Having a great spa experience relies heavily on crystal clean hot tub water but keeping the water crystal clean can be a real challenge.
Not to worry though. This post reveals an expert strategy that can help you keep your hot tub water crystal clean and fresh. Let’s dive in.
Related Read: How To Get Rid of Cloudy Spa Water?
How To Keep Hot Tub Water Crystal Clear
Keeping your hot tub water crystal clear is not a one-time thing. It’s a combination of different steps, tips, and practices that results in having crystal clean hot tub water. Let’s check out some of these practices.
1. Keep The Hot Tub Cover On
Keeping the hot tub cover on is a very good way to ensure the water stays crystal clear. Most of us have our hot tubs installed outdoors. This means that the hot tub water can be contaminated easily by different debris and dirt that flies around. Leaves, twigs, tree bark, pollen, bird droppings, and dust can be blown into the hot tub by the wind if the hot tub is left uncovered.
Also leaving the hot tub cover off means that the water is constantly under the influence of the elements. Too much sunlight hitting your hot tub water is not good for the hot tub because the sunlight boosts the growth of algae in the water.
Algae are microscopic plants that also rely on sunlight to make their food. The warm temperature of the hot tub and the rays of sunlight that bounce off the surface of the water make it possible for algae to thrive in the water.
When the cover is off, rain can fall into the hot tub and dilute the water. This can cause a consistent drop and rise in the water temperature of the hot tub that can result in cloudy spa water rather than crystal clear water. Always ensure to keep the hot tub cover on when the hot tub is not in use. This helps to keep contaminants out of the water.
You should also inspect the hot tub cover regularly. If it is damaged, you should replace it because a damaged hot tub cover will begin to trap water vapor and this can also cause unclear spa water.
2. Maintain A Shower First Routine
If you take a shower before you get in the hot tub water, you will reduce the contaminants in the water that cause unclear spa water.
Over seventy percent of the contaminants that get into the hot tub water are introduced by the bathers. When you soak in the hot tub without taking a shower first, you bring in a host of different contaminants like body oils, hair oils, sweat, dead skin cells, and even waste into the water.
All of these contaminants accumulate over time and cause hot tub scum. So when you heat the water, you are also heating the chemicals and hot tub scum together with the water.
This will create unclear spa water that can begin to smell. So always take a shower before using the hot tub and encourage other bathers to the same.
3. Clean And Replace Hot Tub Filters
Another way to ensure crystal clear water in the hot tub is to clean and replace the hot tub filters regularly. The filters in the hot tub act like a sieve that picks up and trap contaminants in the water. Twigs, leaves, oils, and food residue are among the few contaminants that the filtration system of the hot tub picks up.
Over time, these contaminants build up in the filters. An accumulation of contaminants in the filters can clog the filters and when the filters are clogged, there is nothing that will trap dirt and debris in the water anymore. This allows contaminants to roam free in the water and cause unclear spa water.
To eliminate this problem, always clean the hot tub filters and replace them when they are damaged. You should always rinse the hot tub filters in clean water every week and soak them in chemicals every month. This will ensure that the filters remain clean and unclogged so they can continue to trap contaminants in the water and keep the water clear.
4. Drain And Wash The Hot Tub Regularly
The hot tub should be drained every 3 months to get rid of chloramines in the water. Chloramines are a mixture of hot tub chemicals and hot tub scum. You don’t want this in your hot tub because it can cause green water and a smelly spa.
Even if your water chemistry is balanced all through the year, you should still drain the hot tub every 3 months to get rid of used up chemicals and residues in the water.
When you drain the hot tub, you should also wash and rinse it. Doing this will ensure the hot tub remains clean and a clean hot tub guarantees crystal clean water.
5. Use Hot Tub Chemicals
Hot tub chemicals like bromine, salt system, and chlorine help to keep the water clean and healthy. When you add the right amount of chemicals to the water, contaminants and bacteria wouldn’t grow in the water.
Asides from killing the contaminants in the water, hot tub chemicals also help to keep the pH levels and water chemistry balanced. This in the long run also helps to keep the water clean and clear.
If the pH levels are unbalanced, then the water will become unclear because certain chemicals and water properties are not enough or are too much in the water. So always add the right chemicals and follow the instructions when adding them.
Related Read: Can You Use a Hot Tub Without Chemicals?
6. Test The Water
Having a hot tub spikes up your chemistry life. This is because you will need to test the water in the hot tub at least once a week to stay ahead of any potential problem in the water. Testing your hot tub water is easy. You can use hot tub test strips, a digital tester, or water testing kits to test the water.
Testing the water helps you know the properties and chemical levels of the water. The test results will also let you know when you need to adjust any part of the water property by adding chemicals to the water. When you know the properties of the water and when to treat the water, you will have crystal clear water in the hot tub regularly.
