TIPS and FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We’ve got a few tips to help you with operating and maintaining your pool and or spa.

We’ve also got the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) along with the proper answers.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, please feel free to contact us and ask. It may be something others would like to know as well.

TIPS

SpaGuard's Optimizer® Plus conditions the water and improves overall water comfort while protecting your spa's heater and improving the performance of your sanitizer. It also has a pleasant fragrance that cuts the smell of bromine or chlorine.

• Contains built-in corrosion inhibitors

• Makes water feel soft and silky

This is a simple additive that is broadcast into your spa once a week. Combined with proper water balance it actually helps stabilize the balance and fluctuation of pH, alkalinity and maximizes sanitizer efficiency - which means you save on chemical and have less frequent adjustments.

Most importantly Optimizer® Plus  makes the water feel silky smooth and leaves skin feeling moisturized and soft so you can truly enjoy the comfort of your hot tub.

Get the same if not better feeling than a salt-water tub for a fraction of the cost and without the headaches of salt-water tubs that are often not discussed.

Drop by Sani-Sol Pool & Spa and pick up your Optimizer® Plus today!

6 KEYS TO BASIC SPA CARE

Spa Water Chemistry

Water chemistry can be a tricky thing. Tap water may be good enough to drink but that does not make it ideal for your hot tub. Compared to a pool there are also some major differences and challenges:

• Extremely rapid bacteria reproduction at normal spa temperatures
• Increases in pH, due to aeration, higher temperatures and speed flow through piping
• Less active chlorine, thanks to the tendency for higher pH values
• More organic-nitrogen compounds from bathers sweat, skin oils and flakes, which react with sanitizers to create chloramines
• Less water available to dilute contaminants introduced by bathers
• Increased calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale due to higher temperatures and increased pH.

Hotter water means faster bacterial reproduction which means the importance of sanitizers is magnified. With less volume of water per bather means higher amounts of bather contamination for the sanitizer to deal with. * 1 person in a 1000 liter tub is equivalent to 40 swimmers in a small 40,000 liter pool

Bromine is a far more effective sanitizer compared to chlorine because bromine is still an effective sanitizer when pH levels rise,whereas chlorine becomes less effective as pH goes up. It's very important to check pH levels and sanitizer levels frequently so as to keep in in proper ranges. Total Alkalinity is a sort of buffer to ensure pH bounces less. Typically Alkalinity wants to decrease which can cause the pH to rise and likelihood of scale to form especially on heater elements causing premature failure and costly repairs.

Calcium Hardness is also a concern. Water naturally craves calcium, if it's not given the water will seek it out and it does this by leeching it from the polymers in the tubs acrylic shell which can cause cracking, blistering and fading. This is why often time if on city water there is a need to add calcium to the water gradually. Well water tends to be more calcium rich and may not require additional calcium. On that note however, there can be times when calcium is too high which can cause calcium deposits and even a sandpaper feel if it falls out of solution when pH levels drop or rise to dramatically.

It is always best to test your spa water frequently even using test strips so that minor corrections can be made without much difficulty or notice. However, sometimes it can be challenging to read these test strips or you may get strange color readings. In such cases bring in a water sample so that we can have a closer look and correct whatever is going on.

Return to List

Pool Water Chemistry

A clear pool does not necessarily mean a sanitary pool. There are many factors to consider when maintaining your pool.

• Sanitizer levels - Chlorine, Bromine
• Stabilizer - to prevent un stabilized chlorine from burning off with U.V. light exposure
• pH levels - keeps bathers comfortable (too high can cause scaling, too low can cause itchy skin and red eyes)
• Total Alkalinity - keeps pH in check and prevents fluctuation
• Calcium Hardness - maintains suppleness and flexibility of liner

It's important to check your pool water chemistry often to ensure clear, comfortable water that is problem free. Often times when water is off balance we can see problems appear such as cloudiness, discoloration of the water, algae or even chlorine lock - a condition where there is a chlorine demand and high shocking is required.

At Sani-Sol we have the expertise and equipment to analyze your water accurately and correct any problems. However, the best solution is always preventative maintenance.

Balance your pool at spring open, ensure you shock your pool regularly even if it's clear and especially with high bather loads, contaminants build up until a problem suddenly appears, by that time it's too late, now corrective and often costly measures need to be taken.

