Spa Water Chemistry

How many gallons of water does your spa hold?

This seemingly simple question is extremely important when you consider that the most common spa models will hold anywhere from 150 to 550 gallons of water. A 400 gallon variance on a 20,000 pool is hardly noticeable, but on a spa, what a difference! Please check your owners manual or if your spa was purchased from Eastgate Pools & Spas we will get you the information you need.

Testing Your Spa Water

While your spal's water capacity is extremely important to know, it is also important to know what the chemical levels are in the spa. Proper chemical levels in the spa help ensure that the water is invitingly clear, clean, and healthy. To save time and money, there is no more important thing that you can do than to test your pool's water. It is regular testing that helps ensure water that is of exceptional quality. Failure to test the spa on a regular basis will almost assuredly result in extra work and expenditures for you. As an example, running your spa with a low pH can ruin the spa's heating element. (Heating elements damaged by improper water chemistry are not covered by your spa manufacturer's warranty.) This problem and others are a direct result of improper water chemistry, which is a consequence of infrequent water testing.

If water chemistry balance is so important, just how often should you test your spa? The answer to this question will vary somewhat depending on how often your spa is used. A spa's water chemistry balance changes dramatically with use. Consider, if you will, that 4 people in a 300 gallon spa is nearly equivalent to having 270 people in a 16' x 32' inground swimming pool. As a person uses a spa, their body will naturally release body oils and perspiration into the water. These wastes greatly effect the spa's water chemistry balance.

For home spas with average usage, testing the spa three times per week will normally suffice. When testing, always wait at least one hour after the spa has been used before taking the test.

To test the spa water, Eastgate Pools & Spas recommends the use of Test Strips. For exact instructions on how to use the test strips, please refer to the package of test strips. If you have any question on their use, please let us know.

Chemical Levels

Now that you have learned how to use the test strips to test the spa water, you will probably wonder what it all means. What is the significance of the bromine, pH, and total alkalinity readings that you have obtained? Are there any other chemical levels to worry about?

At this time, we would like to take a look at the basics of spa water chemistry. Each of the important parameters will be looked at individually. We will also discuss their importance to each other. By keeping these chemicals in the proper range, you will increase the life of your spa as well as your enjoyment of it.

Balance Water

When talking about balanced water, we are talking about water that will neither corrode nor scale. Balanced water helps keep metal pipes and heating elements from corroding. Balanced water also helps prevent scale deposits from forming on spa surfaces, pipes and on heating elements. These scale deposits reduce the spa equipment's efficiency.

The above description tells why balanced water is important, but it does not address what balanced water actuallly is. Water is said to be balanced when the pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness are within given ranges.

pH
pH is a measure of whether something is acidic, basic, or neutral, and it is always measured on a scale of 0 to 14. Everything has a pH value associated with it. A pH of 7.0 is neutral, a pH under 7.0 is acidic, and a pH over 7.0 is basic.

Acidic Basic

Your spas pH is important for many reasons, and as such, it cannot be neglected without problems occurring. On a spa, the pH should be kept in the following range:

Recommended pH Range - 7.2 to 7.8

If the pH is not kept in the proper range, the spa owner may experience the following problems:

pH Level	Problem
pH Too Low	Corrodes surfaces and equipment Irritates user's skin and eyes
pH Too High	Scales spa surfaces and equipment Contributes to cloudy water Irriataes user's skin and eyes

The spa's pH is important and is fairly easy to test for and adjust. All swimming pool/spa test kits should test for pH, and by now you've probably become familiar with how to use your test strips. Once you have tested the water and obtained your results, you can make any needed adjustments to the pH.

If the pH tests low, you will use pH Increase. As per the manufacturer's directions, add this product while the pump is running. Liquid pH Increase should be added one ounce at a time. After a minimum of thirty minutes to an hour, retest the pH and adjust further if needed.

If the pH tests high, you will need to add Liquid pH Decrease. When adding Liquid pH Decrease, it is recommended that you mix one ounce of pH decrease to five gallons of water. This solution should then be added to the spa. The spa should be circulating. After a minimum of thirty minutes to an hour, retest the pH and adjust further if needed.

