Are you planning to sit and immerse in the hot tub water to enjoy hydrotherapy with a few of your friends? Wait a minute, and check the water quality of your hot tub. If the hot tub water is crystal clear, it is all set and perfect to give you a massage and hydrotherapy. However, if it looks a little off, cloudy, and slightly green, it is not clean and hygienic for immersing and soaking; it’s the time of water testing of your hot tub before using it for the next time.
To get rid of all these issues and clean the water, you have to go for the water treatment of your hot tub water according to its water care system. However, before you treat the water, it would be better to get an idea about the specific issue of the hot tub water, and for that purpose, you have to go for water testing.
Water testing is a simple process, but if you are a new user and don’t know how to do hot tub water testing? Don’t worry, and you are at the right place; China Royal Spa team has prepared a complete guide about the hot tub water testing and you will find complete step by step details to conduct the hot tub water testing. So keep on reading and test the hot tub water accordingly.
Hot Tub Water Test
If you want to enjoy the luxuries and comforts of the hot tub, you have to keep it clean and hygienic. How you can keep it clean and hygienic? By doing water testing quite often and by doing water treatment accordingly. However, before going into the details of hot tub water testing process, it would be better to know when you should do the water testing and what are the ways to conduct the water testing of your hot tub.
When to Test the Hot Tub Water?
If you want to keep the hot tub water clean and hygienic, it would be best to know when to test the hot tub water quality. China Royal Spa suggests conducting the water testing in the following situations.
Before Using the Hot Tub
If you are planning to use the hot tub to get the massage and hydrotherapy, it would be the best time for hot tub water testing. Test the water quality and treat the water by adding all the essential chemicals and sanitizers.
After Using the Hot Tub
China Royal Spa suggests testing the hot tub water after using the spa. If you test and treat the hot tub after using it, it will give you clean and hygienic water for the next use.
Using Hot Tub Quite Often
If you use the hot tub quite often, China Royal Spa suggests checking the water quality quite often. It will help you in maintaining the hot tub water and give you clean and hygienic water for immersing and soaking.
If It Rained in Hot Tub
If your hot tub is installed outdoors and it rained while you used the hot tub. China Royal spa suggests to do the water testing after rain. The rain could add impurities to the hot tub water, and it could affect the hot tub water quality. Therefore, test the hot tub water after it gets rain water.
Ways to Conduct Hot Tub Water Testing
The hot tub water testing is not a complex process. You can test the hot tub water with the help of water testing strips that you can easily get from the market. You can test the hot tub water by following ways.
- Use hot tub test strips.
- Liquid test kit to test hot tub water quality.
- Take the water sample to your local spa dealer
Why Should You Use the Test Strip?
Hot tub water testing strips are the best tools to check the water quality of the hot tub. Without testing strips you cannot check the impurities in the hot tub water, and ultimately you cannot add the right amount of sanitizers and chemicals to clean the hot tub water. Multiple testing strips are available in the market, and you can use the best suitable to test the water quality.
Types of Testing Strips
Many users ask that if there is only one type of testing strips or multiple testing strips are available. In fact, there are multiple types of testing strips available in the market. There are testing strips that measure pH and hardness of the water, and some measure alkalinity while the others measure oxidizer, pH, and alkalinity of the hot tub water. You can get the one based on the test’s nature.
What Should You Look Into While Water Testing?
Multiple users get confused about what are the factors and things they should look into while testing the hot tub water. So, if you are confused and want to know the exact factors, China Royal Spa suggests to look into the following factors while conducting the hot tub water tests.
Amount of Sanitizers
Sanitizers are essential for the hot tub water to keep it clean and hygienic. However, the right amount of sanitizers is essential to keep the water in good quality. China Royal Spa suggests that the sanitizer level in your hot tub should be 4-6ppm.
The pH of the Hot Tub Water
While conducting the hot tub water test, you should look into the hot tub water pH level. The pH should be 7.2 to 7.6. If the testing kit shows a pH level below or above than this, you need to fix it through the most efficient water treatment system.
