What Chemicals to Add to Hot Tub the First Time
If you have bought a hot tub recently, you might be wondering what chemicals to add to the hot tub for the first time. Many hot tub owners struggle to find the answer to their queries about hot tub chemicals. There are many things you need to take care of while adding chemicals to the hot tub’s water. Putting extra chemicals can play havoc with the chemistry of the water, which can be detrimental to the well-being of people who soak in the hot tub.
You also need to take care of chemical quantities and the order in which to add the chemicals. In this article, we are also going to take a look at all the factors that you should keep in mind while adding chemicals to the hot tub for the first time.
Once the water is at the appropriate level in the hot tub, you can start adding the chemicals. You can find out the recommended level of water by checking the markers on your hot tub. Once the hot tub is full of water, let the pump run for at least an hour so that the water can circulate through the hot tub. To know which chemicals to add, you need first to check the level of chemicals present in the water. Choose the brand of chemical testing strips recommended by your hot tub’s manufacturer.
Balancing the pH and Alkalinity – The first step in adding chemicals is balancing the alkalinity and pH value of the water. The ideal alkalinity of the water should be anywhere between 100-120 ppm. Before you balance the pH, you need to balance the alkalinity as changing it later can impact the pH value. If the alkaline level is lower than 100 ppm, add a chemical agent to increase alkalinity. If the alkaline level is too high, you can use a pH decreasing agent that decreases both alkalinity and pH value of the water.
The ideal pH value of the water should be between 7.2 and 7.6. If the pH is higher or lower, add the pH decreasing agent or a pH increasing agent as needed. Once the pH is balanced, you can move on to the next step of balancing the alkalinity of the water.
Adding Sanitizer – Once you have balanced the alkaline and pH level of the water, you can add a sanitizer. When adding chlorine for the first time, you should aim at higher free chlorine in the water so that it can disinfect all parts of the hot tub properly. Ideal chlorine levels in your hot tub should be 3-5 ppm. Test for chlorine levels after 15 minutes of adding it to the water and maintain the standards in the recommended range.
If for any reason, you don’t want to add chlorine to your hot tub, you can choose bromine instead. One benefit of using bromine is that it does not give off a chemical smell like chlorine. For bromine, maintain a level of 3-5 ppm in the water of your hot tub. You can use liquid bromine or bromine tablets in the amounts recommended by the manufacturer for your hot tub’s size.
Conclusion
A hot tub is not like a bathtub where you drain the water immediately after use. The water in a hot tub can stay in for extended periods, and chemicals keep the water sanitized. As the water is heated up regularly, it can lead to the birth of germs and bacteria in the water.
To ensure a safe and sanitized environment in the hot tub, you should keep a check on the level of chemicals in the hot tub. Adjust the chemicals as needed depending on the level of water in your hot tub. Most chemical containers have directions on what amount of chemicals to use for how many gallons of water.
When you regularly use your hot tub, the chemicals get spent up in cleaning the water, so you need to add more to the water. If you feel that the water chemistry is not right and appropriate levels of chemicals and check if the water chemistry is balanced. If the water looks cloudy or dirty, you can change the water and fill the hot tub with fresh water.
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References:
https://www.masterspas.com/how-to-hot-tub-water-chemistry
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