Return to List

Importance of Cleaning Spa Cartridge Filters

Spa cartridge filters are designed to remove debris as well as collect oils and greases from the tubs water. Most hot tubs are covered most of the time except when in use, so debris is usually kept to a minimum, although fine debris such as sand and silts can be tracked in by bathers.

However, bathers also track in a great deal of oils and greases in the form of body lotions, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, hair sprays, make up and more.

This is why it is key to clean your cartridge filters regularly. We recommend that filters be removed and visually checked for debris build up once per month and rinsed out under a tap or with a garden hose (don't use pressure washers as they tend to be too strong and can actually tear the fibers in the filter).

Filters can also be chemically cleaned which is usually recommended at least every third month. This can usually coincide with a drain and refill of your tubs water. Chemically cleaning filters is done with a solution designed especially for cleaning pleated cartridge filters such as SpaGuards Filter Brite. Mix this powder into water and totally submerge the cartridges in the solution for at least several hours, we recommend overnight. Then remove from solution, rinse off and ideally allow the filters to dry - this tightens up the fibers and gives maximum efficiency.

Most spa owners will invest in a second set of filters so that you can always run your hot tub with a filter while the other one is being cleaned and dried properly.

Clean filters account for a large portion of your waters clarity. Let's face it you would not want to get into a hot tub with cloudy or dirty water. As a secondary reason - when the filters pleats get clogged up they stop filtering so well and excess oils and grease can form a scum line which typically floats and clings to acrylic surfaces known as a "scum line" or bath tub ring. This can also be avoided using enzyme based products that breakdown oils and greases such as SpaGuard's Refresh - a weekly dose will prevent the scum line build up.

A single filter cartridge should be replaced every year to year and a half or sooner if the fibers are tearing or fraying or are clogged even after chemically cleaned.

Return to List

These filters are ready for the garbage.

F.A.Q.s

Why do I get foam in my hot tub?

Foam in a hot tub can be caused by a number of factors and although most children enjoy it most adults do not. Usually foam occurs as a result of sudsing agents from soaps, shampoos, body lotions, hair gel or even laundry detergent from bathing suits. Lack of sanitizer (bromine or chlorine) in the water is a large factor as sanitizers usually deal with theses substances and breaks them down. It can also be caused by a build up of waste that was not broken down in the tub.

The problem can be very quickly addressed using SpaGuard Anti-Foam - just a capful as it's very concentrated. This will immediately dissipate the foam within seconds - however this is simply a temporary fix that masks the problem. The root problem needs to be taken care of soon to ensure sanitary use of the tub and the problem does not keep reoccurring.

This is not good! (this is extreme)

What to do? First: Ensure there is a proper sanitizer reading using a test strip or bring your water in to us for a proper analysis. Add any required sanitizer preferably in a powdered concentrate that is fast-acting, although topping up slow-dissolve tablets will work too, just takes longer.

Second: Shock your tub using an oxidizer to burn off any accumulated waste. We recommend SpaGuard's SpaLite which is a pre-measured envelope of a blended oxidizer, sanitizer along with clarifiers. This will remove accumulated waste and leave the spa looking sparkly clear.

Third: Add SpaGuard Refresh on a weekly basis - this enzyme based product helps break down oils and greases that accumulate through use and prevents build up in a scum line around the tubs water line.

Return to List

 

Why You Need to Shock Your SPA

Between all the chlorine or bromine we use to sanitize our spas and then balance the water with more chemicals, spa users often ask why they have to shock?

Sanitizers will take care of killing bacteria, but over time as the tub gets used dead waste builds up. True your cartridge filter does collect a great deal of it but with extra contaminants like body lotions, shampoos, conditioners, hair spray and other personal care products the water can go cloudy and cause bad odours.

Spa Lite Envelope. We recommend using an oxidizing shock such as Spa Guard's "Spa Lite". This simple to use envelope is a blended shock that contains a water clarifier and does an amazing job of destroying all waste build up. Used once a week when the spa is in use regularly will ensure crystal clear water and no odour. If you're an infrequent user of your spa then shock can be done every other week.

Just be sure to leave your spa cover off for at least the length of a jet cycle to ensure the underside of your cover is not damaged and wait at least the same amount of time before entering the spa. Spa care has never been this easy.

Why You Need to Shock Your Pool

By Ronald Parrs

Shocking your pool is Step 2 in good pool care.

Shocking is as important as regular sanitizing with chlorine (step 1) and adding algaecide (step 3). All pools need to be shocked on a regular, weekly or bi-weekly basis. Period.

