A chemical maintenance program’s goal is to maintain water balance. If you apply chemicals and test your water on a regular basis, water balance is easy to maintain and your spa water will stay clear and healthy. Test strips are fairly accurate, test kits are also available that are very accurate and will test everything that you will need to monitor your water chemistry.
Three main parameters should be tracked closely:
- pH
- Free chlorine
- Alkalinity
T.D.S. (Total Dissolved Solids) and calcium hardness should be checked after the first three are in the correct range. Test strips and test kits come with instructions on how to determine whether the chemicals are in the right range. Table 2-1 shows how to dispense chemicals and how often to do it.
 | Water Balance is reached when all elements (free chlorine, pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and total dissolved solids) are within their proper ranges. |
| TEST | PARAMETER | HOW OFTEN | TREATMENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | < 7.2 pH | 2x weekly or more for heavy use | Add Spa Up™ |
| pH | > 7.8 pH | 2x weekly or more for heavy use | Add Spa Down™ |
| Chlorine/ Bromine | 3 – 5 ppm | 2x weekly or more for heavy use | Add Chlorine or Bromine |
| Alkalinity | 80 – 120 ppm | 2x weekly or more for heavy use | Add Alkalinity Increaser |
| TDS | < 3000 ppm | Check monthly | Drain and refill if > 3000 ppm |
| Oxy-Shock | Add 2x weekly or more for heavy use | Add Oxy-Shock | |
| Hardness | 150 – 400 | Check monthly or with new water | Add calcium increaser if < 200 ppm. Drain and refill if > 400 ppm |
| Ozone | Ozonator runs on filter cycles |
In the beginning, it is a good idea to test your water daily to learn how the water changes with the addition of chemicals. By keeping a log, you will be able to keep better track of your water condition.
When adding water to your spa for the first time or changing the water, you should superchlorinate the water by doubling (1 tbsp. per 100 gallons) the regular dose of chlorine. It is a good idea to wait for 8 hours before entering your spa after superchlorinating the water.
Remember that keeping your spa water healthy keeps you, your family, and your guests healthy too. Most service calls for spa repairs are related to problems caused by improperly balanced spa water.