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Current Section |
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Editorial
published
with kind permission
of Plastica Limited
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Owners Guide - Domestic
Spas |
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Water
Balance
The pH and Total Alkalinity of your spa water is in
a state of constant change. (The Total Alkalinity of
your Spa water will probably drop over the first few
days after re-filling). Maintaining balanced water is
essential. If water balance is neglected it will result
in poor water conditions for relaxing in. The best way
to add Water Treatment Products is to add them “little
and often” rather than slug dosing. When pouring
the solution into the spa make sure that the booster
pump is on. To ensure that your spa water is balanced
you need to control the following three chemical parameters; |
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Calcium
Hardness
If your tap water is soft, you will need to increase the
hardness to approximately 200ppm each time that the spa
is drained and refilled. Failure to do so will result
in costly damage to your spa equipment. The addition of
calcium chloride increases the calcium hardness of your
spa water. The amount that you need to add is shown in
the Water Treatment Table shown on the Dosage
Rates for Your Spa
page.
Total
Alkalinity
Total Alkalinity is the measure of alkaline salts in your
spa water. The Total Alkalinity of hot, bubbling water
can change dramatically within a couple of hours. It is
not uncommon for the Alkalinity of a newly filled spa
to drop by 50ppm within a couple of days. By controlling
the Total Alkalinity of your spa you will prevent the
pH of your spa water from fluctuating. Always ensure that
the Alkalinity of your spa water is within the acceptable
range before adjusting the pH. Trying to maintain a stable
pH in your spa will prove difficult if the Total Alkalinity
is either excessively high or low.
pH
The pH of your spa water is the measure of how acid or
alkaline the water is. pH is measured on a scale of 0
to 14. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. A test reading of below
7.0 indicates acidic water, a pH rising above 7.0 indicates
an increasing degree of alkalinity. The optimum pH for
spa water is between 7.2 and 7.6. Operating your spa outside
this range is likely to present you with various problems;
A low pH will result in skin irritation and corrosion
of you spa heater. A high pH will prevent the sanitiser
from working effectively and cause the spa heater to scale
up. The pH of your spa should be checked ever day. It
should also always be checked (and adjusted if necessary)
fifteen minutes before the spa is used. |
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