Shocking your pool weekly helps rid the pool of organic & inorganic wastes such as sweat, cosmetics, suntan lotions, body oils, urine, contaminants brought in by rain or wind, bird droppings (most pools are outside, exposed to the surrounding air), dead bugs and small animals that "visit" your pool or even make up water. Proper shocking helps ensure that the sanitizer (chlorine) can concentrate on killing bacteria & algae rather than having to fight these other foreign materials.

When a pool is properly shocked, the pool stays cleaner, more sparkling, is less prone to algae blooms and cloudy water. An added bonus is that you will use LESS chlorine over the course of the average swimming season. Shocking should be done at least every week or 2 weeks from pool opening to pool closing depending on use & current conditions.

Even pools using other sanitizing systems such as bromine, ionizers, salt generators (chlorine is still being generated), biguanides such as Arch Chemical Baquacil® or BioGuard® Soft Swim® must use the appropriate shock treatments to oxidize swimmer and environmental wastes on a regular, routine basis following the particular manufacturer's instructions.

But there's more to it! Are you shocking, trying to reach "break-point" chlorination or curing a chlorine demand? Let's take a closer look.

Regular Shocking.

"Regular Shocking" is just that. The pool is otherwise clean & clear. Algae is under control. There is no haze to the water. When you test the water (done twice each week), the Total Chlorine is the same as the Free Available Chlorine (FAC) - when using a DPD test kit. There are no Chloramines (chlorine combined with swimmer and organic waste) present.

Regular shocking should be done once every one to 2 weeks from the time you open the pool until closing or winterizing.

Regular shocking oxidizes swimmer and organic wastes that accumulate in the pool water over time. These wastes include sweat, urine, lotions, cosmetics, "stuff" that is introduced from the wind & rain. More recently, there is a concern for "stuff" or wastes that are brought in from normal "top offs" of municipal (tap) water or well water.

These wastes contribute to red, irritated eyes, hazy water, algae growth, and water that smells like it has "too much" chlorine. Actually there is not enough FAC. Shocking helps to "re-chlorinate" the chlorine. A properly treated chlorine pool should smell fresh and be sparkling in appearance.

Mono-persulfate shocks are OK to use from time to time to oxidize wastes, but chlorine shocks such as Cal-hypo or lithium are the preferred product. Liquid shocks? Sorry, but they are just not strong enough (11% versus about 50% available chlorine) to do a thorough job. Household bleach? Save it for the clothes in the laundry! Would you use pool chemicals to wash your clothes?

Typical doses: BioGuard® Burn Out® Extreme: 1 bag per 10,000 gallons (or any part of) every week or 2 weeks depending on weather and usage. BioGuard® Burn Out® 35: 1 bag per 6,000 gallons (or any part of) every week or 2 depending on weather and usage.

"Break-point" or super-chlorination.

The need for "break-point" or super chlorination comes when there is a build-up of chloramines or combined chlorine in the pool water. Chloramines are a combination of chlorine and usually nitrogen. When the chloramine situation becomes "bad" it is because hydrogen has combined with the nitrogen to form ammonia. This is also the preferred treatment for algae blooms and cloudy water.

The more chloramines present, the more dull the water becomes. The pool doesn't sparkle as it should. The added nitrogen becomes food for algae. The water smells like there's too much chlorine, but the actual FAC (the chlorine that is killing bacteria) is low or maybe even zero!

Here's an example: The total amount of chlorine in the pool is 2.0 ppm but the FAC is 1.0. That means there is 1.0 ppm of chloramines. Those chloramines must be completely destroyed or they will produce MORE chloramines and the situation will worsen. When you are treating chloramines, it's an "all or nothing" proposition.

In cases of very high chloramines, it is often a good idea to use a mono-persulfate shock (MPS) which will break up most if not all of these nitrogen bonds without adding more chlorine to the pool. This is good to do in cases where the FAC is over 1.0 ppm.

If your pool has less than 1.0 ppm FAC and lots of chloramines, follow that MPS shock with a solid chlorine shock of Cal-hypo or lithium shock. about a day later. Retest after 2 - 3 days for an accurate chlorine reading (MPS shocks will distort the actual chlorine for a brief time).

