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Water balance is important for maintaining an ideal level of chemicals and alkalinity for everyone. Checking for calcium hardness, pH levels and total alkalinity are all aspects of maintaining a healthy water balance. Calcium hardness needs to be maintained between 100 to 200, total alkalinity should be between 125 to 150 and pH levels should be between 7.4 and 7.6.
The most important aspect of maintaining your spa is to make sure the water is clean and free of contaminants and prevent algae growth. To do this, you need to use a spa chemical called a ‘sanitizer'. There are two main sanitizers; sodium dichlor (simply called dichlor) and bromine. Dichlor is chlorine-based, relatively inexpensive, does not leave residue in the spa and dissolves easily. Bromine is purchased as tablets, is odorless and stabilizes at a higher pH level than dichlor. You should monitor the sanitization level of your spa regularly by using test strips for either the bromine or chlorine sanitizers. Sensitization and pH levels should be checked daily.
Once a week you will need to give the water an oxidation shock. This will help to balance the water and give it a crystal clear appearance. Potassium monopersulfate is an oxidizing agent which is commonly used to re-establish water balance.
The water in some areas naturally has a high concentration of minerals and metals which can affect the spa itself and corrode equipment. It is necessary to use a sequestrian agent when this happens to clean your spa shell regularly. If a stain already exists then you can use the agent along with scrubbing to clean the spa shell.
Cloudy water can also be problem. It occurs when the pH level of the water is too high. This is easy to fix, however. You can simply add sodium bisulfate to lower the pH and reduce cloudiness. Alternatively, if your pH is too low, using sodium carbonate in your spa water will increase it.
If you maintain your spa regularly and still get foamy water, it is probably because the chemicals in your spa water combine with make-up, soap, perfumes, and deodorants from bodies. This is easy to overcome by simply using a no-foam agent to dissolve and remove foam.
Once a month, you will need to clean the filter cartridge using a cartridge cleaner. The water balance should also be checked every month by taking a water sample.
General spa maintenance isn't difficult if you follow these steps and pay attention to the condition of your spa water. If you monitor your water and sanitize it regularly, your spa will remain clean and safe for you and your family to enjoy.