Remove the cover from Lay-Z-Spa to allow evaporation of the chlorine (keep the filter running constantly). Whether you are using a strip or liquid test on your hot tub, you should follow the instructions steps and use water from the centre of the spa or hot tub and ensure the jets aren’t on, as the water must be as settled as possible to get the best results and provide a great spa experience in the future. How To Test Hot Tub Water With Strips It is important to note that the rate of your chosen sanitiser's consumption will vary depending on the usage of your tub. The consumption of chlorine, bromine or oxygen will continue even when your spa is not in use. Therefore, we recommend testing your hot tub water daily.

From our research, we also derived some important safety considerations for parents using the hot tub for their children. The following rules are based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, US Medicine National Institutes of Health and The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) [ 1– 4]: At first glance, it might seem that storing chemicals is pretty straightforward. I mean how hard could it be right? — Perhaps you just put the chemicals where there’s free storage space and take them from there when needed. However, it’s not that simple. If not stored properly, hot tub chemicals can lose their efficiency and pose serious risks for your health. If the reading is below 7.2, your hot tub water is too acidic; this can cause skin irritation and red eyes and will also result in the sanitiser becoming less effective. Chlorine tablets and rainwater can cause low PH levels.

Some hot tub test kits measure for specific things like Chlorine or salt levels, but the most common are the multi-function testing strips that measure multiple parameters simultaneously. Below are some of the things you will find on the coloured strips. PH levels Over time, debris, minerals, body oils etc., saturate the water. Even if you add enough sanitiser, there comes the point when it will stop working. This will cause your water to become cloudy, you may suffer from foam and it will be extremely challenging to balance the PH level.

Clearwater pH Plus , also known as ‘pH increaser’ is the best way to increase pH levels that have dropped below the recommended level. To avoid skin discomforts and enable the chlorine in your spa to work effectively, it’s vital that acidity is monitored and controlled. The recommended pH balance of spa water is between 7.2 and 7.6. Chlorine tabs contain Trichlor which is acidic. This means your pH and alkalinity will reduce when using these tablets, so you'll need to adjust the chemicals in your spa more often to keep it balanced. TA should not be higher than 150 ppm. It will lead to cloudy water and will make the sanitizer less effective. There is no TA decreaser to balance TA, so use a pH decreaser. It’s essential to test hot tub water before every use to ensure it’s hygienic and safe for use, it means your keeping the hot tub clean and make the appropriate chemical adjustments to the hot tub if needed. The filtration system in your hot tub does a good job of maintaining clean hot tub water, but several outside factors can cause fluctuations in the chemistry. pH Plus is another component of the Lay-Z-spa chemical starter kit. If your hot tub’s pH level is low, it means your hot tub is getting acidic.

Parting advice 

The amount of pH increaser or decreaser you need to add to your hot tub depends on the volume of water and how low your readings are. Refer to the dosage information will be printed on the individual chemical bottles. Let your hot tub heat up to a temperature of 100°F (don’t skip this step—chemicals may not work properly if added to cooler water) So, how did we prepare our lists? We recently conducted research based on the experience of hundreds of hot tub owners and came up with our lists of necessary chemicals while also taking into account all the health risks involved when using chemicals. Proper chemical maintenance is essential to prolong the life of your inflatable hot tub. Treat its water care the same as you would an acrylic hot tub. However, bear in mind that inflatable tubs can be more susceptible to water contamination, due to the smaller volume of water they hold, and less powerful filtration than most hard shells, so keep an eye on your chemical levels. Puetz, J. D. Understanding Hot Water Chemistry. Retrieved from: https://www.apsp.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Advantis%20Spa%20Chemistry%20Book%20-%20ENGLISH.pdf

Don’t wait too long to compare, as the test strip colour will continue to change with time. Keep your test strips stored in a cool, dry place. Dip a ClearWater® Test Strip in the centre of your Lay-Z-Spa, remove and hold it still for 15 seconds. You should do a few things before filling your hot tub with fresh water like adding various chemicals to balance your water and make it safe to bathe in. Also, it keeps your spa equipment safe because poorly balanced water leads to damage, scale and corrosion.

I wrote a detailed guide on how to use it and really get your spa clean (inside and out) before you fill it up again. Filter Cleaner If all this sounds confusing, remember that you don't need to memorize too much of the theory. It's just useful to have some basic knowledge of how all these measurements affect each other. Low TA: what happens & how to prevent it To dose your hot tub ready for use, we advise using chlorine or bromine granules. Then, ensure your spa water is at a normal level of 3-5 parts per million (ppm) for free chlorine and 4-6 ppm for bromine before taking a dip. Don't forget about filters Dip a ClearWater® Test Strip in the centre of your Lay‑Z‑Spa, remove and hold it still for 15 seconds.