failing if a line ruptured, the Hartford Loop protects your ozonator by keeping water from flowing into it.

Create a Hartford Loop by looping the ozone tubing up as high as you can before you connect it to the ozonator. Make sure the loop of tubing is above the water line, and it will help prevent water from reaching your ozonator in the event of a line failure or other problems.

4. Choose Your Power: Plug and Play or Hardwiring

Depending on your handiness and ambition, you can either plug the ozonator into a wall outlet for maximum convenience or hardwire it to your system so it turns on and off when you power on the main breaker for your hot tub.

Important: Again, if you don’t feel comfortable performing electrical work, be sure to consult or hire an electrician if you want to hardwire your system.

5. Set the Timers

With your system installed, the only step remaining is to set the timers. Configure the timers on your ozonator and hot tub so the system turns on and off automatically so you don’t have to play watchman.

For peak performance and efficiency, you may have to experiment with the run times of your ozonator based on your water quality and bather load. Start with three hours and increase it as needed.

Maintaining Your Hot Tub Ozonator

You’ve installed your system. You’ve powered it up. Oxygen molecules are being ripped to shreds like so many flying monkeys. All that’s left is to keep things running smoothly.

Regular ozonator maintenance is easy. Ensure it’s making ozone, the ozone is reaching the hot tub, and your check valve is holding down the fort.

1. Make Sure It’s Generating Ozone

No need for divination to see if your system is creating enough ozone—instead, test your hot tub water with ozone test strips or a meter.

You’ll get an instant snapshot of the ozone in your water, and adjust (or replace) your hardware or boost your run time accordingly.

2. Check the Ozone Delivery System

Like a farmhouse dropping on an unsuspecting sorceress, a faulty ozone injector can really put a cramp in your style. No matter how much ozone your unit’s generating, it won’t matter, because none of it reaches the water without a working injector.

If you find your water has low ozone levels, check your ozone injector before you replace the whole system.

3. Inspect the Check Valve

Keeping water out of the ozonator is essential, and your check valve is a key part of preventing backflow from ruining your day. If this valve begins to leak or (eep!) fails completely, your hot tub could quickly destroy your ozonator. Make checking this valve a regular part of your hot tub maintenance so you can stop a leak before it starts.

Industrial Test Systems 481234 Sensafe Ozone Test Strips

Buy Now

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Replacing Your Ozonator

Most UV ozonators last between two and three years before they need replacement. In some cases, you might need to change a solarized bulb before the system itself needs a full replacement. CD ozonator plates can last for a decade, but be sure to keep it clean and run it when the ambient humidity is low for optimal performance.

How will you know when to repair or replace? Check your water quality. Use ozone test strips or a test kit to help you identify problems with your ozonator and determine if it’s time for a new part or a whole new unit.

Now You’re the Wizard of Oz(one)

Sure, you could settle for soaking without that mighty molecule we call ozone. You’d spend more on chemicals, and probably have to shock more often, too. Add in the stress of extra upkeep, and you might as well be living in a monochrome dust bowl farmhouse.

Life with an ozonator? Now that’s a horse of a different color. With one of these handy units installed, you’ll save money on chemicals, enjoy cleaner, healthier soaks in your spa, and be able to say without a trace of irony, “There’s no place like home!”

Happy Soaking!

Image courtesy SpaDepot.com. Used with permission.

The post A Quick and Easy Guide to Hot Tub Ozonators appeared first on Swim University®.