Hot Tub Chemical Tutorial - FAQ & Assisting Products

HOW DO I FIX CLOUDY WATER?

1. Ensure you have completed all of the steps recommended in – Basic Maintenance
2. Use a CLARIFIER – Dazzle Nature Sheen  

The WHY:  Clarifier can come in a powder or liquid form. Clarifier helps accumulate oils so the filter can easily catch them. Not all of the oils and particles will make it to your filter right away, so often, after use, this will show up as a SCUM line deposited on the inside perimeter of your hot tub. 

The HOW:  Use as needed. This is a highly concentrated product. The recommended dose is 20ml per 1000L of water. Give the bottle 1 or 2 squeezes into circulating water and let the jets run on high for one cycle. A scum line will appear on the perimeter of your hot tub, which you can wash with a cloth and encourage the capture of debris towards the skimmer/filter. It is recommended to schedule a filter cleaning following the clarifier treatment to remove the oils & debris accumulated into the filter.

WHY IS MY HOT TUB SUDDENLY A BUBBLE BATH?

1. Use a DEFOAMER – Dazzle Defoamer

The WHY: Soap residues from skin or swimsuits can cause a mini bubble bath. 

The HOW: This also a highly concentrated product. Use extremely sparingly, or you may end up with an oily film on the surface of your water! The recommended dose is 10ml per 1000L of water. Run the jets at high speed to agitate bubbles. Shake up the bottle of the defoamer and give 1 light squeeze into circulating water. Let this work into the body of water for several minutes before deciding to add more. Often this will be enough to take care of any bubbles forming in the hot tub. Alternatively, the Defoamer can be placed directly into a spray bottle and misted onto the water's surface. This will give you the best control over how much product is used. 

1. Use a DRAIN PREP – Dazzle Drain Prep 

The WHY: If a tub has been winterized or just shut off for an extended period of time, the residual water that has been left behind is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Once re-filled with water, bacteria will circulate through the new body of water and flow through the plumbing. You may notice that it doesn’t smell or look very clean even though you have filled it up fresh. Or you bought the tub 2nd hand, and it might be a good idea to give it a good clean when you’re not familiar with the previous owner’s sanitation procedures. Another scenario can be if the tub has been in use, but the chemicals have been neglected for an extended period of time, leaving you with little white flakes (bacteria) floating in the water. A proper Sanitize/Drain/Re-Fill will be necessary to re-enter the Tub safely. 

The HOW: 

1. Remove your filters and use this time to soak/rinse them with a filter cleaning solution. If the previous owners used the filters, I’d recommend purchasing new & discarding the old ones. 
2. Add a bottle of Drain Prep to a full body of water. Add 1 Capful of Amaze Plus (Chlorinated Shock), 1-2 Tablets of Chlorine. 
3. The Drain Prep will lift the organic material from the pipes while the Chlorine neutralizes the bacteria. Run this solution for a minimum of 24hrs while cycling the jets as often as possible. For best results, bring your tub up to temperature, and allow 2-3 days to cycle with this solution. 
4. Test each day for Chlorine Levels. If the strip is FADED or white, the chlorine you have added to the tub has been busy! Please add more. If there is still a chlorine reading on your strip, do not add more. At this time, don’t worry too much about over chlorination, as the current body of water will be dumped. 
5.  If familiar with the topside’s programming, it's recommended to increase the filtration cycle during this time to keep the water moving as much as possible. 
6. Once complete, drain the tub and use a Wet/Dry Vacuum to suck out the remaining water from the footwell and inside the tub, sucking through each individual jet. You may give it an optional wipe on the inside with a vinegar solution. Just be sure to rinse and vacuum if any commercial products are used. 
7. Install new or clean filters, re-fill with fresh water, and follow – Basic Maintenance

WHY IS MY WATER TURNING REDDISH/BROWN?

1. Use a METAL STAIN & SCALE – AQUA COP-OUT

The WHY: A high concentration of copper or iron typically found in Well Water, is oxidized by the chlorine instantly producing a rusted colour in your hot tub. 

The HOW: This is a highly concentrated product. The recommended dose is 12ml per 1000L. Add a small amount of product to the water with the jets on. Allow the product to circulate into the water for at least 20 minutes before adding a 2nd dose. If Reddish/brown colour persists, add another small amount. The Cop-Out will solubilize the copper/iron in the water returning your water clarity to normal. If you have a hefty concentration of metals in your water, the cop-out may appear as a “pink dust” that can be vacuumed out of the tub. 

HOW DO I REMOVE DIRT/DEBRIS THAT SETTLES AT THE BOTTOM OF MY HOT TUB?

1. Use a SPA VACUUM – QUICK VAC

The WHY: Hair, sand, dirt…you name it. Not everything gets caught by the filter. Debris can settle to the bottom of the tub and seating.

The HOW: The Quickvac has a clear plastic tube containing a check valve, and is attached to a hose. Pump the tube up and down into the water to establish water flow. This creates a siphon, and now you can direct the tube anywhere in the water to remove up all the little bits of debris settled in the footwell. 

HOW DO I DRAIN MY HOT TUB?

1. Use a SPA DRAIN – QUICK DRAIN

The WHY: Generally hot tubs come equipped with a drain valve, but they can fail or be un-accessible. Or depending on where your tub sits, you might need an extra hose to avoid flooding the area immediately surrounding your hot tub. 

The HOW: The Quick Drain has a large clear plastic tube containing a check valve attached to a hose. Position the hose to lie below the bottom of the tub. Pump the tube into the water with long & fast stokes approx. 10-15 times to establish water flow. To maximize flow, wait 1 minute, and then pump 5-10 more times. Let rest in the footwell of your tub until drained.  If you want to remove any residual water, you can use a wet/dry vacuum. 

DO I NEED TO ADD CALCIUM TO MY HOT TUB (HARDNESS)?

1. Do not use, or use very little CALCIUM

The WHY:  While it is true if your tap water doesn't have enough calcium (soft water) that it will corrode the materials it comes in contact with. Typically, you'll see evidence of this corrosion in your home around the drains in your sinks & bathtubs.

The range for Calcium Hardness is pretty wide. 80 - 200ppm. The majority of City Water contains more than enough Calcium, which is why you're not experiencing pitting in your bathroom sinks/tubs.

We find that adding Calcium to the water has a tendency to cause more issues than benefits for the majority of users. You start to get into an unnecessary balancing act. Adding Calcium to the water, and then adding Stain & Scale to neutralize it, so you don't get the scaling. Essentially making those two products redundant. Too much calcium in the water shows up as a difficult to remove white ring around the inner perimeter of the hot tub. It also coats heaters and the interior walls of your plumbing. Once the calcium is there, it is extremely difficult (if not impossible) to remove. You end up with constant white flakes showing up in your water. Over time, this will require you to start replacing equipment and components sooner than expected.

The HOW:  If you're a stickler for making sure your levels are perfect, including Calcium, we recommend having no more than 80-100ppm max. Otherwise, the only time you may actually need to add it is if you're using a well water source that is completely void of calcium. In these cases, please follow the directions carefully and add specific amounts appropriate to the water capacity of the hot tub.