| It would be nice to say there is a single foolproof | | | | bathers there are, the greater the contamination of |
| way to achieve delightfully balanced spa water in one | | | | the water with human fluids, cosmetics, oils, bacteria |
| step, with no work. Sadly, that cannot be quite true | | | | and viruses. The ozonator is incredibly effective, but |
| for any sanitizer / oxidant combination, not even | | | | it cannot touch 100% of the water 100% of the |
| ozone, which is closest overall. | | | | time. |
| Remember that there are three steps to getting | | | | To supplement the ozone, it's important to keep a |
| really good spa water: | | | | small amount of free available chlorine or bromine in |
| | | | the hot tub water, and especially right after use. A |
| 1. Use effective primary sanitation to kill the truly | | | | common practice is to add about ¼ cup of |
| nasty things. | | | | granulated dichlor form of chlorine after each use, |
| 2. Use background secondary sanitation to mop up | | | | and make sure the pump runs to circulate it. In sum, |
| the spikes in contaminants. | | | | the majority of the sanitation is provided by the |
| 3. Maintain a chemical balance to retain that natural, | | | | ozone generator, but the spikes and gaps in |
| neutral feel. | | | | coverage are (for the most part) gobbled up by the |
| Let's take these one at a time. The all-important step | | | | chlorine or bromine. |
| to neutralize the really dangerous things is actually the | | | | However, remember that chlorine and bromine are |
| easiest part. | | | | not fully effective against some potentially dangerous |
| Step 1 to Clean and Healthy Hot Tubs: Ozone is the | | | | contaminants like cryptosporidium (which is rare in hot |
| Magic Wand | | | | tubs), metallic elements, and many organic |
| A properly installed ozone generator is the most | | | | compounds, and that they actually can produce |
| powerful single oxidizer you can use to keep the spa | | | | noxious byproducts like chloramines and bromamines. |
| water clean and healthy. Ozone is up to 200 times | | | | Chemicals should be a supplement, used modestly, to |
| more powerful than chlorine for oxidizing nasty things | | | | top off the sanitation of the hot tub. |
| like bacteria and viruses, killing them on contact. | | | | Step 3 to Clean and Healthy Hot Tubs: Balancing the |
| Ozone can even help remove some of the metallic | | | | Water |
| contaminants that can stain or corrode hot tub | | | | Sanitation is not quite the same as balancing the |
| surfaces or damage metal components. | | | | water. For instance, powerful as ozone is, it does not |
| The key to getting good performance from ozone is | | | | affect the alkalinity, pH or hardness of the water |
| making sure the ozone generator (aka ozonator) is | | | | (though it can help to make balancing the chemistry |
| installed properly and is generating sufficient ozone. | | | | easier). These chemical attributes definitely affect the |
| Typical ozonators wear out after 2 or 3 years of | | | | quality and feel of the water. When they are far |
| normal use (though some models, like DEL Ozone's | | | | enough out of balance, they can cause skin and eye |
| MCD-50, last longer) and they need to be renewed | | | | irritation or even damage the spa's mechanical |
| with new ozone generating components and | | | | components or items like pillows and spa covers. |
| injectors, or replaced completely. | | | | Balancing the water is going to look more complicated |
| Proper installation involves sizing the unit properly and | | | | than it is. It's a well-trod path, and there are easy |
| then getting it installed so it is injecting ozone at | | | | tools to help you along the way. |
| maximum efficiency. The sizing choice is something | | | | The first step in balancing the water is to measure it. |
| most spa parts dealers can advise you about if you | | | | Simple test strips will tell you how much chlorine or |
| know the number of gallons of water your spa holds. | | | | bromine is in your spa, its pH value, and the alkalinity. |
| Installation is straightforward for the handy | | | | The usual values recommended for each of these is: |
| do-it-yourselfer (especially if you are replacing an old | | | | - Chlorine: 1 to 3 parts per million (ppm) is commonly |
| unit), but there are some things that need to be | | | | found recommended on test strip containers. With |
