Owners Club

Standard Steps to Correct Water Problems

• Remove Debris in Filter(s) - Clean vs. Rinsed filter. Organic and Oil Based Materials - refer to Good Hot Tub Habits Guide
• Shock hot tub water to remove excess organic material and Combined Chlorines
• Bring in a Water Sample to test Water Balance, Sanitizer levels and TDS Levels

NOTE: Dosages will vary depending on TA and CH levels. The recommended dosages are approximate and presume the water is balanced to 100 ppm TA and 250 ppm CH. All dosages per 2000 litres (Tbsp. = level tablespoon).

Total Alkalinity
Total Alkalinity buffers or controls changes in pH. Maintain TA between 100-150 ppm. Total Alkalinity is critical to the protection of the equipment. Spa Life Buffer, in four level tablespoon doses, will raise the TA 20 ppm in 2400 litres of water.

Calcium Hardness
Calcium Hardness controls overall buffering capacity of the water. Low CH can lead to corrosion; high CH to scaling, cloudy water and staining. Maintain CH between 150-300 ppm. 10 level tablespoons of Spa Life Cal will raise CH 50 ppm in 2000 litres of water. To lower CH, drain part of the old water, refill with fresh tap water, then retest.

Spa Vocabulary

• Acid: A chemical which lowers pH when added to water.
• Algae: Microscopic aquatic plant life which can grow on pool surfaces or float free in the water.
• Base: A chemical which raises pH when added to water.
• Bacteria: One celled organisms, some of which cause disease and/or infection. Without proper sanitation, pool water and pool surfaces are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria.
• Calcium Hardness (CH): The quantity of calcium dissolved in the water.
• Chlorine: The sanitizer and oxidizer most commonly used in swimming pools.
• Organic Waste: Nitrogen and ammonia bearing compounds such as urine, saliva, perspiration, body oils and suntan lotions that are continuously introduced into pool water by swimmers. Most organic wastes will not filter out and must be chemically removed (oxidized) with a periodic shock treatment.
• pH: The measurement of water's relative acidity and basicity. The pH range is from 0 - 14; a pH of 7 is neutral. pH values below 7 are acidic and values higher than 7 are basic. The recommended pH for pool water is 7.2 to 7.8.
• Residual: The amount of a compound existing in water, usually expressed as parts per million.
• Sanitizer: A chemical compound, such as chlorine and bromine, which disinfects (kills bacteria), kills algae, and oxidizes organic matter.
• Shock: The process of introducing significant quantities of an oxidizer to water to bring about the chemical destruction of excess organic wastes.
• Total Alkalinity (TA): The amount of bicarbonate, carbonate and hydroxides present in water. TA acts as a pH buffer.