The
Importance
of
Proper
Water
Chemistry
Evapora on:
Only pure water evaporates leaving a higher concentra on of salts, metals, minerals and unused chemicals in the
remaining swim spa water. Over me, the water can become saturated with these impuri es causing stain and scales to build up
on the spa walls and equipment components. Discolora on and possible corrosion may occur on
fi
ngs, pillows and cover.
Swim
Spa
Users:
Occupants introduce contaminants to the water. That level of contamina on is dependent on the number of
users,
me used and frequency of use. Skin lo ons and detergent residue in bathing suits may cause excessive foaming cloudy water.
Temperature:
Swim spas and hot tubs are normally kept in the range of 87
°
F to 102
°
F. These warm temperatures increase
evapora on, increasing the solidi
fi
ca on of minerals, metals and scale forma on. The heat level also increases the need for proper
sanita on to inhibit bacteria growth.
Surrounding
Elements:
Most swim spas are installed in the backyard where occupants introduce grass, leaves, insects, dust, etc.
from the environment. Both indoor and outdoor installa ons are exposed to pollen, dust, etc. in the surrounding air.
Adhere to the rou ne maintenance suggested in this manual for proper water chemistry and maximum enjoyment for your new
swim
spa.
Basic
Understanding
of
Water
Care
Always keep in mind that a swim or
fi
tness spa is NOT a swimming pool. The smaller volume of water, warmer temperatures
and circula on combined with the PDC Spas’ standard EverPure2™ system, far LESS and di
ff
erent types of chemicals
are needed to maintain pure, clean swim spa water.
Filtra on:
Cartridge
fi
lters in both the suc on
‐
side Pris ne system and the pressure
‐
side PowerFlo system remove dust, debris,
algae that are con nuously entering the spa. The frequency of
fi
ltra on is programmed at the spa side control and dependent upon
your individual use pa erns. The cartridge is recommended to be changed at least once a month and cleaned per the instruc ons
under maintenance. A spare cartridge is recommended to avoid shut
‐
down during the cleaning process.
Shocking
the
Water:
This is the term used when super chlorina ng the water by adding extra chlorine raising the chlorine level
above 8 ppm (part per million) or by adding a non
‐
chlorine (oxidizer) to eliminate chloramines or bromamines. The non
‐
chlorine
addi ve releases oxygen into the water ac ng as a chlorinator. Do not enter the water un l the chlorine level is below 5 ppm. The
non
‐
chlorine addi ve will not treat bacteria.
Total
Alkalinity:
This is a measurement of the water’s ability to maintain a proper pH level. Total alkalinity is measured in ppm
from
0
‐
400+ with the op mum reading 100
‐
120 ppm. With low alkalinity, the pH level will
fl
ip easily. With a high alkalinity reading,
it
becomes
di
ffi
cult to regulate.
pH
levels:
This a measurement of acidity (ac ve hydrogen) in the water. pH is not measured in ppm but on a scale of 0
‐
14 with
7.4—7.6 being the neutral desired level. Anything below 7 is considered acidic and will cause eye and skin irrita on and corrode
metals with excessive chlorine loss. Anything above the neutral range may cause cloudy water, eye and skin irrita on and scale
forma on. This level should never be below 7.2 or above 7.6.
Ozone
Sanita on:
Ozone is a natural sani zer, a byproduct of oxygen; O
3 .
It has been used successful for may years as a puri
fi
er of
drinking water. Ozone kills bacteria and has an “a er rain” smell as it leaves the swim spa water. There is no test for ozone levels in
the spa water. It is introduced into the spa water by an ozonator component located behind the cabinet wall. It is opera ng during
the
fi
ltra on cycle of the pump and is easily programmed at spa side control. This is a virtually maintenance
‐
free treatment for sani
‐
zing the spa water keeping the water clear and odor free. It is necessary to adjust pH levels, alkalinity and shock as needed.
Chlorine
/
Bromine
as
Sani zers:
A granular dichlor is recommended to work in junc on with the ozone and UV
‐
C EverPure2™
system. It is recommended to broadcast granules; 1 tbsp. per 500 gallons, once a week, to maintain a chlorine residual of 3
‐
5 ppm.
YOUR SHOULD NEVER HAVE AN ODOR OF CHLORINE FROM YOUR SWIM OR FITNESS SPA! IMPORTANT: Do NOT use trichlor! Trichlor
is usually what swimming pool stores and big box retailers, such as Lowe’s and Sam’s Club, sell. This trichlor product is intended for
swimming pools NOT swim spas. Dichlor (Sani Spa) is approximately 55% chlorine, where as trichlor is closer to 98%. PDC Spas has
equipped their swim and
fi
tness spas with the EverPure2™ system allowing owners to use LESS chemicals overall, par cularly for sani
‐
ta on. This proven puri
fi
ca on treatment maintains a level of sanita on without large doses of harsh chemicals. ALWAYS leave the
cover open with the water circula ng for at least 15 minutes a er adding chemical.
Calcium
Hardness:
Water that is considered too hard (over 250 ppm) may cause scale forma on in electrical components and
water too low (less than 150 ppm) may also have a nega ve e
ff
ect on components.
Foaming:
Body oils, lo ons, cleaners, high pH levels, algaecides, detergents, low calcium and sani zer levels o en cause foaming.
Water Chemistry Basics
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