pg. 13
Water Treatment Overview
Proper water treatment is of utmost importance for maximum enjoyment and prolonged life of your
Softub hot tub.
Proper water maintenance is essential for the health of your friends and family as well as for
permitting years of trouble-free use of your Softub hot tub. This information is provided to help ensure your comfort
and safety as you enjoy your Softub. In addition to important information about water treatment products and hot tub
maintenance, we have featured details on the use of recommended water treatment products. Our goal is to help
you get the most out of your Softub - to enjoy the fun, therapy and convenience.
Water balance is important to the overall performance of your hot tub. No
hot tub’s water conditions are exactly
alike. The water source, location of the hot tub and frequency of use all effect the water balance. Unbalanced
water can damage the equipment, make the water uncomfortable for the user, and decrease the effectiveness
of the disinfectant. Total alkalinity, pH and calcium hardness must be within the correct ranges to achieve
balanced water.
As an introduction to water treatment, let us point out that a hot tub is not the same as a swimming pool. Although
some people think of hot tubs as miniature swimming pools the care of a hot tub differs from that of a swimming
pool in several ways. Unlike a swimming pool where water chemical balance usually changes gradually, changes
in chemical balance can happen almost instantly in a hot tub. Below are three factors that help demonstrate why
water treatment is quite different for pools and hot tubs.
•
Consider the ratios of people per litres (gallons) of water. A hot tub may be about 1/50 the size of a pool.
Four people in a 1,800 litre (400 gallon) hot tub is about the same as 200 people in a typical 90,000
litre (20,000 gallon) backyard swimming pool.
•
Because average water temperature in a hot tub ranges between 37°C (98.6°F) and 40°C (104°F), each
person in the hot tub can perspire approximately 0.47 litres (1 pint) every 20 minutes. This elevated level of
perspiration increases the demand for sanitation.
•
Because hot tub water is aerated with hydro jets, the water turnover rate is very rapid. This increased water
activity can cause sanitizers to dissipate quickly
.
The most common water treatment problems that can damage the Softub hot tub are:
1.
Improper pH management -
Too low a pH level will result in excessive wrinkles, damage to the vinyl
liner and corrosion in the motor unit.
2.
Not removing the lid and pump not running when adding water treatment products -
Leave the lid
off and the water circulating for at least 30 minutes after adding chemicals.
3.
Use of improper chemicals -
Sodium dichlor is the recommend type of sanitizer. Sodium dichlor
dissolves easily and has a neutral pH, which minimizes the effect that the addition of a sanitizer has on
pH balance. Trichlor compounds are not recommended because they have a very low pH, are very
strong and difficult to dissolve. Granules of this chemical may cause damage to the vinyl. High chlorine
or bromine levels can damage the vinyl and pose health risks. Floating dispensers are not
recommended because of the potential of high chemical concentrations. Use of Trichlor and floating
dispensers will void the warranty on your liner.
