When you don't use chemicals in your hot tub or use too little, you are creating the perfect environment for algae, bacteria, and other contaminants to thrive. Attempting to use your hot tub without chemicals could leave your water green or cloudy, as the water temperature is the ideal range for contaminants to grow.
For a spa that doesn't use chlorine or bromine, you need something to kill bather waste and bacteria. My recommendation is to use a spa ozonator and a mineral sanitizer, such as Nature2 or Spa Frog. The combination of these two - an ozone sanitizer and a mineral purifier - takes care of most disease-causing bacteria.
So although you cannot run a hot tub without chemicals, you can run a hot tub without the harsh effects of chemicals with Silk Balance. Please note - you must drain your hot tub and flush out the pipes with Clean Start if you are switching your existing water to Silk Balance for the first time.
A hot tub can typically go untreated between 2 and 3 weeks before the water becomes unsafe to soak in. Untreated water typically means no sanitizer, pH balancer, or other added chemicals.
A non-chlorine shock does not disinfect the water which is why its main use is as a weekly treatment to oxidise the water and help remove contaminants and clear cloudy water. The non-chlorine shock will help your chlorine work better by creating 'Free chlorine' which is the type of chlorine needed to kill bacteria.
Are chlorine and shock the same thing? SKIMMER NOTES: No. Chlorine and shock are not the same thing. Shock has a more intense chemical strength than the traditional chlorine sanitizers, and it also differs in how you should apply it to your swimming pool.
Chemicals in your hot tub water can be a delicate balance. So it's crucial to maintain the levels of pH, Alkalinity, and Chlorine or Bromine, also known as sanitizers. You should wait 12 hours before entering the hot tub when you've added either chlorine or bromine to allow it to take effect properly.
In spa water measuring 37 C (98.6 F), some mesophilic bacteria, which are often those that cause disease in humans, can reproduce in as little as 14 minutes (see Figure 4).
Bleach as a hot tub shock
Bleach is our #1 choice if you want to bathe chemical free faster. We love this because it is designed to evaporate quickly which means it will do the job and leave. Choose non-scented and without additives. Household bleach will raise the pH level because it has a very high pH of 13.
What you really need is hot tub salt. It's more often labeled as “pool salt,” which is perfectly fine to use in your hot tub. It's chemically the same thing as table salt, but it's a coarser grind to work better in a chlorine or bromine generator.
People who have weakened immune systems, former smokers, and those 50 and older should consider not using a hot tub or even sitting near one, says the CDC.
You can use the spa without chemicals but you would need to change the water more regularly. You would have to check with your doctor to see if the chemicals would affect them.
When hot tub chlorine is dissolved in water it creates hypochlorous acid which reacts with bacteria in the water, breaking it down and killing it in the process. During this process the hypochlorous acid molecules will react with other elements and become deactivated, which is why constant maintenance is required.
You only need a small amount of chlorine to successfully sanitize your spa, so it's possible to overdo it if you're not careful. Too much chlorine can damage your hot tub and irritate your skin, eyes and lungs. Thankfully, reducing the chlorine levels in your hot tub is very easy to do.
Vinegar is safe to use on a hot tub or spa. White vinegar is an acetic acid solution made from grain and water, and is used for both cooking and cleaning. Using vinegar to clean a hot tub or spa is a safe and effective method.
They are designed to maintain your tub's water long-term and keep your system running smoothly. While using baking soda to give it a little boost is great and done widely by hot tub users of all experience levels, it is not intended as a long-term replacement, just a little helping hand when you're in need.
Look out for slime, a sour smell or unclear water – clear signs of a bacterial infestation. You can often see/smell the bacteria long before it becomes a serious problem. That's usually a symptom of bacteria in your hot tub.
THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds may be synonymous with summertime fun, but they also can be breeding grounds for dangerous germs that could make you violently ill. In some cases, they can even lead to death, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.
Run the Hot Tub Overnight
Turn the hot tub on, cover it and let the water circulate for eight to 12 hours or overnight. Dip another test strip into the water and check for free chlorine. If the strip shows the presence of free chlorine, your hot tub is now clear of bacteria.
Causes of cloudy hot tub water. When it comes to cloudy water, it's likely one of a few culprits — high pH, high alkalinity, and low sanitizer. Dirty filters, body care products, and old water can also be responsible for cloudy water.
In general, 2 teaspoons of chlorine per 200 gallons diluted in water and poured into a circulating tub will generally help raise chlorine levels quite quickly without overdoing it. You should test your chlorine levels every few days and adjust as needed.
Liquid chlorine and granular shock have the same active chemical that sanitizes your pool, what changes is the strength and the way you use it. Liquid chlorine is less costly, unstabilized and comes in liquid form. Granular shock is stabilized and comes in a solid form that dissolves in your pool.
This is because when you mix chlorine and algaecide together, it renders both of them useless. Hence, you should first shock the pool and wait for the chlorine levels to fall below 5 PPM.
Adding chlorine besides the shock can increase the chlorine content in the water which can make the entire shocking process useless. Hence, it is better if you don't use the shock and chlorine at the same time. The best time to add chlorine to the pool water is after you have shocked the pool.