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Water Quality and Maintenance
IMPORTANT:
DO NOT use tri-chlor chlorine, bromo-chloro-dimethyl-
hydantoin (BCDMH), or any type of compressed bromine or chlorine,
acid or any type of sanitizer which is not recommended by Watkins
Manufacturing Corporation.
THE
HOT SPRING
SPA WATER
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
FILLING THE SPA WITH WATER
Use the
CLEAN SCREEN
Pre-filter to remove unwanted contaminants
such as rust, dirt, detergents, and algae from the fill water. Dissolved
metals, copper, iron, and manganese are also removed. Instructions are
included with the
CLEAN SCREEN
Pre-filter. Always fill the spa through
the filter compartment. Do not fill your spa using water from a swimming
pool as pool chemicals are very different from those used in a spa and
can damage your spa.
ADDING CHEMICALS TO THE WATER
All spa water chemicals, including granulated dichlor, MPS, granulated
pH increaser or decreaser, granulated total alkalinity increaser, liquid
stain and scale inhibitor, and liquid defoamer must always be added
directly into the filter compartment while the jet pump is running in its
high speed mode, and it must run for a minimum of ten minutes with the
cover off. Use the Clean button/feature to ensure that the chemicals are
properly mixed when adding.
BUILDING A SANITIZER ROUTINE
During the first month of ownership, measure the sanitizer residual
daily in order to establish a baseline of sanitizer needed vs. spa usage.
Sanitizer needed is the amount of Free Available Chlorine needed to
accommodate the number of users and their combined usage time. For
example, two spa users for twenty minutes every day creates regular
demand on the sanitizer that is used to determine how much sanitizer
to add in order to maintain the proper residual. If the usage pattern
increases dramatically with invited guests, the amount and frequency of
sanitizer required increases dramatically.
PERFORMING SUPER CHLORINATION/
NON-CHLORINE SHOCK TREATMENT
A weekly or monthly super chlorination (1.5 tsp dichlor/950 liters) or
shock (4tbs mps/950 liters) may be required of your chosen sanitation
program. Increasing chlorine to 5 ppm for 24-48 hours removes
excess waste and chloramines from the water. Sodium dichlor is 6x
stronger than MPS and may be a more appropriate for those users that
experience heavy bather load conditions. Operate all jets and leave
the cover open for a minimum of 20 minutes to allow the oxidizer gas
to vent to prevent damage and discoloration to the cover and pillows
after administering a super chlorination or shock to your spa. This type
of damage is considered chemical abuse and is not covered under the
terms of the limited warranty.
IMPORTANT:
Always allow the Free Available Chlorine to fall below 5
ppm before using your spa.
DANGER:
Never leave an open spa unattended, especially if there
are children present!
ACE
SALT WATER SANITIZING SYSTEM
(OPTIONAL)
The
ACE
Salt Water Sanitizing System converts water and sodium
chloride salt into chlorine sanitizer. The
ACE
is compatible with
chlorine based systems and chemicals. Although the system is
reduced maintenance, it is not automatic. It is important that the user
regularly tests and balances the water. A calcium hardness of 50 ppm
is recommended to extend the life of the hardware. Consult the ACE
Manual for additional instructions.
EVERFRESH
WATER CARE SYSTEM
(OPTIONAL)
The
EVERFRESH
water care system is comprised of the following
products:
• CLEAN SCREEN
Pre-filter
• FRESHWATER
Concentrated Chlorinating Granules, Sodium Dichlor
• FRESHWATER
Chlorine-Free Oxidizer, Monopersulfate (MPS)
• FRESHWATER
III high output ozone system
• FRESHWATER
Ag+ Silver Ion purifier
The
EVERFRESH
system introduces silver ions into the spa water via
erosion of silver infused beads which inhibits bacteria growth. When
combined with MPS, or chlorine, waste is oxidized and removed from
the water. It is important to follow the recommended application and
maintenance programs outlined for each product’s use. If the spa is
being used over an extended period of time, such as a whole afternoon
or evening, additional sanitizer will be needed.
Required: Weekly Super Chlorinate/Shock the spa to reactivate the
silver ion cartridge, allow the release of silver ions, and quickly destroy
any remaining contaminants. Without this weekly shock treatment, the
silver ion cartridge may stop releasing silver ions into the water.
IMPORTANT:
Use only Dichlor sanitizer. Silver is not compatible with
bromine and biguanides. Don't use a water clarifier. Clarifiers will cause
the spa water to become cloudy.
MANUAL CHLORINE (SODIUM DICHLOR)
Watkins Manufacturing Corporation recommends the use of
FRESHWATER
Concentrated Chlorinating Granules (sodium dichlor)
for sanitizing the water. Sodium dichlor is preferred because it is totally
soluble, dissolves quickly, and is nearly pH neutral. The recommended
Free Available Chlorine (FAC), the amount of available chlorine sanitize
the spa, 3.0-5.0 ppm.
If the FAC is too low:
Increase the FAC by adding granulated sodium
dichlor.
If the FAC is too high:
Allow time to pass and the FAC level will
naturally drop over time.
If the spa smells of chlorine:
super chlorinate or shock the spa FAC
chlorine does not have an odor whereas combined spent chlorine
(chloramines) has a strong chlorine odor that can be eliminated by
shocking the water.
IMPORTANT:
There are several forms of stabilized chlorine available
for use in spas and swimming pools. It is extremely important to choose
one specifically designed for spas. Use of an incorrect product such
as tri-chlor which has a very low pH (2.6) and dissolves too quickly in
hot water, results in extremely high levels of chlorine that
WILL
cause
damage to your spa. Use of a liquid or compressed bromine/chlorine
or unapproved sanitizer
WILL
damage your spa and is specifically not
covered under the terms of the limited warranty.