TOTAL ALKALINITY
No discussion of pH would be complete without looking at total alkalinity. Total alkalinity is a measure of alkaline materials in the spa water. While this doesn't mean much to most of us, what is important is that these alkaline materials play a significant role in helping to maintain the spa's pH. These alkaline materials help prevent changes in the spa's pH. At proper total alkalinity levels, the spa's pH will be more stable. This stabilizing is referred to as buffering the pH.

The total alkalinity on your spas should be kept at the following levels:

Total Alkalinity - 80 to 140 Parts Per Million

In the event that the total alkalinity is out of range, the following problems may occur:

Alkalinity Level	Problem
Total Alkalinity Too Low	pH is difficult to maintain - it drifts Corrodes surfaces and equipment Stains spa surfaces
Total Alkalinity Too High	pH is difficult to adjust - it remains fixed Scales equipment and surfaces Makes water cloudy Since pH stays high, sanitizer efficiency drops

Spas with low total alkalinity levels need pH Buffer added to them. This product is a powder and is very easy to add. For the proper dosages, see the container's label.

High total alkalinity spas require the same chemical as is used on a spa with high pH (pH Decrease). You will need to use the dosage as recommended on the container.

If you want to save your spa's equipment and also save money on chemicals, then keeping the total alkalinity in range is a must. In the event that the pH and total alkalinity both need adjusted, always adjust the total alkalinity first since this acts as a buffer for the pH.

 

CALCIUM HARDNESS
Calcium hardness is a measure of dissolved calcium in the spa's water. While calcuim hardness is important to water balance, it is not as frequently tested as pH and total alkalinity. In fact, most consumer test strips do not test calcuim hardness. As such, periodically have your water tested by Eastgate Pools & Spas so that we can advise you as to what treatment, if any, is needed.

The calcium hardness should be kept in the following range:

Calcium Hardness - 120 to 250 Parts Per Million

If the calcium hardness is out of range, the spa owner may see the following problems:

Hardness Level	Problem
Calcuim Hardness Too Low	Corrodes spa equipment
Calcuim Hardness Too High	Makes water cloudy Scaling may form on equipment and surfaces

Since calcium hardness will usually be tested at our store, any recommended action , if needed, will be prescribed when we test the water. In general, spa water with low calcuim hardness will need a calcuim increaser, and spa water with a high calcuim hardness level will need to have the water either changed or diluted with fresh water. It is also possible to control calcuim by using Stain & Scale Remover.

While Stain & Scale Remover will not remove the calcuim from the water, it will help to keep the calcuim from coming out of solution and depositing on the spa and its equipment. Regular use of this product is essential no matter what the calcuim level is for your spa water due to how calcuim reacts in hot water.

Unlike most items that dissolve in water, calcuim is less soluble as the water temperature increases. What happens on spas is that the heating element will be the first place for the calcuim to deposit due to its high temperture. If you see calcuim deposits on the spa surface, you can almost be guaranteed that the heater will also be covered with deposits. The use of Stain & Scale Remover will help prevent this problem.

 

Clean Water

While balanced water is determined by pH, total alkalinity and calcuim hardness, clean water is determined by the spa's sanitizer. When we talk about clean water, we are referring to more than just water that looks nice. We are referring to water that is safe for the users of the spa. Clean water is free of both visible debris as well as invisible debris like bacteria.

 

BROMINE
While nearly everyone is familiar with chlorine and its role with swimming pools, they may not be as familiar with bromine. Chlorine and bromine are in the same chemical family, but most experts feel that bromione is better suited for the hot water application of a spa. (While chlorine and bromine have many of the same characteristics, bromine is more stable than chlorine in high temperature applications. If chlorine is to be used on a spa, it should be sodium dichlor granular chlorine. Never use chlorine tablets, liquid chlorine or calcuim based chlorine. It is also important to note that there are a few spas on which sodium dichlor granular chlorine must be used. These spas cannot safely use bromine because they use a spa shell material that discolor easily. The majority of spas though use what is referred to as cast acrylic. On a cast acrylic spa, bromine is an acceptable option. If your spa did not come from Eastgate Pools & Spas or if you are unsure of your spa's surface material, please give us a call. We will try to help you determine which sanitizer is right for your spa.)

