Topic
Water care
Clear water comes from a clean filter, a sanitiser level kept in range and a balanced pH. Test strips make checking quick; the figures below are general guidance, so follow the instructions on your own products.
- pH
- Commonly 7.2 to 7.6
- Test
- Every few days in use
Most owners use chlorine or bromine granules or tablets as sanitiser and keep it within the range on the product label. Test strips show sanitiser, pH and total alkalinity in one dip.
pH that drifts too high makes the sanitiser work less well and can cloud the water; too low can be harsh on the tub. Total alkalinity steadies the pH, so it is usually corrected first.
Hard water areas of the UK see more scale on the heater and filter. Rinse the filter cartridge often and replace it when it no longer comes clean. Always read and follow the safety instructions on chemical containers.
Guides on this topic
- What chemicals does an inflatable hot tub need?What chemicals an inflatable hot tub needs: sanitiser, pH up and down, alkalinity, shock and test strips, and the order to add them, as general guidance.How-to
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- How to shock an inflatable hot tubHow to shock an inflatable hot tub: what shocking does, chlorine and non-chlorine options, when to do it and how long to leave the cover off, following the label.How-to
- How to read hot tub test stripsHow to read hot tub test strips: dipping, timing and matching each pad, the order to correct readings and how often to test in summer and winter.How-to
- Too much chlorine in a hot tub: how to lower itToo much chlorine in your hot tub? How to lower it by leaving the cover off, running the bubbles, partial draining or a neutraliser, with safe test points.Fix
- How to drain an inflatable hot tubHow to drain an inflatable hot tub: the drain valve and hose adaptor, pump-out options, how long it takes, where the water can go and how often to change it.How-to
- How to clean inflatable hot tub filtersHow to clean inflatable hot tub filters: rinsing, soaking and replacing, how often for each type, and how to find the right filter size for your tub.How-to
- How to add chemicals to a hot tub, step by stepHow to add chemicals to a hot tub in the right order, with the pump running, plus how long to wait between doses and before getting in.How-to
- Green hot tub water: why it happens and what to doWhy hot tub water turns green: algae versus metals in the water, how to tell which, and the shock, filter and drain and refill steps for each cause.Fix
- Cloudy hot tub water: causes and fixesWhy hot tub water goes cloudy: filters, pH, sanitiser level and hard water checked in order, with the fix for each and when a drain and refill is quicker.Fix
- Hot tub pH and alkalinity: target rangesHot tub pH and alkalinity explained: commonly quoted target ranges for pH, total alkalinity and sanitiser, and which product moves each reading, as general guidance.Guide
- Hard water and limescale in an inflatable hot tubWhy limescale matters in an inflatable hot tub in hard water areas, how it reaches the heater, and how anti-scale treatment and descaling fit the routine.How-to
- Hot tub foaming: causes and fixesWhy a hot tub foams: soap, lotions, detergent in swimwear and low calcium explained, with quick fixes and the habits that stop foam coming back.Fix
- Hot tub chemical dosing: working out the right amountHot tub chemical dosing explained: turn a label dose into the right amount for your litres, with target ranges and a worked example for an inflatable tub.Guide
- Hot tub chemical dispensers and ChemConnect explainedHot tub chemical dispensers explained: how floating dispensers and Lay-Z-Spa ChemConnect work, how to set them and when they help steady sanitiser levels.Guide
- Chlorine vs bromine in an inflatable hot tubChlorine vs bromine for inflatable hot tubs: how each behaves at hot tub temperatures, smell, dosing, testing and what your tub maker's manual allows.Comparison
- Chlorine tablets vs granules for hot tubsChlorine tablets vs granules for hot tubs compared on dosing, control, speed and use with a dispenser, for steady sanitiser in an inflatable tub.Comparison
- Can you run a hot tub without chemicals?Can you run a hot tub without chemicals? Why warm shared water needs a sanitiser, what salt, UV and ozone systems do, and the lowest effort routine.Guide