- Every 60 to 90 days, depending on the tub usage, empty the tub and refill it with fresh water. First, remove your filter and use a chemical plumbing flushing agent. This will clean bacteria from places that don't completely get clean with the weekly shock treatment. Next, drain the water. While the tub is empty, clean the interior surfaces with a non-foaming all-surface cleaner. Clean the cover for the tub, too. Clean the filter before reinstalling or replace it with a new one, if the filter is a year or more old. Then, refill the tub. Treat the cover with a UV protectant, inside and out, to keep the sun from fading it. Follow these procedures every time you change the water.
- When the tub is half full with fresh water, add a stain and scale controller and any clarifying agents that you normally use in your spa. Then, when the tub is completely full, test the water with test strips for pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness. Check the total alkalinity first and adjust. The correct number and adjustment will depend on what kind of system you are using for your spa and will tell you on your test strip. Next, test for pH and adjust. The range you want your pH is between 7.2 and 7.6. If the pH is high, use a reducer, and if it is low use a pH plus chemical. Next, test the calcium hardness, it should read about 150ppm. Adjust the calcium hardness, if necessary. Allow the tub to circulate for two or three hours before retesting, to make sure the new water is in balance. Once your water is in balance, add a non-chlorine shock, according to the manufacturer's directions. Run your spa for three to six hours every day to make sure all the chemicals get through the entire system. Never mix the chemicals, always add them one at a time. Test the water once a week and adjust to keep it in balance.
- Set up your sanitizer system. There are three main kinds of sanitizer, and yours will depend on personal preference. The three types are: bromine, Cleanwater Blue and Nature2. Each system has its own directions for use. Follow the manufacturer's directions for the system you choose.
Another maintenance item that comes in handy is the spa vacuum. This is a quick way to get out leaves and debris that gather at the bottom of the spa. Getting them out as soon as possible will keep your spa cleaner and healthier. Setting up a schedule of maintenance to do weekly, monthly and along with your water change will make it easy to keep up with your hot tub.
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