Spa & Hot Tub Treatments Explained.
There is a vast array of treatments available for spas and hot tubs. However to simplify things they can be broken down into small groups as listed below.
SANITISERS
WATER BALANCERS
CLARIFIERS AND ANTI FOAMING AGENTS
FRAGRANCES.
CLEANERS
SANITISERS
These are the most important of all treatments. these are the ones which make sure that bacteria, viruses and other nasties don't infect the water and then you! They also help break down organic
matter in the water that causes cloudiness and odours.
The best one for spas is Bromine. This is very stable at high temperatures and more forgiving of less than ideal water chemistry. It also benefits from not giving off the Chlorine odour that many dislike. An added bonus is that it is generally kinder to the skin and better for those with skin conditions in most cases.
The most well known one is Chlorine. This is mainly due to its cheapness and people already using it for pools etc. Although an excellent sanitiser is has its draw backs.
If the water pH goes outside the ideal levels the effectiveness is quickly reduced. When under heavy load the water can give off strong chlorine odours - many believe this is due to over Chlorination but in fact is is almost always due to under treatment! The rate at which Chlorine is used up in spa is much quicker than that of Bromine, this is especially so when using slow release tablets and so dosing can be more tricky.
SHOCK DOSE
Shock dose is in fact a form of sanitiser that is used to 'super sanitise' the water. It is used for a couple of several reasons.
1, To kick start off a new fill or where the sanitiser level has dropped very low. The long the water has to wait for the levels to get to normal the more change of bugs and nasties getting a hold.
2, To deal with a 'bather overload' that has resulted in cloudy water. This releases extra amounts of oxidisers into the water to break down the excess pollutants.
3, As a regular boost to control any resistant bugs etc that may get a hold over time.
The type of shock dose you use depends on what sanitiser you use. If using Chlorine then you would use a Chlorine shock. This can be in liquid, granule or small tablet form. Be careful to check and wait until the levels have gone back to a safe level before using the spa. If you are using Bromine the most popular form is Chlorine free shock, we sell OXY SHOCK. This gives of no chlorine smells and the spa can be used as little as 20 minutes after treatment! Alternatively you can use something called Bromine spa starter. This a concentrated form of granular Bromine and is a great way to boost levels when starting from fresh as Bromine can be very slow to establish a level.
NEVER MIX SHOCK AND NORMAL SANITISER IN THE SAME CONTAINER!
WATER BALANCERS
The most neglected yet one of the most important parts of water treatment! If your water is correctly balanced then it can causes a lot of problems.... skin and eye irritations, poor sanitiser
effectiveness, corrosion of pipes and fittings, damage to other spa parts, scale etc etc.
To stop all this you need to keep a close eye on the following, (there are other minor ones which can be checked but these don't normally affect the average person.)
1, ALKALINITY
Incorrect alkalinity can cause the pH to fluctuate a lot. If it is too low you can add Alkalinity builder. This will also increase the pH a little. However if it is high you have to rely on the acidic effect of you sanitiser or a series of small pH- doses to correct the issue. If using pH- make sure you only add a little at a time to avoid over dosing. This can be done over several days.
2, pH
The PH of the water reflects how Acid or Alkaline it is. Too much either way can cause many problems as listed above. To keep things on track you can adjust up or down using pH+ or pH-. The key is small doses at a time. Remember that Chlorine and Bromine tablets with often push the pH down over time.
3, HARDNESS
This is all about how much calcium there is int he water. It is most important to spa and pool owners who have tiled sides. This is because if it is too low it can cause the grouting to dissolve. However excessive levels can cause scaling of heaters etc and often points to excessively high pH values.
CLARIFIERS, DESCALERS & ANTI FOAMING AGENTS
Although not essencial these can play an important part in the up keep of your spa. Even with the best filters a small amount of very tiny particles in the water can get through and give the water a hazy look. This can also be caused by a sudden increase in bather load or as a by product of cosmetics washing off into the water. Your first port of call for hazy water is nearly always a shock dose, but to help it and the filter a treatment called a 'Clarifier' can be added. This coats the outer of the tiny particles causing the haze and makes them bigger and easier for the filter to remove. Just a little goes a long way and some people like to add some weekly or bi-weekly as a preventative.
Anti foaming agents do just that, they stop unwanted foaming in the water. This could have been caused by impurities such as cosmetics, skin oils or even filter cleaner if not washed off properly. Again just a little goes along way and will stop the foam from forming. It comes under a few names so could also be called 'No Foam', 'Foam Away', or 'Anti Foam'.
