Your Hot Tub, Your Sanctuary

Balanced water keeps your hot tub comfortable, clear, and safe. It also protects your equipment and helps your sanitiser work properly. If pH, alkalinity, or calcium hardness are out of range, you may see cloudy water, scale, corrosion, or even skin and eye irritation.

Key Water Balance Levels & How to Adjust Them

• pH (7.2 – 7.6). 
pH shows if your water is acidic or alkaline. 
  • Low pH: Can cause sore eyes and corrosion. → Raise with pH Plus.
  • High pH: May cause itchy skin and makes sanitiser less effective, leading to cloudy water or scale. → Lower with pH Minus.
• Total Alkalinity (80 – 150 mg/l)
TA keeps pH stable. 
  • Low TA: Causes rapid pH swings and corrosive water. → Raise with TA Plus.
  • High TA: Makes pH difficult to adjust and may cause scaling. → Lower gradually using pH Minus.
• Calcium Hardness (100 – 200 mg/l)
Calcium protects your spa surfaces and equipment. 
  • Low CH: Water becomes aggressive and can damage spa components. → Raise with Hardness Plus.
  • High CH: Can cause cloudy water and scale. → Use ScaleAway.

Scale is caused by minerals in your hot tub water that form rough, hard deposits. It’s more common in hard water areas and can be encouraged by high pH and/or high alkalinity. Scale doesn’t just look unsightly, it can clog filters, reduce water flow, and even damage your heater and jets.

Common Causes of Scale

• Living in a hard water area (high calcium levels)
• High pH (above 7.6)
• High Total Alkalinity (above 150 mg/l)
• Not testing or adjusting water balance regularly

How to Prevent Scale

1. Test your water regularly and keep pH (7.2–7.6) and TA (80–150 mg/l) in range.
2. Use a scale control product like AquaSPArkle ScaleAway as part of your regular care routine.
3. If you live in a hard water area, be extra vigilant with water testing.

If Scale Has Formed

1. Lower pH and TA towards the lower end of their ranges.
2. Add AquaSPArkle ScaleAway as directed – for heavy scale, a double initial dose may be needed.
3. Replace your filter cartridge once the deposits have cleared, as it’s likely to be blocked with scale.

Cloudy or milky spa water is a common issue, often caused by:

• Low or inconsistent sanitiser levels
• Imbalanced pH or Total Alkalinity
• A dirty or clogged filter
• Bather waste (lotions, cosmetics, sweat, fake tan, detergents in swimwear)

How to Clear Cloudy Water

1. Check sanitiser levels: Keep chlorine between 3–5 mg/l or bromine 4–6 mg/l.
2. Shock the hot tub: Use a product like AquaSPArkle Spa Fusion or Non-Chlorine Shock to remove wastes and bacteria.
3. Balance the water: Maintain pH (7.2–7.6) and TA (80–150 mg/l) for effective sanitisation.
4. Clean the filter: Rinse weekly and deep clean or replace if needed.
5. Drain and refill: Change hot tub water every 1–3 months, depending on usage.

Extra Help

For persistent cloudiness, a clarifier like AquaSPArkle Spa Sparkle can quickly restore crystal-clear water.

Foam on the water surface is a common issue for hot tub owners. It usually happens for two reasons:

• Contamination from bathers: such as sweat, body oils, cosmetics, lotions, fake tan, hair products, or detergents left in swimwear after washing.
• Unbalanced water: typically, when pH is too high or when the water is simply “tired” (high TDS levels).

How to Fix Foamy Water

1. Remove the foam – skim or scoop it off the surface.
2. Clean your hot tub – wipe down surfaces and give the filter a thorough clean.
3. Test and balance water – make sure pH and sanitiser levels are in range.
4. Use a foam reducer – products like AquaSPArkle FoamAway will quickly collapse surface foam.
5. Refresh water if needed – if foaming keeps coming back, it’s often a sign the water needs changing.

Prevention Tips

• Good bathing habits: shower before use, avoid lotions or oils, and rinse swimsuits in plain water instead of detergent.
• Regular filter care: rinse weekly and deep clean monthly, keeping a spare filter handy.
• Drain and refill: replace hot tub water every 1–3 months depending on usage.

With simple care and regular maintenance, you can keep your spa water crystal clear and foam-free.