Run the filter several hours daily.
A proper maintenance schedule for spas depends largely on how often the spa is being used and by how many people. Follow the basic guidelines below for caring for your chlorinated spa.
Sanitize
It is important to maintain a free chlorine residual of 3 - 5 ppm at all times. When first starting a spa with Chlorinating Concentrate, test the free chlorine residual frequently to determine how often you will need to apply product. Add 2 tsp. of Chlorinating Concentrate per 200 gallons at a time with the pump running. Circulate 2 hours, then retest the free chlorine residual. Adjust as needed.
Oxidize
Spas contain a small amount of water relative to pools. Each person who enters the spa has far fewer gallons of water to share than the same number of people in a pool. And each person who enters the spa introduces cosmetics, perspiration, and other undesirable compounds into the water. Because of this, shocking should be frequent.
A shock treatment should be applied following each spa use. If the spa is not being used for a long period of time, shock weekly. Chlorinating Concentrate, Spa Shock, or Enhanced Shock can be used for maintenance oxidizing. Many spas are equipped with ozonators, which help eliminate some insoluble compounds, but periodic shocking is still necessary.
Add any of these shock products directly to the spa with the pump running. Brush up any undissolved product.
-
Spa Shock: Add 2 Tbs. per 300 gallons.
-
Enhanced Shock: Add 3 tablespoons per 500 gallons.
-
Chlorinating Concentrate: Add 1 tsp. per 100 gallons.
After shocking, do not use the spa until the chlorine residual drops to 5 ppm or lower.
Balance
Spa water must be balanced to prevent equipment corrosion and surface damage. To balance the spa, perform a complete water analysis and follow ALEX recommendations. Maintain pH between 7.4 - 7.6 at all times. Add balancing products with the aeration off. For help controlling pH, use Spa Sentry, a pH buffer.
Clean
Rinse the cartridge filter off periodically, and chemically clean the cartridge when the spa is drained and cleaned. The following formula is a good rule of thumb for estimating when to drain the spa.
Spa volume / 3 / average daily bather load = number of days between drains
When cleaning the sides of the spa after draining, use Off the Wall®.