Descalers are the most under valued treatment in a spa we have come across. Very few are aware of them, yet so many experience the damaging effects of what they help combat. Scale ( limescale) builds up on metal parts within the spa, mainly the heater element. It will lead to clogged pumps (flow errors) and eventually the death of your heater element. You can get sfancy devices designed to be connected to some inflatable spas and remove limescale, but there is another option that is both easier and cheaper., not to mention a preventative too.
By adding a liquid Anti scale treatment, you not only remove existing limescale, but help to prevent it reforming. Simply doinga descale once every 6 months or so simply allows the scale to build and damage your pump and heater for 6 months before removal. Remember that a scaled up heater is much less effective than a clean one (think of a scaled up kettle!). With the liquids you just add a small amount, then a even smaller amount each week... Job done~
FRAGRANCES
As wonderful as the relaxing nature of a spa is sometimes the subtle or maybe not so subtle of Chlorine or Bromine just doesn't hit the right notes! This is where fragrances come in.
It's important to note that not all makes and types of fragrances are the same and low quality ones may cause foaming and possible water chemistry issues. NEVER use bath fragrances or else you will disappear under a mountain of bubbles and other issues! Our fragrances come from one of the worlds leading producers but are bought in bulk and repackaged by us so as to get you the best price price available. They are rich in aroma and don't affect your water quality, in fact they even add a skin softener to it! We have recently increased our range with with more offerings form other trusted suppliers - all tried and tested by us first!
CLEANERS
Cleaners for hot tubs come in two main forms, internal and external. These again can be broken down into smaller groups but at this point it just adds confusions so we will keep it simple for everyone!
INTERNAL CLEANERS.
These are used to clean the internal workings of the hot tub or spa and often called pipe and system flushes, bio film removers, etc. They are normally added before a full water change and contain very strong cleaning agents to clean off all the grime and nasties that can stick to the insides of the plumbing and harbour bacteria etc. They also remove limescale etc from metal parts and in doing so improve efficiency and prolong the life of your heater. We recommend this is done every time you drain the spa, normally once every three months or at least once every 6 months. Another form of internal cleaner is not so much for the spa itself but for the filters. This is rather adaptly called Filter cleaner! Simply add this to a large container of hot water and submerse your filter or filters in it for several hours to break down grease and stubbon grime that can coat them. Your filters can last three times as long by doing this! Remember to rinse really well as they contain ingredients that can cause foaming.
EXTERNAL CLEANERS
These are used on the outside of the spa or 'shell' as it is often referred to. They are specially formulated to remove grime, dirt and impurities. Some contain special 'conditioners' to treat leather covers and protect from damaging UV radiation from the sun. We recommend always applying these with the lid on to avoid water contamination. DO NOT use normal household cleaners. If you have to a mild soap and water is best, kitchen and bathroom cleaners can damage the shell.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT FILTERS...
We are often asked about the different types of filter and why they vary in price so much. The main reason for this is the material used to make them. although there are several different materials the main two you will find are DRAYCON and REEMAY.
Draycon is most commonly found in cheap disposable filters such as those for summer temporary pools and portable hot tubs. although cheap they have a few serious drawbacks. Firstly is that they quite simply are disposable! You may be able to clean then once or twice but beyond this the material simply isn't designed to be cleaned. Now bearing in mind that they will need cleaning every week or more, then the inital low cost quickly mounts up with many replacements needed for a season. Also the material tends to be thin and not particulary effective at filter the water.
Reemay is at the other end of the spectrum. It is strong and long lasting with most filters made of it designed to last about a year of regular use. Although initially more expensive the cost is quickly overtaken by the saving of not having to keep replacing them. They are also very easy to clean and as already stated have a long life. Add to that the fact that the materialis far, far superior when it comes down to ability to clean the water and its a no brainer. We have had people say that they get dirty quicker than the disposables... Yes they do, this is because they are collecting all the impurities out the water that your cheaper filter just let through and back into the water! which would you prefer? Clean water or clean filter?!
Over the last few years new types of filters have come onto the market building on the success of the reemay material. These have a anti microbacterial additive that goes even further to purify your water. they may be know as Silverstream or Anti microbial. Some have what are called Dual Cores where the outer part of the filter will filter as normal, down to about 20 microns and a inner part to the filter will go down to as little as 3 microns! Now that's small!
We do Reemay replacement filters for most Intex / Bestway pools and also Lay z spa, Mspa, Aqua Spa and Intex spa portable spas all under our heading of 'Season Long filters'. Say goodbye to short lived, poor filtration filters!