Bromine Level - 3.0 to 5.0 Parts Per Million

The role of bromine in a spa water is two-fold. The bromine is both a sanitizer as well as an oxidizer. In its sanitizer role, the bromine destroys micro-organisms such as bacteria, algae, fungi and viruses. In its oxidizer role, the bromine "burns-up" organic contaminants such as suntan lotion, body oils, perspiration, dust and dirt. As the bromine sanitizes and oxidizes, it is used up. If the spa is allowed to operate with a low bromine level, the water can become unhealthy and unclean.

The proper bromine level to maintain in a spa is 3.0 to 5.0 ppm. Keeping the level much higher than this level will waste money and is hard on your skin and swimsuit. Letting the level go too low can result in unclean and unhealthy water.

In order to keep the bromine level at the right level in your spa, the first thing to do is add a 2 ounce packet of Sodium Bromine Shock to the freshly filled spa. (One 2 ounce packet per 400 gallons.) This helps establish a bromine residual in the spa. Each time it is drained and refilled, add the proper dosage.

Once the Sodium Bromine Shock is in the spa, Brominating Tablets that you place in your spa's bromine float will dissolve and provide the bromine that is needed to keep your spa clean. Never add bromine tablets directly to the spa as damage may result. You will have to adjust the amount of water that flow over the tablets in order to control the bromine level. The more holes uncovered on a floating brominator, the more bromine is dissolved into the water, resulting in a higher bromine level.

Nature2 Spa Purifier
As an alternative to bromine, a Nature2 Spa Purifier may be included with your spa. The Nature2 Spa Purifier uses natural minerals to sanitize the spa's water, coupled with a very small dose of chlorine sanitizer. (In fact, if your spa is equipped with a Nature2 unit, bromine cannot be used in the spa.)

You will still test and maintain your spa's pH and total alkalinity levels just as you did with bromine or chlorine. You will not, however, be testing for bromine or chlorine. Monopersulfate Test Strips will allow you to measure pH, alkalinity and oxidizer levels.

A Nature2 Purifier must be used in conjunction with Oxidizer, as the Nature2 itself has no oxidizing capabilities. Failure to use the required oxidizer will render the Nature2 useless and will result in cloudy water. Nature2 has a four month life. At the end of four months, it should be replaced.

SPA FROG
This is a specialized in-spa system allows the consumer to sanitize the spa and oxidize organic waste with a minimum amount of effort, thus allowing you to maximize your overall enjoyment. Call or stop in the store and speak with an Eastgate water specialist to learn how to use this system.

OZONE
Ozone is a form of oxygen that is produced when ordinary oxygen is exposed to an ultraviolet light. Ozone is an extremely strong oxidizer and sanitizer. Use of ozone helps to keep the pH and total alkalinity balanced. Eastgate Pools & Spas does not recommend relying on ozone in a spa as a sanitizer. You cannot be assured that there is enough in the water to provide for all of the spa's sanitizer needs. For this reason, we suggest ozone be used in conjunction with bromine, chlorine or Nature2.

Specialized Chemistry Considerations

Even the best cared for and "balanced" spa will need a few other chemical additions to its water to keep everything in good shape. These other chemicals are commonly referred to as specialty chemicals.

FOAM OUT
It is normal for spas to produce foam when the jets are on high speed. This usually worsens the longer the water is in the spa. To remedy this problem, add a squirt of foam out to the spa water. The bubbles will disappear for a short time while you use your spa. This product is not a permanent solution. Excessive foaming may indicate the need to drain and refill the spa.

SPA PIZAZZ
Even with regular maintenance, spas can develop a water line. To help prevent this line and to help keep the filter clean use Spa Pizazz on a regular basis. It is a natural enzyme based product which breaks down oils.

COVER CLEANER
Of all the parts of the spa that experience usage, none can top the spa's cover for wear and tear. Cover cleaner will not only keep your spa cover clean, but it will also help keep the vinyl soft, prolonging the life of your cover.

 

 

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