Water treatment doesn't have to be complicated or require expertise in chemistry. The main goal of water treatment is to ensure your water is sanitary. That's all there is to it.
There are 4 basic principles that govern whether hot tub water is sanitary or not. Once you grasp these, caring for your water should become a simple, straight-forward task that you can do confidently in a few minutes, once or twice a week.
# 1: Hot Water has a Danger Zone
Water between 5 C (41 F) and 65 C (149 F) is in the "temperature danger zone". This is where dormant bacteria comes to life, thrives and reproduces.
We are exposed to water in this danger zone on a daily basis: bathing, washing, cleaning, etc. The temperature danger zone is serious in hot tubs because we use the same water over and over for months at a time. New bacteria is introduced everyday and given all the time it needs to grow and reproduce until it's not safe for human use.
If the water in your hot tub is sanitized, bacteria dies before it can reproduce.
Two products can sanitize water and be measured for safety levels: bromine and chlorine. Choose one sanitizer and nearly everything else you use is to ensure it works properly.
(Note: "Salt water" hot tubs contain a mechanical system that converts salts to chlorine. "Mineralizer systems" work by inserting a copper core into the plumbing to reduce the amount of chlorine or bromine needed)
# 2: Sanitizers only work in balanced water
Sanitizers require a specific PH and Alkalinity balance to work. If your water is not properly balanced in these 2 areas, the sanitizer will slow down, even stop. A simple test strip will let you know if these are in balance or not.
Water Alkalinity seldom changes, unless you take steps to change it.
In Central Alberta our water has such high Alkalinity it can't be properly read with a test strip. It's literally "off the charts". Most municipalities bring Alkalinity to a neutral range. If you are using municipal water, everytime you fill it, bring the water to temperature and use a hot tub water test strip to verify that the Alkalinity is in the correct zone.
If you use well water or your municipality does not treat Alkalinity - you can add muriatic acid to balance the water. Do this before anything else - and your water will remain balanced until it's time to change it.
PH values can be checked after the alkalinity is balanced. If you test before this - you will not get a true reading.
As a rule - PH moves around frequently. Everytime you go into the water, your own body chemistry and perspiration can affect it. It's best to check PH values weekly and wiggle it up and down as needed with 2 products known as PH reducer and PH increaser.
# 3: Sanitize
This is where the magic happens!
Bromine and Chlorine salts are approved by Health Canada for hot tubs because they are both safe for human skin and can both be measured in ppm s (parts per million).
Bromine is known to act far more stable in hot water. It breaks down steady and slow - lasting longer and has the added effect of a more neutral smell. It is the prefered choice among hot tub owners
Chlorine prefers a cooler environment - such as a pool. It does sanitize hot tub water, but is known to break down faster, increasing the quantity required.
Both do the job intended - they sanitize your water. Both act by holding onto and neutralizing organic contaminants.
# 4: Keep your Sanitizer Working - Oxidize (Shock) the water.
Your sanitizer grabs ahold of bacteria, like a billion microscopic hands. While the bacteria is being held - it is neutral - inert - unable to hurt. Neutralized bacteria may be harmless, but it is still there. The more of it there is, the less sanitizer you have left to grab the new bacteria growing.
The neutral bacteria needs to be removed.
This remover is often called "shock". Not to be confused with water or well shock. Instead, the "shock" used in pools and hot tubs is an "oxidizer". It dissolves the neutralized bacteria completely so your bromine or chlorine are free to go back to work .
Do this once a week, OR after a large bather load - and your water will remain sanitary - even after months of use.
Everything Else.....
Everything else - all the many water products you see on the shelf - are problem solvers.
Of course, any water kept in place for long periods and used frequently will have needs and problems. Foaming (from detergents on the body, cloudiness (from tiny non-organic particles), discoloration (metallic content in the water), high calcic water, etc.
Our philosophy at RIPS is to keep things simple:- sanitize your water and treat problems as you have them.
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