SANITISERS
WATER BALANCERS
CLARIFIERS AND ANTI FOAMING AGENTS
FRAGRANCES.
CLEANERS
SANITISERS
These are the most important of all treatments. these are the ones which make sure that bacteria, viruses and other nasties don't infect the water and then you! They also help break down organic
matter in the water that causes cloudiness and odours.
The best one for spas is Bromine. This is very stable at high temperatures and more forgiving of less than ideal water chemistry. It also benefits from not giving off the Chlorine odour that many dislike. An added bonus is that it is generally kinder to the skin and better for those with skin conditions in most cases.
The most well known one is Chlorine. This is mainly due to its cheapness and people already using it for pools etc. Although an excellent sanitiser is has its draw backs.
If the water pH goes outside the ideal levels the effectiveness is quickly reduced. When under heavy load the water can give off strong chlorine odours - many believe this is due to over Chlorination but in fact is is almost always due to under treatment! The rate at which Chlorine is used up in spa is much quicker than that of Bromine, this is especially so when using slow release tablets and so dosing can be more tricky.
SHOCK DOSE
Shock dose is in fact a form of sanitiser that is used to 'super sanitise' the water. It is used for a couple of several reasons.
1, To kick start off a new fill or where the sanitiser level has dropped very low. The long the water has to wait for the levels to get to normal the more change of bugs and nasties getting a hold.
2, To deal with a 'bather overload' that has resulted in cloudy water. This releases extra amounts of oxidisers into the water to break down the excess pollutants.
3, As a regular boost to control any resistant bugs etc that may get a hold over time.
The type of shock dose you use depends on what sanitiser you use. If using Chlorine then you would use a Chlorine shock. This can be in liquid, granule or small tablet form. Be careful to check and wait until the levels have gone back to a safe level before using the spa. If you are using Bromine the most popular form is Chlorine free shock, we sell OXY SHOCK. This gives of no chlorine smells and the spa can be used as little as 20 minutes after treatment! Alternatively you can use something called Bromine spa starter. This a concentrated form of granular Bromine and is a great way to boost levels when starting from fresh as Bromine can be very slow to establish a level.
NEVER MIX SHOCK AND NORMAL SANITISER IN THE SAME CONTAINER!
WATER BALANCERS
The most neglected yet one of the most important parts of water treatment! If your water is correctly balanced then it can causes a lot of problems.... skin and eye irritations, poor sanitiser
effectiveness, corrosion of pipes and fittings, damage to other spa parts, scale etc etc.
To stop all this you need to keep a close eye on the following, (there are other minor ones which can be checked but these don't normally affect the average person.)
1, ALKALINITY
Incorrect alkalinity can cause the pH to fluctuate a lot. If it is too low you can add Alkalinity builder. This will also increase the pH a little. However if it is high you have to rely on the acidic effect of you sanitiser or a series of small pH- doses to correct the issue. If using pH- make sure you only add a little at a time to avoid over dosing. This can be done over several days.
2, pH
The PH of the water reflects how Acid or Alkaline it is. Too much either way can cause many problems as listed above. To keep things on track you can adjust up or down using pH+ or pH-. The key is small doses at a time. Remember that Chlorine and Bromine tablets with often push the pH down over time.
3, HARDNESS
This is all about how much calcium there is int he water. It is most important to spa and pool owners who have tiled sides. This is because if it is too low it can cause the grouting to dissolve. However excessive levels can cause scaling of heaters etc and often points to excessively high pH values.
CLARIFIERS, DESCALERS & ANTI FOAMING AGENTS
Although not essencial these can play an important part in the up keep of your spa. Even with the best filters a small amount of very tiny particles in the water can get through and give the water a hazy look. This can also be caused by a sudden increase in bather load or as a by product of cosmetics washing off into the water. Your first port of call for hazy water is nearly always a shock dose, but to help it and the filter a treatment called a 'Clarifier' can be added. This coats the outer of the tiny particles causing the haze and makes them bigger and easier for the filter to remove. Just a little goes a long way and some people like to add some weekly or bi-weekly as a preventative.
Anti foaming agents do just that, they stop unwanted foaming in the water. This could have been caused by impurities such as cosmetics, skin oils or even filter cleaner if not washed off properly. Again just a little goes along way and will stop the foam from forming. It comes under a few names so could also be called 'No Foam', 'Foam Away', or 'Anti Foam'.
