Water Chemistry: Getting the Balance Right

Many hours of family fun-time or relaxation can be enjoyed in the warm, clear, bubbling waters of your SPA-N-A-BOX portable hot tub. It is a luxurious experience and one that is made all the more delightful by the spa's soft, sumptuous interior and the added convenience of its portability.

To get the best out of your SPA-N-A-BOX hot tub you'll want to insure that your spa water is always in tiptop shape. The warm, moist conditions inside your tub are ideal for bacteria and germs to grow undetected, and can pose a hazard to your health if allowed to accumulate. Special chemicals need to be added to your spa water to stamp out these unwanted guests, helping to keep your spa water clean and sparkling.

Maintaining good quality spa water

Striking the right chemical balance in your spa water is not too difficult to achieve. First off, we should become familiar with the mix of ingredients needed to produce good quality spa water.

Disinfectant: Disinfectant is arguably the most important component to be added to the spa water. It is your main sanitizer, and should be present at all times to prevent the formation and growth of bacteria and germs. Chlorine and bromine are the two most popular disinfectants used by hot tub owners, and can be purchased in granular, tablet, or the less widely used liquid form.

Bromine is the preferred choice for many as it works more effectively than chlorine in hot-water environments, and, unlike chlorine, does not give off a pungent odor or irritate skin and eyes. Bromine also does not require a stabilizer to be used to protect it from ultraviolet (UV) rays - a prerequisite when using chlorine as the main disinfectant. The recommended bromine level to be maintained is a residual of between 2-3ppm (parts per million).

pH level: pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline the spa water is on a scale from 1 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline). The pH level is important as it governs the effectiveness of the disinfectant. Normally, tap water has a pH of around 7 (neutral), but this is too low and will result in poor disinfectant performance. Ideally, the pH level should be raised to between 7.4 - 7.6 by adding sodium bicarbonate or its anhydrous form, soda ash, to the water.

Total Alkalinity: Is a measure of the concentration of sodium bicarbonate ions in the water and will determine the stability of your pH level. Low total alkalinity will result in an unstable pH level that needs constant attention through the addition of more sodium bicarbonate. The recommended total alkalinity for the water in your SPA-N-A-BOX hot tub is between 80-120 ppm.

Calcium Hardness: The hardness of your water supply is dependent upon your geographic area. Always measure water hardness to insure that it meets a minimum level of 150 ppm. Levels lower that this will lead to corrosion of your spa's fittings. Use a calcium additive to top up the hardness level in your pool.

All of the chemicals you'll need, together with testing strips are available in our water chemistry kit.

It is important to monitor these water quality ingredients, especially the residual bromine level, daily or even twice daily if the spa is in heavy use. This is because bacteria and germs are eliminated only when they react with the dissolved disinfectant, resulting in a reduction of the overall amount of active bromine in the water.

The reaction process is accelerated during use as the disinfectant also reacts with organic matter, such as dirt, skin flakes, perspiration, soap, shampoo and body lotions, leaving less active bromine left to fight bacteria and germs.

Shocking and Cleaning

After heavy use, or prolonged periods of normal use, the spa water may become laden with organic matter, or the water may become dulled or contaminated with the odors of body lotions and oils. To restore clear, odor-free water you will need to use a shock treatment solution which can either be a chlorine or non-chlorine based product for bromine-treated water.

Shocking your spa water will regenerate active bromine already in the water whilst oxidizing and eliminating excess organic materials. It is always best to re-measure the residual bromine level, adjusting it accordingly, after each shock treatment.

The portability of your SPA-N-A-BOX hot tub allows you to dismantle and reassemble the unit as often as you like. Draining and cleaning the tub should become a regular routine as part of the dismantling process, and should be undertaken at least every six months if the spa remains assembled.

Always remember to clean:

All spa filters

Built-up slime, scum and dirt off surfaces

To reuse the spa, refill with clean water and add bromine disinfectant to achieve a residual of 10+ ppm. Switch on the pump to re-circulate the water for 4-8 hours, then clean the filters again. You'll then be ready to turn on the heater and chemically re-balance the water quality elements for a trouble-free soak.

With your spa purchase you receive: Spa Filters 2 filters come standard with every Spa-n-a-Box sold. Locking Cover An attractive locking cover to keep the spa clean and provide a thermal barrier. Comes standard with every Spa-n-a-Box sold. Free Shipping & Handling FREE Shipping- within the contiguous USA. A $60 average value.