Hot Tub Water Alkalinity
Apart from the pH of the hot tub water, China Royal Spa suggests to look into the alkalinity of the hot tub water while testing it. If your hot tub has 80 to 120 ppm alkalinity, it is balanced and normal. However, anything more or less than this needs to be fixed at the earliest.
Total Hardness of the Hot Tub Water
If you are going to test your hot tub water, it would be better to look into the total hardness of the hot tub water. The total hardness of the hot tub means the level of dissolved minerals in the hot tub water. The ideal hardness of the water ranges between 100 to 250ppm. If your hot tub water shows the hardness level below or above than this, it means the water quality is not good, and you have to fix it before using the hot tub.
Total Dissolved Solids in the Hot Tub Water
If you use the hot tub quite frequently without changing the water, the amount of total dissolved solids will increase in the hot tub water with every passing day. These solids will ultimately affect the water quality. Therefore, if you are going to test the hot tub water, it will be better to test the amount of total dissolved solids in the hot tub water. If you find too much dissolved solids in the hot tub water, China Royal Spa suggests to change the hot tub water at the earliest.
Bacteria
The moderate temperature of the hot tub provides a good Eco system for the growth of bacteria. So, if you are going to test the water quality of the hot tub water, China Royal Spa suggests to test the Bacteria growth in your hot tub. To kill the bacteria, add an accurate amount of chemicals and sanitizers in the hot tub water before and after using the spa.
The Process of Hot Tub Water Testing
The process of hot tub water testing is not a complex process, it may take a few minutes, but it’s totally worth it. To initiate the process of hot tub water testing, take the sample of the hot tub water and then perform the test on that sample.
How to Collect the Hot Tub Water Sample?
To conduct a successful hot tub water test, it is essential to take the right sample of the hot tub. China Royal Spa suggests to take the water sample of the hot tub in the following way.
- Take a clean cup or bottle.
- Make sure that the cup or the bottle is completely dry and there is no impurities in it.
- Hold the cup or the bottle upside down in the hot tub.
- Insert the vessel into the water and then turn it right to take the water
- Always take the water samples from the middle of the hot tub.
If you want to take the right sample of the hot tub water, China Royal Spa suggests to take the water sample from the middle of the hot tub. Moreover, avoid taking the water samples near the jets of the hot tub, because the water near the jets has just gone through the filtration process in the hot tub and it may not give you the right amount of the impurities and organic materials.
How to Use the Testing Strips to Test the Hot Tub Water?
Once you take the sample of the hot tub water, the next thing you have to do is conduct the test on the hot tub water sample. To test the hot tub water sample, you can use the testing strips. If you don’t know how to use the testing strips to test the hot tub water? China Royal Spa is there to rescue you. Perform the following steps to test the hot tub water using testing strips.
Take the water sample
The first thing you have to do is take the water sample from the hot tub. Try to take the water sample from the middle of the hot tub and make sure to use the clean and dry cup or bottle to collect the water sample.
Use the Strip
Once you take the water sample of your hot tub, the next step is using the test strip. Carefully dip the strip in the hot tub water sample and pull it back quickly. Make sure it does not soak in the hot tub water.
Once you pull it out of the water sample, hold it carefully for at least 15 seconds. Avoid shaking the strip as it could affect the test results.
Match the Strip
Once you dip the strip and let it dry for the 15 seconds, the strip is all ready to give you the results. Match the strip colors with the guide on the package and identify the alkalinity level, hardness, pH ad other such variables.
If your hot tub water shows the exact amount of every variable, it has no issue, and it is all set for the use. However, if it shows some variation or below or above then the accurate and ideal level, identify those variables and take the immediate steps to get them fix.
How to Use a Liquid Test Kit?
In addition to the testing strips, you can use the liquid test kit to check the water quality of the hot tub. If you don’t know how to use the liquid water testing kit, don’t worry; China Royal spa is there to help you. Follow the following steps to test the hot tub water with a liquid testing kit.
Collect the Water Sample
Collecting the right amount of water sample is the first thing that you do, even if you use the testing strip or you use the liquid water kit. So, carefully take the water sample of your hot tub water. The test kit comes with a collector.
