This post covers some useful tips for keeping your hot tub water crystal clear. We explain why hot tub water becomes cloudy or foamy and how to prevent this from happening.
Hot tubs are a great way to relax and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. But, when you're in the tub, it's important to know how to keep your hot tub water crystal clear. Hot tub water becomes cloudy or foamy after several uses, and you might be wondering how you could keep the water sparkling clear so you could spend more time soaking in your hot tub and less time maintaining it. The solution is surprisingly easy. Read on to learn how.
Sanitize
It's easy to forget what you've left behind after enjoying a hot tub session. You didn't notice that you're also bringing in tons of bacteria and impurities and leaving sweat and oil into the water.
Sanitizers are made just for that. They break down impurities and kill off bacteria and algae in your hot tub. Chlorine and bromine are the most commonly used sanitizers in the hot tub industry. They're cheap and easy to come by.
Some people choose bromine over chlorine because it lasts longer. But if you want something more potent and kills bacteria instantly, go for chlorine instead.
You might have to add sanitizers from time to time. But before putting in more sanitizers, don't forget to shock your hot tub to release some of the free chlorine or bromine. Otherwise, you'll end up having too much sanitizer in your hot tub.
Keep a Balanced Water Chemistry
Sanitizers don't function well if your hot tub's water chemistry is unbalanced. It shouldn't be too alkaline or acidic. Too much alkalinity will cause sanitizers to stop working, while a very low pH can eat up your residual sanitizers too soon. Either way, you'll end up with a cloudy or foamy hot tub.
Make it a habit to check your hot tub's water chemistry. Get a testing kit from a local pool supply or hardware store and measure your water's alkaline and pH levels two to three times per week. The ideal alkaline level is between 80 and 120 ppm, while the pH level should be in the 7.2 to 7.8 range.
Clean Your Filters
Most hot tub owners often neglect filters. Filters trap dirt and debris in your hot tub. It's recommended to keep water circulating water even when not in use to allow the filters to trap dirt and debris continuously.
However, your filters can get clogged and stop working. Make it a habit to clean your filters once every two weeks or more, depending on how often you use your hot tub. Remove the filters from the hot tub and wash them gently with a hose. Soak the filters overnight in a cleaning solution, then rinse with water for a deeper clean.
Use Clarifier
Here's a pro tip used by experienced hot tub users. Adding a few ounces of clarifier can help remove debris, body oils, hair gels, and other impurities more efficiently by clumping them together, so your filters can easily trap them. The result is sparkly clean, crystal clear hot tub water. Don't forget to clean the filters, though, as they can easily get clogged using this technique.
Replace Your Silver Ion Cartridge
Some hot tub owners who don't want to use chemicals to neutralize bacteria and algae install silver ion cartridges as part of their sanitizing system. However, it won't last very long, and you'll have to replace it after four months. If you're using a silver ion cartridge instead of traditional sanitizers, make sure to change it when it's due.
Conclusion
Proper maintenance is the key to having crystal clear water. It's not magic. Keeping hot tub water clear takes effort and sticking to the maintenance schedule. It might sound tedious, but you'll get better with practice that it becomes second nature. Just remember: sanitize, keep balanced water chemistry, clean your filters, use a clarifier, and replace your silver ion cartridge if you're using one.