Hot tubs are great for helping you to relax, and they really can brighten up any garden. To ensure that your hot tub is safe to use, you must conduct research into the various chemicals that you will need. In this blog, we’re answering the question, what hot tub chemicals do I need?
Maybe you’ve already purchased your new luxury hot tub, or you’re researching how to care for it when it arrives. Either way, we’re here to help you ensure your hot tub chemical levels are correct.
What start-up hot tub chemicals do I need?
Our friendly team will provide you with detailed information regarding water care for your hot tub. In addition, they’ll answer any questions you have and help you to get set up.
Here are the chemicals required for safe spa water – pH Increaser, pH Decreaser, Chlorine or Bromine. In addition, you can use our Self Sanitising Drop Test Kit to sanitise the spa water.
These hot tub water chemicals are available in different forms. For example, you can use chlorine tablets, chlorine granules, bromine tablets, or bromine granules.
How to put chemicals in a hot tub
When you first purchase your hot tub, you should familiarise yourself with the suggested water capacity of your tub. This is important when determining how much of each chemical is needed.
After this, you should start by purchasing a selection of testing strips. These testing strips will check for many things, such as hot tub pH levels, total alkalinity, chlorine/bromine and calcium hardness.
A high-quality testing strip will give you fast and accurate results. Based on your testing strip reading, you will know which chemicals your hot tub needs to function properly.
Our high-quality test strips work fast, and the optimum level of each chemical is shown on the packaging. You can hold the test to the packaging and see if your spa water is within the recommended range. If it’s not, you’ll need to increase the chemical or use a decreaser. You should test the water again 30 minutes after adding new chemicals to hot tubs.
When balancing the water chemistry in your hot tub, you should always adjust the pH and alkalinity first. Adding them in a different order may hinder the effectiveness of the other chemicals. Repeat testing until each of the chemicals are at the optimum level. You can enjoy your luxury hot tub when you’ve found the right chemical balance.
How soon can you use the hot tub after adding chemicals?
When you first set up your hot tub, you’ll need to wait up to 24 hours before you can use it. This is because you’ll need the water to heat and ensure all chemicals completely dissolve.
As we said, you’ll also need to test the hot tub water to ensure that it is balanced correctly. This is vital to ensure you and your guests are safe when using the spa.
Our delivery team can advise you on when you can start using your spa after you add chemicals.
How often should I test the water in my hot tub?
It’s easy for the chemicals in your hot tub’s water to become imbalanced, and that’s why we would recommend testing the water at least once a week to ensure that it is safe for use.
You can continue to test the water in your hot tub using inexpensive testing strips, which can be purchased directly from our website, along with all the chemicals you’ll need to keep your water balanced. Check out our online shop.
Why should I test the water in my hot tub?
By this point, you may think that testing the water in your hot tub sounds like a rather big job, but we can assure you that it isn’t. You’ll get much faster as you get used to adding spa chemicals and testing the water chemistry.
Ensuring that your hot tub has the right amount of each of the chemicals is really important to ensure that your water is clean. These spa chemicals work by killing bacteria in the hot tub water, which can easily be present due to different people sitting in your hot tub. A non-treated hot tub is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
If you find that your hot tub chemicals are not at their optimum level, you should repeat the steps above by adding one chemical at a time, waiting and retesting until you find the right balance.
Through regular testing, you can always rest assured that your hot tub is well maintained and people can feel comfortable joining you inside your tub. Read our blog on the risks of a pH imbalance.
When you know that you’ve found the right chemical balance, you can enjoy your luxury hot tub whenever you want.
How often will I need to empty my hot tub?
Many hot tub owners are surprised to find that they don’t need to empty the hot tub very often. You only need to empty the hot tub around four times a year. Of course, if your hot tub water is dirty or you notice cloudy water or excessive foaming, you may need to empty the hot tub. Before you do, you can try our Spa Water Clarifier or Foam Away solution.
You can use a hot tub shock treatment to maintain clean spa water and reduce scale build-up. Our non-chlorine shock can be used on a weekly basis to keep your hot tub water looking fresh. A non-chlorine shock treatment is suitable for spas using chlorine or bromine.
Regular hot tub maintenance can include wiping the spa shell down regularly with a gentle cloth. Sometimes, grime can gather along the waterline of your spa, and this can be carefully wiped away too. This can be common if guests aren’t washing off body oils and deodorants before entering the hot tub.
Each time you empty the hot tub, you must add the relevant chemicals and test the water before using it again.
Hot tub care guidance
We also recommend using a hot tub cover and checking the spa filter regularly to maintain clean hot tub water. Make sure to store hot tub chemicals in a safe place, out of reach from children. Wear protective clothing when using any hot tub chemical.
If you’d like any more information on hot tub chemicals, please don’t hesitate to contact us; we’re happy to help. Enjoy being a happy hot tub owner!