7. Use A Hot Tub Skimmer
In addition to having hot tub filters, you can also use a handheld hot tub skimmer to remove large debris floating in the water.
Whenever you see any contaminant like leaves, twigs, and the likes in the water, you can scoop them out with a hot tub skimmer. This ensures the hot tub water stays crystal clean and healthy.
Now you know how to keep the hot tub water crystal clean and healthy. But should the hot tub water be crystal clear? And what does a crystal clear hot tub water mean? Let’s take a closer look.
Should My Hot Tub Water Be Crystal Clear?
The water in your hot tub should be crystal clear whenever you want to use the hot tub. Crystal clear hot tub water means that the water is being treated properly and there are no contaminants in the water. It also means that the water chemistry and pH levels are within the recommended range.
When you have crystal clear water in your hot tub, it shows that the water is safe and healthy for soaking in. If the water is cloudy, it can be a result of a pH imbalance, bacteria growth in the water, unbalanced water chemistry, or a problem with the water circulation.
Cloudy spa water isn’t what you want in the hot tub. When the water is unclear, it’s an indication that something is not right with the hot tub. Usually, the culprit is unbalanced water chemistry. The impacts of cloudy spa water will damage your hot tub and make the water unsafe.
When the water is cloudy or unclear, it can be because of a high alkaline reading and too much alkalinity in a hot tub can cause hot tub scale. Cloudy spa water can also cause hot tub stain, discoloration, smelly, and green water in the hot tub.
A hot tub should have crystal clean water but what causes the water to be cloudy or unclear? There are different reasons for this. Let’s check them out.
Why Isn’t My Hot Tub Water Clear?
Unclear hot tub water is a result of unbalanced water chemistry and wrong pH levels. There are a few things that can cause the hot tub water to be cloudy or unclear but most times, it is usually because of unbalanced water chemistry and a wrong ph level.
If the water in your hot tub is unclear, it can be because of too many chloramines or used up chlorine in the water. It can also be because of bacteria growth, algae infestation, hot tub scale, food residue in the water, body care products, damaged filters, and so on.
However, unclear hot tub water is usually because of unbalanced water chemistry and a wrong pH level. High alkalinity, too much calcium hardness, and too many chemicals can all make the water cloudy.
Related Read: How To Remove Hot Tub Scale?
How Long Does It Take For Hot Tub Water To Clear?
It takes between 4 hours and 24 hours for hot tub water to get clear. The time it would take depends on how dirty the water is and the amount of chemicals that are added to the water to make it clear. On average, it takes 12 hours for hot tub water to clear.
When the hot tub water is cloudy, brown, or green, hot tub chemicals are usually added to the water to make it clear. The dirtier the water is, the more chemicals would be needed to make the water clear.
If the water has been unclear for less than 24 hours, then it wouldn’t be very dirty and the chemicals added would work faster. It can take about 12 hours for the water to go from cloudy to clear in this case.
However, if the water has been cloudy for days, then the water will be very dirty and you will need a very high dose of hot tub chemicals to clear the water. It can take over 24 hours to get the water from cloudy to clear in this case.
Another factor that determines the time it takes for the water to get clear is the chemical added. For instance, hot tub chlorine shock will get the hot tub water clear faster than non-chlorine shock.
Overall, it shouldn’t take more than 24 hours for the hot tub to get clear. If you suspect that the water has been unclear for days or it’s taking longer than a day for the water to get clear, then the best thing to do is to drain, clean, and refill the hot tub with fresh water.
Related Read: How To Prevent Hot Tub Foam?
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S984YO_tEGM”]
What To Do If The Hot Tub Water Is Unclear?
If the hot tub water is unclear, there are a few steps to carry out.
-
Test The Water
You should first test the water to find out what is causing the water to be unclear. You can use your hot tub test strip to test for the pH level of the water, the sanitizer level, calcium hardness, and total alkalinity.
Chances are one of these will be off. You should also check the hot tub’s circulation pump to know if the problem is from there.
-
Adjust The Water With The Needed Chemicals
The result of the water test will let you know what is causing the water to be unclear. When you know what the problem is, adjust it with the needed chemicals.
If the water chemistry is within the recommended range, then the problem is most likely hot tub contaminants. So you should shock the water. If the problem is caused by water circulation, you might need to call a hot tub professional for help.
-
Retest The Water
After adding the needed chemicals, you should retest the water to be sure the water chemistry is now balanced. When the water chemistry is balanced and water is flowing as it should, then the water will begin to get clear.
Final Words
Overall, keeping your hot tub water crystal clear is your responsibility. You should always treat the water and maintain good bathing hygiene. Doing these will keep the water crystal clear and healthy for a long time.
So there you have it. If you liked this post, ensure to check out others like it on this website. Have a nice day.
