ChlorineChlorine is a very effective sanitizer; it has been used in pools and spas for many years but is slowly being substituted with other available sanitizer because of its harshness and strong odor. If this is the sanitizer that you have chosen you will find it available in granular and 1-inch tablet forms. The granular form can be distributed directly into the water; usually 2 tablespoons every other day will keep the required level (1.5-3.0 PPM) to maintain a bacteria free spa.
A test kit is required to achieve this balance. If you are using the 1-inch tablet form, a floater that houses the tablets will need to be purchased. Once the floater is loaded with approximately 4 to 6 tablets it is then set in the water and is distributed through erosion. This choice is the most popular and convenient.Once again, you will need to maintain the proper reading with a test kit to keep your water fresh and clean. The next step in setting up a "healthy spa" is checking the pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness. These are very important measurements to keep in balance; they keep the water from becoming corrosive, which will attack heating elements, pump seals and internal gas fired heaters. Read all about these important three in Understanding Water Chemistry section.Shocking the spa water once a week or during heavy bather use, is also a must. This is done with a non-chlorine shock or oxidizer; these eliminate odors and reduce irritating contaminants for fresh, clear water. Remember because of the high temperatures and heavy bather loads, spas require higher sanitizer levels, as well as heavier oxidizer doses to eliminate bather waste and maintain clear, sparkling water.Also recommended, as part of your arsenal to keep your spa healthy is an enzyme based clarifier. This chemical is used literally to eat body oils that attach to the spa surface giving it the "ring around the tub" title.
It also helps keep your filter from clogging therefore making it last longer. You can read about this product in the Informative Articles section.Last but not least, get a thermometer that will tell you the temperature of the spa water. This takes any guessing out along with keeping the water safe for bathers.There are several other different chemicals available, but are not essential in keeping your spa "healthy." For example: if foaming is a problem, there is a chemical for that. If you have water high in minerals, there is something available for that. If making the water smell like a particular scent is something you want you can find this and all that was mentioned, in the spa chemicals and accessories section.Notes on chlorine-bromine use: More is not better when using these chemicals, it very important not to overload or try to "shock" your spa water with them. If you do, you stand an excellent chance of causing equipment failure due to corrosion. A non-chlorine shock or oxidizers are available for doing this.
Article supplied by: spacare.com
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