Chemicals Explained

Spa Chemicals: 

  • Alkalinity is a measure of ph balance, it is okay to have it be relatively higher. Shock can assist in helping high alkalinity but overall high alkalinity isn’t an issue. If it is musky smelling the shock will assist with this.
  • ½ ounce of chlorine is jump start and shock.
  • Spa up= Ph up= Alkalinity Increaser
  • Calcium=Hardness increaser
  • Shock= Renew= Oxidizer
  • Shock: once a week. Shocking a spa means applying an ample dose of chlorine (sodium dichlor) or non-chlorine shock (potassium monopersulfate or MPS). One purpose of this treatment is to break-down organic waste contaminants which cause odor and cloudy water. After treatment, water quality and clarity is often completely restored.
  • Chlorine: The chlorine range should be between 1.5 and 3 PPM. Typically, adding chlorine powder to your water every other day will keep your spa water within range, but always test to ensure you add the proper amount. Chlorine cartridge will last about 1 month while a mineral cartridge will last about 3-4 months.
  • Bromine: A bromine level of between 3-5ppm (parts per million) must be maintained in your hot tub at all times. The addition of bromine will depend upon usage and bathing habits. It could be daily or every 2-3 days (for 3ppm add 12g per 1500 liters)
  • Replenish: Combination of shock and chlorine. Compliments the @ease system.
  • Calcium: The ideal range for calcium hardness is 150-250 ppm (parts per million) for hot tubs. To much will cause cloudy and particle build up.
  • Clarifier: A polymeric clarifier works like a magnet. It attracts and gathers (a.k.a. agglomerates) negatively charged particles (like dirt, dusts and other inorganic particles), making them large enough to become trapped in the media of the filter. Can be a solution to cloudy water. Works as enzymes sometimes.
  • Enzymes: Break down oils. Oils commonly seen; Makeup, body oils, lotion, etc.
  • Metal gon: Great for well water not used unless circumstantial. Metallic water needs metal gon.
  • Foam down: Can help lower foam but is mainly a short term solution to the foaming problem itself. Best advice would be to take a rinse shower before entering spa as it is detergent from laundry and soaps on skin causing foaming.
  • Spa Down: is a sodium bisulfate chemical that lowers the pH and alkalinity of out-of-balance spas and hot tubs. Rarely used. Chlorine brings ph down so Spa down is rarely used.
  • Filters:
  • Generally last a year but should be cleaned once a month.
  • Little detergent tabs clean them, you throw one in a bucket of water and you let the filter soak in it for 24hours. Then you take it out and wash it real well if you don’t wash well it will cause a soapy mess in you spa.
  • Can just rinse with hose but will need to occur more frequently. (Not as good of a clean in general as a detergent clean)
SpaPure Complete Chlorine Spa Care Kit

Filters

  • Tropic Seas: require the standard filter and the micro, sometimes but rare they will have a single filter which is the larger of the two. The generic replacement for tropic seas spas is 6ch-502 and FC-0311. Side note: If you do not have the micro filter you can use the larger filter on both spots. You can not however, use the micro filter in both spots.
  • Viking: pleacto 5ww5op3 or the unicell 6ch-940
  • Tonga: C-4335
  • Coleman Spas: C-8450, C-8475, and C-5374
  • La Spas: 5CH-203, sock filter, and bands for sock filter
  • Mac Spas: C-4950, 5CH-25 or 6CH-47