Most people think balancing their spa is difficult, but in reality, if you just follow a few easy steps, you can have a therapeutic spa that is enjoyable and safe to use, while at the same time keeping your equipment from deteriorating. Here are the steps:
- First you will need to purchase some test strips, sold in most spa stores, like The Pool Doctor. Always start with balancing the alkalinity first, which should be in the ideal range of 80 to 120 ppm. This is the most common mistake we see made, where people generally try to balance their ph first. If you follow our steps, your ph will naturally be balanced and your equipment will not be ruined by acidic water.
- Balance your sanitizer level (for most people that is chlorine or bromine). Ideal ranges are 1.5ppm to 3.0 ppm. If you are using an ozonator, then you can keep it between .5-1.0 ppm without worrying about bacteria developing, etc. The best way to keep your spa sanitized is to have a tab floater in the water at all times you are not using the spa.
- Oxidizer should be added about one time a week depending on your usage. Oxidizer channels all solids in the water (deodorant, perfume, lotion, skin, etc.) to the filter quicker, keeping your spa drains less frequent.
- Draining your spa should be done at least every three months if you use the spa almost daily; or every four months if you use it 3-5 times a week. If you use it less than that, you may be able to get away with every six months, but keep a close eye on the water – you can usually tell if it’s not sanitary anymore.
- At every drain, clean your filters. Also, add some calcium hardness to the water which will prevent the body of the tub and equipment from being damaged.
That’s it! 5 Easy Steps to balance spa – now enjoy!