To reach break point, 10 times the amount of chloramines present must be reached to destroy the chloramines. In the example above, you would need to reach 10 ppm of FAC to reach break-point! So, a 10,000 gallon swimming pool with 1.0 ppm combined chlorine will require 4 (round numbers) lbs. of Calcium hypochlorite shock to reach breakpoint chlorination (or about 6 lbs. of Lithium hypochlorite).

Typical doses: At least Double or Triple the amount of regular shocking.

Chlorine Demand.

These are the typical symptoms if your pool has a chlorine demand problem: an inability to hold or maintain a normal Free Available Chlorine residual (1.0 ppm or higher) over several days, cloudy or hazy water, visible algae that just won't clear up. Behind the scenes, there are most likely chloramines that are combining and re-combining due to inadequate shock treatments. When "break-point" is not reached, chloramines recombine with a vengeance & become more difficult to destroy. Mono-chloramines can become dichloramines which, when allowed to worsen become trichloramines (used in tear gas!).

Treating a chlorine demand is similar to break-point chlorination except that the stakes are higher. Treatment must be complete and done at ONE time. It's like long-jumping the Grand Canyon; you must do it in one jump. You can't be short!

Most folks don't know that their pool has a chlorine demand problem until they have shocked & shocked & shocked but nothing has happened. The water won't clear. The algae persists. A solid chlorine level is almost impossible to maintain. Even a clear pool can have a chlorine demand. If the pool can't hold chlorine, yet the water balance (pH, total alkalinity & calcium hardness) is good and proper, then a chlorine demand most likely exists.

The best way to determine a chlorine demand is to perform a chlorine demand test. The BioGuard® Accu-Demand 30 is the best method available for testing. The test takes about one hour and is very accurate. In extreme cases, the test may call for shocking the pool with up to 50 lbs of shock in a 20,000 gallon pool. Don't be "shocked"! Sometimes, that is what's needed. There's no getting around it.

Here's another analogy: Let's say you have a leaky roof. The house is over 50 years old and there are already 2 layers of shingles on the roof. You want to save money by not removing the old layers so you insist that the roofing contractor (who knows what he's doing) NOT remove the old curled up shingles and simply install the new shingles right on top of the old. You sign the papers that YOU are responsible for the roof and its leaking, not the contractor. What happens with the first serious rainfall? The roof fails and it leaks. What must be done to correct the situation? Start from scratch! Rip everything off and start again.

The good news is once the chlorine demand is met., it is met. The pool will normally stay in great condition for weeks or months on end. But remember to shock the pool weekly or you could be back to a break-point or chlorine demand situation.

When shocking your pool, always...

1. Use the full dose or amount of shock needed. Don't skimp!

2. Don't guess the amount of shock needed. Know your pool's actual gallonage & calculate properly. For example, if you think you have a 16x32 foot inground pool with a 6 ft deep end, but the pool is actually 18x36 with an 8 ft deep end, the gallonage is going to differ by several thousand gallons and you will not reach break-point.

3. Do not use the pool until the chlorine level comes back down to 3.0 ppm or less.

4. Make sure that the filter system is operating properly.

5. Remove the solar blanket or automatic pool cover to allow oxidized wastes to "gas off" and away from the pool water.

6. Shock the pool the evening before a party and immediately after the party to maintain sparkling, clear water. In this case a slightly higher chlorine level will help bathers with added protection from bacteria.

7. Shock the pool after heavy rain storms.

8. Be sure to rinse out and properly dispose of empty shock bags or bottles or containers. Do not reuse them.

9. Brush the pool to help distribute the chlorine to all levels of the pool water.

10. Indoor pools should have plenty of good ventilation to properly draw out contaminants that have gassed-off during the shocking or super-chlorinating process. Without good ventilation, waste gases will literally hit the ceiling and fall back into the pool.

11. Follow all chemical label instructions.

Shock regularly, prevent problems. It's that simple.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ronald_Parrs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1293652

Return to List

 

What is the difference between fresh water and salt water pools or spas?

Salt water pools and spas are not salt water like the ocean. In fact they are still chlorine or bromine pools or spas, it just refers to the method used for generating the chlorine or bromine.

Salt-water pools or hot tubs have an extra piece of hardware called a cell or chlorine generator that converts the salt water or sodium chloride (sodium bromide) into available chlorine (or bromine). It's done by emitting a current through two or more electrolysis plates causing the chemical reaction. So in essence your pool is creating its own chlorine (or bromine).

