Spa Chemicals are essential to keep your spa properly balanced, which will not only give bathers outstanding water quality, but will keep your valuable spa equipment and surfaces safe. The most important chemicals are pH balancers, alkalinity balancers, algaecides, sanitizers, clarifiers, metal controllers, foam removers and spa shocks. In order to properly apply these chemicals, however, you must use testing strips or take a water sample to your local spa professional. These strips are available from many different manufacturers, and give you highly accurate results in minutes, eliminating any guesswork when balancing your spa water.
pH Balancers
pH balancers are critical to maintaining the proper pH range of 7.2 to 7.6, which determines the overall health of your spa. If too low, your spa plumbing and surfaces will start to severely corrode, while too high a level will cause ugly scale deposits to grow along with cloudy water. An unbalanced pH will also cause bather eye and skin irritation as well as reduce chemical efficiency. pH balancers will, depending on the product chosen, raise or lower your spa pH in steady increments to get it into 7.2 to 7.6 range.
Alkalinity Balancers
Alkalinity balancers are another critical part of spa chemistry, and help keep your spa in the optimal 80-160 ppm range. This will not only result in a more comfortable spa for bathers, but will eliminate the dreaded "pH bounce" that makes proper spa balancing all but impossible. If alkalinity is too low, spa plumbing and surfaces will start to corrode, while too high a level will cause ugly scale deposits and cloudy water conditions. Also like unbalanced pH, an unbalanced alkalinity will also cause bather irritation and chemical inefficiency. Depending on the product selected, alkalinity balancers will raise or lower alkalinity levels in steady increments to the optimal 80-160 ppm range.
Algaecides
Algaecides are the easiest and most effective way to prevent and remove all types of algae growth from your spa, which can ruin water quality and clog spa filters. Algaecides are available in both granular and liquid formulas to fit your needs or budget, and come in a wide variety of formulas to tackle green, blue-green, mustard and black algae types.
Sanitizers
Sanitizers are the most important chemical additive you can add to your spa, removing bacteria and other harmful contaminants from spa water. The most common sanitizers are chlorine and bromine, although there are proprietary sanitizers available from several brands. They are available in several forms, including liquid, granular, tablets and sticks to fit your spas specific needs or equipment.
Clarifiers
Clarifiers are another handy spa chemical that quickly eliminates cloudy water conditions in your spa, restoring it to its former beauty. Standard clarifiers attract together microscopic particles into larger ones, allowing your filter to remove them. Flocculant clarifiers also attract microscopic particles into larger ones, but its formula sinks them to the spa bottom for easy vacuum removal. Either type will produce the jewel-like brilliance you remember in just minutes.
Metal Controllers
Metal Controllers enable spa owners to remove copper, iron, manganese and other metals from their spa water, preventing staining and water discoloration. These chemicals are especially useful in areas with hard water, although metals can get into your spa through other means. Metal preventors stop metals from getting into your spa, while metal removers eliminate metals already present.
Foam Removers
Foam Removers are an easy and affordable way to remove annoying foam buildup on your spas surface caused by heavy swimmer loads. Products such as deodorant, soaps, lotions and other cosmetics from bathers create this foam, which foam remover can cut through in just seconds to restore your spa to its former beauty.
Spa Shock
Spa Shocks are necessary to sanitize your spa after heavy swimmer loads or simply when your spa sanitizer is overwhelmed by the contaminants in your spa. Chlorine-based shocks eliminate any bacteria or other organics from your spa water, while Monopersulfate or MPS shocks give you the same results without disturbing your spas chlorine levels. When used as part of your routine spa maintenance, your spa will stay clean and healthy throughout the spa season.