Descalers are the most under valued treatment in a spa we have come across. Very few are aware of them, yet so many experience the damaging effects of what they help combat. Scale ( limescale) builds up on metal parts within the spa, mainly the heater element. It will lead to clogged pumps (flow errors) and eventually the death of your heater element. You can get sfancy devices designed to be connected to some inflatable spas and remove limescale, but there is another option that is both easier and cheaper., not to mention a preventative too.
By adding a liquid Anti scale treatment, you not only remove existing limescale, but help to prevent it reforming. Simply doinga descale once every 6 months or so simply allows the scale to build and damage your pump and heater for 6 months before removal. Remember that a scaled up heater is much less effective than a clean one (think of a scaled up kettle!). With the liquids you just add a small amount, then a even smaller amount each week... Job done~
FRAGRANCES
As wonderful as the relaxing nature of a spa is sometimes the subtle or maybe not so subtle of Chlorine or Bromine just doesn't hit the right notes! This is where fragrances come in.
It's important to note that not all makes and types of fragrances are the same and low quality ones may cause foaming and possible water chemistry issues. NEVER use bath fragrances or else you will disappear under a mountain of bubbles and other issues! Our fragrances come from one of the worlds leading producers but are bought in bulk and repackaged by us so as to get you the best price price available. They are rich in aroma and don't affect your water quality, in fact they even add a skin softener to it! We have recently increased our range with with more offerings form other trusted suppliers - all tried and tested by us first!
CLEANERS
Cleaners for hot tubs come in two main forms, internal and external. These again can be broken down into smaller groups but at this point it just adds confusions so we will keep it simple for everyone!
INTERNAL CLEANERS.
These are used to clean the internal workings of the hot tub or spa and often called pipe and system flushes, bio film removers, etc. They are normally added before a full water change and contain very strong cleaning agents to clean off all the grime and nasties that can stick to the insides of the plumbing and harbour bacteria etc. They also remove limescale etc from metal parts and in doing so improve efficiency and prolong the life of your heater. We recommend this is done every time you drain the spa, normally once every three months or at least once every 6 months. Another form of internal cleaner is not so much for the spa itself but for the filters. This is rather adaptly called Filter cleaner! Simply add this to a large container of hot water and submerse your filter or filters in it for several hours to break down grease and stubbon grime that can coat them. Your filters can last three times as long by doing this! Remember to rinse really well as they contain ingredients that can cause foaming.
EXTERNAL CLEANERS
These are used on the outside of the spa or 'shell' as it is often referred to. They are specially formulated to remove grime, dirt and impurities. Some contain special 'conditioners' to treat leather covers and protect from damaging UV radiation from the sun. We recommend always applying these with the lid on to avoid water contamination. DO NOT use normal household cleaners. If you have to a mild soap and water is best, kitchen and bathroom cleaners can damage the shell.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT FILTERS...
We are often asked about the different types of filter and why they vary in price so much. The main reason for this is the material used to make them. although there are several different materials the main two you will find are DRAYCON and REEMAY.
Draycon is most commonly found in cheap disposable filters such as those for summer temporary pools and portable hot tubs. although cheap they have a few serious drawbacks. Firstly is that they quite simply are disposable! You may be able to clean then once or twice but beyond this the material simply isn't designed to be cleaned. Now bearing in mind that they will need cleaning every week or more, then the inital low cost quickly mounts up with many replacements needed for a season. Also the material tends to be thin and not particulary effective at filter the water.
Reemay is at the other end of the spectrum. It is strong and long lasting with most filters made of it designed to last about a year of regular use. Although initially more expensive the cost is quickly overtaken by the saving of not having to keep replacing them. They are also very easy to clean and as already stated have a long life. Add to that the fact that the materialis far, far superior when it comes down to ability to clean the water and its a no brainer. We have had people say that they get dirty quicker than the disposables... Yes they do, this is because they are collecting all the impurities out the water that your cheaper filter just let through and back into the water! which would you prefer? Clean water or clean filter?!
Over the last few years new types of filters have come onto the market building on the success of the reemay material. These have a anti microbacterial additive that goes even further to purify your water. they may be know as Silverstream or Anti microbial. Some have what are called Dual Cores where the outer part of the filter will filter as normal, down to about 20 microns and a inner part to the filter will go down to as little as 3 microns! Now that's small!
We do Reemay replacement filters for most Intex / Bestway pools and also Lay z spa, Mspa, Aqua Spa and Intex spa portable spas all under our heading of 'Season Long filters'. Say goodbye to short lived, poor filtration filters!
