Balancing
pH and alkalinity in your hot tub.
Getting
the correct levels of pH and alkalinity in your hot tub may never cause you a
problem. However, sometimes creating the correct relationship between the two
can be a confusing balancing act, and indeed a question that we have been asked
many times.
The water management team here at SpaChem have put
together with the following guide for you so you can keep on top of your hot tub
water chemistry, focusing on what causes high levels of pH and alkalinity and
what you need to do to if your hot tub water is reading high range in either of
these.
What
is the difference between pH and alkalinity?
The
water Alkalinity or Total Alkalinity (TA) of your
hot tub is a measurement of how your water is able to neutralize acids and as
such is a key component to the balancing of your pH levels. The alkalinity
levels act as a buffer to help your water resist drastic changes. If the
alkalinity of your water is unbalanced, it can cause the pH readings to be
either too high or too low. The alkalinity of your hot tub should be between 80
to 120ppm.
pH on the other hand
is a measurement of how acidic or alkaline your water is. The ideal range for pH in your hot tub water is between
7.2 and 7.8, as this will allow the chlorine in your water to work more effectively
at keeping your water clean. We would recommend that you check the pH level of your water a minimum of twice
a week as sanitizers and minerals in the water can have an impact on your
reading.
Issues
of having high pH and alkaline levels.
The potential issues of having unbalanced
alkaline levels in your hot tub water are that it can have an adverse effect on
your hot tub’s appearance, cause
knock-on problems to your pH readings and even affect your skin.
High pH readings on
the other hand can cause scale
build upon your hot tub components and deposits on the surface of your
spa, can contribute to the appearance of cloudy, dull or even
foaming water and affect the efficiency of your water sanitizer which in turn
adds risk to your friends and family using your hot tub.
Recommendations
for addressing high levels of pH and alkalinity.
When it comes to balancing
the pH and alkalinity of your hot tub water, they follow the same principles; if
your levels are low, use a plus increaser and a Total Alkalinity Increaser,
always remember the rule of thumb and balance your Total Alkalinity
first, then your pH, if your levels are too high, use a pH &
Alkalinity Reducer or Minus
product!
If your alkalinity
is too high, we would recommend that you… use a combined pH & Alkalinity
Reducer as typically if your water is either high in pH or naturally high pH
from the source then your Alkalinity normally follows suit.
If your pH is too
high, we would recommend that you…. use a combined pH & Alkalinity
Reducer as typically if your water is either high in Alkalinity or
naturally high TA from the source then your pH normally follows suit.
To
ensure that you get the right hot tub chemistry, remember the rule of thumb, and
always balance your alkalinity before you address any issues with your pH
readings.
The
balancing act of pH and alkalinity.
Remember,
we have spent years in the water treatment industry, you aren’t always going to
get the balance of your water right the first time but in general if you
establish the right levels to begin with, they will be easier to maintain.
Don’t
forget your water level readings can change for many reasons, but if the water
in your hot tub is over 3 months old, then the chemical saturation of your
water may have been reached. If this is the case then even if you add the
correct products in the correct order, the chemicals are likely to have very
little impact and it’s time for a water change.
When
it comes to balancing the pH and alkalinity in your hot tub, it’s worth
mentioning that water treatment chemicals are similar to many other products on
the market; you pay for what you get. There are many poor-quality batches of
chemicals available to buy which are highly diluted resulting in you having to
use much more of the product than other suppliers.
For your peace of mind, all of the chemicals that we supply from SpaChem are of
the highest quality and stored to industry standards in our dedicated warehouse
– it’s just the way we like to work!
Our
team of water management professionals is always on hand to help with your hot
tub water chemistry, contact us today on 02921 280422 or message via Whatsapp on 07540184405.
