W
ater Clarity
26
OC Hot Tubs Owner’s Manual
LTR50001045, Rev. N
Question:
When I open my spa, I smell chlorine. How do I get rid of this smell?
Answer:
There are two types of chlorine in your spa. The first is the Free Available Chlorine, which is the chlorine
available to sanitize your spa. This free Available Chlorine does not have an odor. The second is Chloramine,
which is residue from chlorine already expended. Chloramines have a strong chlorine odor. The smell from
Chloramines can be eliminated by shocking the water. If you smell chlorine in the water, your spa is reminding
you to add a shock treatment.
Question:
Why can’t I fill my spa with soft water?
Answer:
Soft water is essentially the same as regular water, except that most or all of the calcium has been replaced
by sodium. Soft water may be corrosive to the heater and other components. Replacement of spa components
damaged by soft water is extremely expensive.
Question:
I am trying to reduce the number of chemicals to which my family is exposed. Do I really need to use so many
chemicals and in such large amounts?
Answer:
While over-exposure to any chemical can be unhealthy, many low levels of chemicals are effective and
beneficial. In the case of spa water, the chemicals we recommend are needed to protect the user from water-
borne pathogens (disease-causing microbes) and to prevent corrosion of spa components.
Question:
Why isn’t water chemistry damage covered by the warranty?
Answer:
The chemical levels and water quality of the water in the spa are under your direct control. With proper basic
care, the spa will provide many years of hot water relaxation. If you are unsure about any chemical or its
usage in the spa, contact your spa dealer.
Do’s and Don’ts
• DO add all chemicals slowly into or in front of the filter compartment with the jet pump operating for ten minutes.
• DO use special care if using baking soda to clean either the interior or exterior plastic surfaces.
• DO use only a granular form of bromine sanitizer.
• DON’T use swimming pool (muriatic) acid to lower pH.
• DON’T splash pH increaser additives on the siding.
• DON’T use compressed sanitizers.
The use of bromine sticks or tablets in floaters, which may become trapped in a lounge or cooling seat (or sink to the
spa floor), have been shown to cause discoloration of or surface distress to a spa’s shell.
• DON’T use a floater type sanitization system as a low or no maintenance solution to your spa maintenance program.
Floating dispensers can become trapped in one area and cause an over-sanitization (or chemical burn) of that particular
area.
If the dispenser setting is too high, the high concentration can discolor the spa shell and damage the underside of the
cover.
Automatic floating dispensers have a tendency to either over-brominate or under-brominate as the rate of erosion
varies greatly. Damage to the spa and cover can occur very quickly.
• DON’T use a sanitizer which is not designed for spas.
• DON’T use household bleach (liquid sodium hypochlorite).
• DON’T broadcast or sprinkle the chemicals onto the water surface. This method may cause chemically-induced spa
surface blistering (chemical abuse).
