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MAINTENANCE
8
Water Quality and Water Chemistry
Maintaining water quality and water chemistry in your spa is extremely important and should be a regular part of
your spa maintenance program, as a neglected spa can be a breeding place for dangerous bacteria.
The water quality of your spa is maintained by a combination of filtration and chemistry. The spa’s integral filter
system helps maintain the water cleanliness and clarity by trapping most solid materials such as hair, and other debris
resulting from normal use. However, the most important part of maintaining water chemistry is keeping the proper level
of disinfectant in the water at all times. This is accomplished by adding chlorine to the water, which will control particles
too small to be trapped by the filter, such as bacteria and algae, and will oxidize any organic materials. Follow
instructions provided here and with water quality products for the health and safety of spa users, as well as to make
your spa bathing as enjoyable as possible.
Filtration
The filtration system of your spa will keep your water
clear and clean if used properly. The filter cartridge
elements will trap most solid materials and debris in the
water. However, the presence of materials such as body
oils or other particles which are too small to be captured
in the filters may bring about various undesirable water
quality conditions. These conditions can be corrected
with the use of spa treatment chemicals which are
available from your Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath dealer. Such
conditions include the following:
Foaming: A defoamer is available to minimize foaming
of the water. This condition is usually caused by the
addition of soaps or oils, or other fatty substances to the
spa water. The interaction of these with hot water,
especially at high pH (more alkaline), will cause the
water to foam. (Refer to Water Quality Definitions.)
Oil Film or Cloudy Water: Add clarifier to congeal oil
film on the water surface into globules sufficiently large
to be trapped by the system’s filter. Cloudiness is
caused by particles that are too small to be trapped in the
filter, and is also due to the presence of human body oils,
lotions, and cosmetics. During normal use, these mate-
rials can accumulate on the filter element and clog its
pores. The addition of clarifier will make the water
clearer, but clogged filters must be cleaned as pre-
scribed under the section entitled Filter Maintenance in
this manual.
Hard Water: Add a demineralizer to break down or
deionize mineral particles present in the spa water.
Follow the Filter Maintenance procedure described
in this manual to ensure optimum performance of your
spa’s filtration system.
Water Chemistry
You can ensure better water chemistry by testing
your spa water every day and adjusting the chemical
balance frequently. Obtain a water quality test kit,
designed especially for spas, from your Jacuzzi Whirl-
pool Bath dealer. The test kit must be of the type which
allows you to test for the disinfectant (chlorine) level, pH,
and total alkalinity. Ensure that the chemicals used in
your spa are especially for spa use, and not for swim-
ming pools, as water quality maintenance of spas and of
swimming pools is very different.
Set up a daily program at first to check the disinfec-
tant level, pH, and total alkalinity of the water. Familiar-
ize yourself with the amount of chemicals to add and to
determine how often to make chemical adjustments
during normal use. Remember that the more heavily the
spa is used, the more often you should check the water
chemistry.
When adding any chemicals, always run the filter
system to ensure complete dilution with the water.
Do not add chemicals directly into the skimmer.