Add the Liquid into Water
Various chemicals are used to test different variables of the water quality. If you are going to check the pH of the hot tub water. Add a few drops of phenol on the pH side of the collector and analyze the results, if the pH is moderate or if it is higher or lower than the ideal level.
Apart from the pH level, if you want to check the chlorine level in your hot tub water, add a few drops of OTO on the chlorine side of the collector.
Check the Results
Once you have added the required chemicals on the collector to test the water quality of the hot tub water. The next thing you have to do is check the results.
Hold the collector and observe the colors of the collector to know the results. If you find dark shades of red, it means the water has a high pH, and if it shows darker yellow shades, it means the amount of chlorine in the hot tub is higher than the required amount. In such cases, take the essential measures to fix the issues before using the hot tub.
Apart from the high level, low pH level, chlorine and alkalinity are not good for the hot tub water. So, how do you know that the level is below normal, if the colors on the water collector displays light shades of red, it means pH is below normal. If it shows light shades of yellow, it means the amount of chlorine in the hot tub water is not enough to kill bacteria and you need to add more to keep the water clean and hygienic.
Professional Testing
If you don’t want to test the hot tub water at home, you can test it from the professionals. The professional water testing would give you accuracy. Take the water sample of your hot tub water in a clean and dry cup or bottle and take it to the professionals; they will run the test on the sample and let you know the quality of the hot tub water.
Hot Tub Water Testing for Multiple Materials
Apart from testing the water quality and checking the pH level, chlorine level, and alkalinity, you can test the hot tub water to know the amount of different materials in it. You can test the hot tub water to know the amount of Copper, Iron, Salt and Calcium.
Test for Copper
If you find that the hot tub shell has slightly green stains on it or if the hot tub water is cloudy, it means that the water has a higher amount of copper in it. The amount of copper in the hot tub could increase because of the two ways.
The water in your area might have a high amount of copper in it, when the water evaporates from the hot tub, the copper will stay there and it will add into the water after you refill the hot tub, leading to the high amount of copper in it.
Secondly, if your hot tub has a low pH level, it will increase the amount of copper in the water. You can test the water and fix the copper level in your hot tub. China Royal Spa suggests to test the copper level of your hot tub once a week.
How to Test Copper Level?
If you want to test the copper level of your hot tub water, China Royal Spa suggests to get a testing strip that is specifically designed to test the copper level and other metals in the hot tub. If you find the copper level higher than the ideal level, you need to fix it immediately through water treatment ways.
Test for Iron
Apart from the copper, the amount of Iron could be problematic, therefore China Royal Spa suggests to test the Iron level in the hot tub. The amount of Iron in your hot tub could be higher because the high amount of Iron is naturally there in the water source of your area.
How to Test Iron Level in the Hot Tub?
The strip that you have used to test the Copper level of your hot tub water could be used to test the Iron level of the water. China Royal Spa suggests to test the Iron level of your hot tub once in a month.
Test for Calcium
Depending upon your area, you might have to deal with the issue of calcium in your hot tub water. In some areas, water naturally have a higher level of calcium in it, if you live in such area, you will face the issue of high calcium level in your hot tub water.
How to Test for Iron Level in the Hot Tub?
If you want to know the amount of calcium in your hot tub water, China Royal Spa suggests to conduct the professional testing of the hot tub water. Moreover, it would be best to test the calcium level of the water once in a month and if you find the amount is higher than the ideal level, take the immediate steps to bring it down to the moderate level.
Test for Salt
Some models of the hot tub have a salt water system to keep the hot tub water clean and hygienic. Though such models have a system and they convert salt into chlorine, but even then you can face the issue of high salt level in your hot tub. Therefore, you must check the amount of salt of your hot tub water. China Royal Spa suggests to test your hot tub water to observe the salt levels once in a month.
How to Test for the Salt Levels in the Hot Tub?
If you want to test the salt levels of your hot tub water, you can get the specially designed testing strips from the market. The ideal salt level should be between 2,000ppm to 3,000ppm. anything below or higher than this will be dangerous and you need to fix it immediately.
These are some of the easiest ways to test the hot tub water. If you want to enjoy the comforts and relaxation of the hot tub water, China Royal Spa suggests to test the water quality quite often and if you find any issue, do the water treatment immediately.