- [Narrator] Time to clean that hot tub!
I'm just gonna dump some--
Whoa, wait!
Hold on.
Clean hot tub isn't just
about adding sanitizer.
If you don't add in
right amount of chemicals
in the right order at the right time,
you're gonna end up with
some funky hot tub water.
But don't worry, the secret
to keeping your water balanced
is knowing a little basic
hot tub water chemistry.
Check it out.
(upbeat music)
We're gonna cover three basics
of hot tub water chemistry,
alkalinity, pH and calcium hardness.
I know, I know, who'd
thought you would ever
need to know all this chemistry
to enjoy your hot tub.
But once you understand
these concepts you'll be able
to troubleshoot most
hot tub water problems.
First up, pH and alkalinity.
These two go hand in hand.
When you start balancing
your water's chemistry
the first thing you're gonna
adjust is the alkalinity,
specifically the total alkalinity.
Total alkalinity is the water's ability
to neutralize acids,
it acts as a buffer reducing
acidity in your hot tub water.
No one wants to soak
in acidic water, right?
You wanna aim for an alkalinity level
between 125 and 150 parts per million.
Then there is pH.
As you may remember from
high school chemistry,
pH measures whether a
solution is basic or acidic.
The pH scale goes from zero to 14,
with seven, right in the
middle, being neutral.
The lower the pH the
more acidic the water is.
The higher the number
the more basic it is.
You may wanna aim for a pH
level between 7.4 and 7.6
with 7.5 being ideal.
(water splashes)
Now, here is why they work together,
because total alkalinity buffers acidity,
adjusting the alkalinity
first may be enough
to bring the pH in line.
If you need to increase the alkalinity,
you can use an alkalinity increaser.
However, if you need to
bring the alkalinity down,
you'll actually use a pH decreaser,
that's because bringing pH down
also brings alkalinity down.
Again, this is why we
adjust the alkalinity first.
Finally, if after reaching
a good alkalinity level
the pH is still out of wack,
you can add pH increaser or decreaser.
Getting these two levels
balanced is essential.
If they are not right,
your sanitizer won't work
the way it's supposed to.
Now, this is another reason
to test your hot tub water
at least once a week.
Keep a supply of test strips
on hand or you could use
a liquid test kit for
more accurate results.
You can also always take your water sample
to your local tot tub dealer
and have them test it too.
Nest up is calcium hardness.
This is the measure of how hard the water
in your hot tub is.
If you live somewhere with hard water,
you know how you can get calcium deposits
on faucets and shower heads, right?
Well, you actually want
the water in your hot tub
to be a little bit on the harder side.
If it's too soft it can eat
away your hot tub shell,
pipes and other parts,
slowly breaking them down overtime.
Now, to keep the water hardness steady
you can add calcium hardness increaser.
The ideal calcium hardness
level in your hot tub
is 175 parts per million
to 250 parts per million.
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So alkalinity, pH and calcium hardness
are the chemicals that
you're absolutely need
to maintain your hot tub water chemistry.
But there are a couple
more you can keep on hand
for special circumstances.
First, is hot tub enzymes,
they help break down organic contaminants,
like skin cells, body oils,
leaves, twigs, insects and
all other kinds of nasties
that can end up in your hot tub.
But, if left too long,
they'll break down and leave a gross film
on top of your water and
scum ring around your spa.
Enzymes aren't absolutely
necessary as long as you keep
your sanitizer level balanced
and if you drain and clean your hot tub
on a regular basis at least
every three to four months.
Next, there is water clarifier.
Now, while clarifier
will help you clean up
your cloudy water, it's
only a temporary solution.
Water clarifier treats the symptoms
not the cause of cloudy water,
so it will clear things
up for a little while,
but not forever.
But if you don't address
the actual problem,
it'll go right back to the way it was
once the clarifier wears off.
If you're in a rush because, let's say,
you're having people
over to use your hot tub,
clarifier gets the job done.
Instead of spending a lot of
time testing and balancing,
you can just pour in some clarifier
and then deal with the root issue later.
But just remember, it's always better
to keep your water clean and balanced.
Water clarifier is just a
last and temporary resort.
Okay, now that you know
what chemicals to add,
let's go over how to add them.
First, keep the hot tub
running when you add chemicals.
You want chemicals to mix into the water
and the hot tub jets will do this for you.
Once you add the chemicals,
do not cover your hot tub.
You might have heard this
is a good idea to keep
the chemicals from evaporating,
but right after you add chemicals
they need to gas off,
which means a portion of the chemicals
will be released into the air.
Off-gassing is normal
and you want those chemical
gases to dissipate,
so don't trap them under
your hot tub cover.
If your hot tub is indoors,
it's a good idea to open a window
or turn on a ventilation
fan, or even both.
Just so that these gases
don't hang around the room
where you'll have to breathe them in.
If your hot tub has air valves
that increase jet pressure, turn them off.
You don't want off-gassing
to happen too quickly.
You need some of the chemicals
to remain in the water
to do their jobs.
Too much air in the water
and too much of the
chemicals will off-gas.
Now, before you add any chemicals,
test the water using test
strips or a liquid test kit.
Remember focus on alkalinity and pH first.
If your alkalinity and
your pH are out of wack,
the sanitizer can't do its job.
Next, determine how much of
each chemical you'll need.
Refer to the manufacturer's instructions
to figure out which chemicals
you need and how much to add.
Then, measure them out.
You don't wanna just pour
chemicals into the water
straight from the container,
remember the goal here is balanced water
and that requires precision.
Finally, pour the measured chemicals
straight into the hot
tub water and walk away.
The jets will mix
everything up and leave it
for at least 15 minutes
and then you can cover
your hot tub to prevent evaporation.
Before you get into the hot tub,
test the water again to
make sure that the levels
are where they need to
be and they are not,
repeat the process until they are.
And there you have it.
You just passed hot tub chemistry 101.
Congratulations!
(celebratory music)
If you missed anything
or have any questions,
please leave a comment to let us know
and to help out your
fellow hot tub owners.
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That's it, thanks again and happy soaking.
(calm music)
