Best Practices for Extending the Life of a Spa From AQUA Like an automobile or home, hot tubs or spas need to be maintained in order to extend their life. There are some simple things that the spa or hot...
How to Get Rid of Foam in Your Pool from Swim University Foam in swimming pools can be caused by a variety of chemicals and organic materials. While it can be a perplexing thing to manage and remove, there are...
by Rob Cox via Poolcenter Hot Tub Tips: Filtration and Sanitation If your backyard paradise includes a separate spa or hot tub, you know how important it is to maintain your spa water chemistry and proper filtration. A spa is...
Hot tubs by nature should conjure up images of peace loving environmentally conscience folks who are doing their best to save the planet! However, the real nature of a hot tub is one where water is heated and in containment for a long period of time.
To keep the water in that hot tub safe and free of bacteria chemicals are needed.
Using Chlorine or Bromine
Primarily, disinfectants such as chlorine or bromine have been staples in the hot tub market for years. However, some may see these "chemicals" as something that can be harmful to humans or the environment.
In actuality the chlorine or bromine used in hot tub water care is some of the safest and innocuous chemical when it comes to water treatment. Both chlorine and bromine are categorized as "halogens" , meaning they both are formed from salt. And once they have cycled through the process of disinfection or oxidation in water they both convert back to a salt...it's kind of like the expression "from dust to dust", only in this case it's 'from salt to salt"!
As long as they are used properly chlorine and bromine are still two of the most effective and safest forms of water disinfection!
Alternative Hot Tub Sanitizers
by Terry Arko via swimuniversity.com
Many who buy a hot tub often do so with a misconception that caring for a small hot tub will be easier and involve less chemical use and time than a swimming pool would. Those who have cared for spas/ hot tubs know that nothing is farther from the truth. These individuals have discovered that spas and hot tubs aren't just tiny swimming pools.
In fact a hot tub is much more than just a tiny swimming pool. There are many differences between a pool and hot tub and these differences call for a different and more strategic plan for care. Listed below are some of the major differences between hot tubs and pools.
Temperature – Most pools max temp 80° Spas/Hot tubs 92° to 104°
Higher evaporation rate – leads to more scale and increased calcium levels
Air jets and blowers cause quicker chemical reduction
Water balance – smaller body of water means greater effect on pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and TDS from added chemicals
Bather load ratio – 3 people in average spa/hot tub = 300 in a backyard swimming pool