| done properly: | | | | ozone, you can shoot for somewhat less, in the.5 to |
| - Get the right voltage ozonator for your spa pack. | | | | 1 ppm range. Don't worry, you won't have to see 1 |
| That's the spa pack, and not the line voltage. Your | | | | part in a million of anything because the test strip will |
| manufacturer and/or dealer know. Note that some | | | | be designed to show it visually. Note that the free |
| spa ozonators come in dual voltage units, like that | | | | chlorine may fall to zero if you sanitize using the |
| available on the dual voltage models of DEL Ozone's | | | | ozone generator + supplementary dichlor approach |
| Spa Eclipse. | | | | and you don't use the tub very often. |
| - Make sure the plug matches the one on the old | | | | - pH: The recommended pH level is 7.2 to 7.6. Again, |
| ozonator - there are too many plug types to believe, | | | | this will be visually obvious on your test strip |
| but the ozonator that's in your spa right now won't | | | | container with the right calibrations for the strips you |
| lie: that's what you want to duplicate. Sometimes | | | | are using. |
| you'll need to remove the plug that comes with the | | | | - Alkalinity: The typical recommended level is 80 to |
| ozonator and wire directly into the spa pack (for | | | | 120 ppm. It's important to note that using ozone as |
| instance, if you are installing ozone into a spa that | | | | the primary sanitizer reduces the need for chlorine or |
| uses a discontinued plug type). | | | | bromine somewhat. If you continue to shoot for the |
| - Make sure the injector is in good condition and not | | | | standard recommended levels of 1 to 3 ppm the |
| clogged, and is properly installed on the waterline | | | | chemicals may not get used up and will begin to build |
| from the pump. The injector is a critical component | | | | up a residual. You can test and experiment, but |
| because it helps ozone dissolve in the water by | | | | remember that one of the huge benefits of ozone is |
| thrashing it into tiny bubbles. | | | | reducing the need for noxious chemicals and their |
| - Install the ozonator above the pump and waterline | | | | byproducts. |
| level (when possible) in case of leaks. To prevent | | | | The pH and total alkalinity (TA) interact. Some people |
| water backflow into the ozonator, put a loop in the | | | | argue that the TA is a buffer for the pH so that the |
| ozone delivery line and hang the top end of it above | | | | pH readings you get depend on the level of TA. |
| the ozone unit. | | | | Since one factor may go up when the other goes |
| - Ensure the check valve is in good condition and is | | | | up, you might end up with pH too high when alkalinity |
| installed between the injector and the top of the | | | | is in the recommended range, or vice versa. Further, |
| loop. Make sure it is running in the right direction, with | | | | the chemicals usually recommended for correcting pH |
| the arrow pointing away from the ozonator. | | | | and TA are the same: if you have high pH (or high |
| Ozone is injected only when the pump is running, so | | | | TA) use Spa Down; if you have low pH (or low TA) |
| make sure the pump circulates water at least six | | | | use Spa Up. |
| hours per day. Some spas have recirculating pumps | | | | The crucial question is which of these measures is |
| that run 24/7 which is ideal for maximizing the | | | | the more important one to use? What should you |
| contact between ozone and impurities in the water. | | | | adjust? |
| This seems very complicated to discuss in black and | | | | "Experts" disagree about this, but our |
| white. However, your spa technician will make it | | | | recommendation is to balance the pH and allow the |
| appear like child's play, at a reasonable cost. | | | | TA to vary. This holds true unless the TA is causing |
| Step 2 to Clean and Healthy Hot Tubs: A Modest | | | | scaling or the water is cloudy. Water hardness varies |
| Chemical Diet | | | | from locality to locality and this in itself can affect the |
| It's not realistic to expect a spa ozone generator to | | | | TA measure. |
| take care of 100% of the sanitizing chores in a hot | | | | Visit us for more information about spa sanitation on |
| tub. The main reason is that organic contaminants | | | | a web property of DEL Ozone, the leading ozone |
| spike when the hot tub is used, and the more | | | | sanitation company. |