Maintaining your spa on a daily basis
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Spa and Pool, so close and yet so different
Spa water gradually deteriorates due to impurities brought in by users (sweat, cream, bacteria, etc.) or the environment. This propensity for contamination is all the greater when the water volume is limited for high temperatures and high usage.
The purpose of the processing is:
- to limit the proliferation of bacteria and algae
- to ensure bathing comfort
- to avoid limescale deposits
The water in a spa must therefore be clear, disinfected and sanitizing, but also healthy and comfortable.
As for the swimming pool:
- spa treatment includes a physical and a chemical component
- Water quality depends 80% on physical action
If the filtration is inadequate or not effective enough, the user must overtreat their spa. However, due to its smaller volume, a spa's buffer capacity is minimal, and the response time is much shorter. The water can quickly become chemically saturated, which impairs the disinfection process. Therefore, spa treatment must be optimized; it involves a completely different chemistry than that of a swimming pool.
What are the consequences of mistreated water?
- Irritation of the eyes, skin, ENT area and even feet for the user
- Inconvenience of use (foam) and deterioration of equipment (corrosion, discoloration, cracks in headrests, limescale deposits, rough or slippery seats if algae are present) for the spa
The 7 key steps to opening a spa
- Clean the tank with a suitable product (for example Acti Clean Line )
- Fill with tap water; borehole water should not be used as it contains heavy metals.
- Check the spa volume
- Check pH, TAC and TH before adjusting water balance
- Perform shock treatment adapted to daily maintenance treatment
- Set up maintenance treatment: bromine, chlorine, active oxygen, etc.
- Add anti-algae, for example Acti Anti-Emulsion
Maintaining the efficiency of your filtration system: the essential step towards quality water
Maintaining your cartridge filter is essential for maintaining efficient filtration and water quality. The cartridge should be changed annually and cleaned every time the spa is drained, which is every 3 months! To do this, immerse it in a cleaning solution:
- Dilute 1 liter of product for 10 liters of water
- Immerse the cartridge for 1 hour
- Rinse thoroughly until there is no more foam or residual product: a crucial operation to be carried out with a comb which allows each fold of the cartridge to be perfectly rinsed
Maintain control of this pH which tends to rise
The pH (hydrogen potential) of the water determines the effectiveness of the disinfection process: the higher it is, the less active the chlorine or bromine will be. However, in the case of a spa, the trend of this variable is clearly upwards due to the phenomena of evaporation and release of carbon dioxide. Even if bromine tolerates a relatively high pH (7.6) and users are very unlikely to immerse their heads, a high pH remains problematic for both equipment and users. Hence the importance, as in a swimming pool, of ensuring the proper balance of the water and adjusting the pH to an optimal level of 7.4 or 7.6 (for bromine). Both treatment and product consumption will be optimized and comfort will be improved.
The benefits of adjusted pH and balanced water
- No eye or skin irritation
- Water neither aggressive nor corrosive
- No limescale deposits
- No water coloring
- No foam
- No damage to the spa tank
- No cracking of the headrest covering
- No corrosion of massage jets
- Better disinfection
How to lower pH?
Sulfuric acid, used in swimming pools to lower the pH, is too concentrated to be considered for a spa. Its dosage would be too difficult, even unmanageable. It is recommended to opt for a powdered product (sodium bisulfate) whose quantity is more easily adjusted. The very fine crystals dissolve very quickly in hot water, which allows for rapid action on the pH. Allow 15 g/m3 ( Acti pH Minus ) to lower the pH by 0.2 units.
Implement treatment and prevent disruptions
Regular treatment aims to destroy microorganisms present in the water to disinfect it and make it disinfectant. For the spa, it is common to use bromine ( Acti Brom Tab 20 ). This derivative of sea salts has certain characteristics that make it more effective than chlorine in the presence of a high pH and temperature, typical configuration of a spa. Unlike chloramines, bromamines (non-oxidized residual particles) are disinfectant and much less irritating.
Another advantage, which is useful when carrying out shock treatment ( Acti Shock ): bromine is compatible with chlorine once diluted. Shock chlorine also helps to reactivate the bromine present in the pool.
Please note that since it is difficult to correctly quantify disinfectant and residual bromic agents, it is therefore preferable to limit their use by ensuring that filtration, flow circulation and water balance are always optimal.
Find all spa maintenance products at Acti Chemical.