Some MYTHS about Salt water pools:

"It's like bathing in the ocean"

FALSE - the salt concentrations in the ocean are between 10,000 and 35,000 parts per million whereas a pool would only be about 1,200 - 2,000 ppm. There are also no live organics in a pool because of the free chlorine (which is what you want). The ocean is a living organic environment.

"You can taste the salt"

FALSE see above.

"There is no maintenance on a salt-water pool"

FALSE - salt water pools require equal if not more maintenance of pool water chemistry such as alkalinity, calcium, and especially pH that wants to rise excessively because of the salt and generator. However the chlorine is automatically being generated so there's no need to add chlorine except when the ambient temperature is below 70 degrees (the cell barely has any chlorine output this cold). The cell of the generator needs to be cleaned with an acid wash once to twice a season and cell life is usually 3 to 5 years at which point need to be replaced.

"It's softer on the skin and less itchy"

TRUE - because there is less chemical (byproducts in chlorine pucks and granules) in the pool and added salt can make the water feel more silky . However itchiness and red eyes are usually not caused by chlorine levels but rather improper pH levels (acidity or alkalinity of water).

"Salt Pools are more expensive"

? Difficult to calculate - The cost of adding the generator and plumbing as well as maintenance of the cell and more pH reducer equals about the same cost as a regular chlorine pool. There is an initial larger cost at installation and long term maintenance but savings in not needing to purchase chlorine regularly tend to equalize it.

Return to List

What is Hot Tub Rash?

Some rashes that come from a hot tub can be dermatitis (a simple rash or mild allergic reaction to some components) while others can be "hot tub rash" (Pseudomonas Folliculitis) which can be a more serious issue.

Pseudomonas folliculitis (pseudomonas aeruginosa)

What is Pseudomonas folliculitis?
Pseudomonas folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicles caused by infection with the bacteria P. aeruginosa. It has been reported in persons using hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, swimming pools, waterslides and physiotherapy pools.

Who gets Pseudomonas folliculitis?
Any person exposed to water contaminated with P. aeurginosa can get Pseudomonas folliculitis.

Where is P. aeruginosa found?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa thrives in warm and moist areas and is commonly found in soil, sinks and drains, shower-floors, carpeting and even tap water.

What are the symptoms of Pseudomonas folliculitis?
Pseudomonas folliculitis first appears as itchy bumps and develops into dark red tender nodules and/or small pus-filled pimples. The eruptions typically involve the trunk and upper parts of the arms and legs. The rash can be extensive and may affect all areas of the body except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The rash may be accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, sore throat, rhinitis, sore eyes, and fever.

The rash may be more severe under areas covered by a swimsuit where the material held the contaminated water in contact with the skin for a longer period of time.

How soon after exposures do symptoms of Pseudomonas folliculitis appear?
The incubation period for "Pseudomonas folliculitis" is usually 48 hours (range 8 hours to 5 days) after exposure to contaminated water.

How can Pseudomonas folliculitis be diagnosed?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa can often be cultured from pus-filled pimples on the skin.

What is the treatment for Pseudomonas folliculitis?
The rash associated with this infection will usually go away on its own and treatment may not be needed. "Anti-itch" medications may be used to control the itching.

Why are whirlpools and hot tubs favorable for Pseudomonas aeruginosa?

• Warmer water temperatures enhance the growth of P. aeruginosa.
• Warmer water temperatures of whirlpools and hot tubs promote the expansion of the pores of the hair follicles allowing entrance to bacteria.
• Organic matter commonly found on human skin provide nutrients for P. aeruginosa to grow and multiply.
• Turbulence in the water interferes with the maintenance of disinfectant levels, especially in whirlpools made of wood.

How can Pseudomonas folliculitis be prevented?

Proper maintenance and control of the pH and disinfectant levels will prevent the growth of "Pseudomonas folliculitis" in hot water supplies.

 

Return to List

How do I correct Algae in my pool?

When your pool is green it's a sure sign it's algae. In fact algae can have many different colors such as mustard yellow, brown and even black. The sooner the algae problem is corrected the sooner you can get back to enjoying your pool.

1st - Bring in your water sample to be tested so we can ensure you have the proper tools and supplies required for the job as each occurrence can be different.

2nd - SHOCK your pool using a specialized chlorine product. This will ensure the algae growth is killed.

3rd - ALGECIDE - it's very important to follow up with an adequate algecide to ensure the algae does not start to regrow once the chlorine levels return to normal or dip below normal.

4th - Brush all pool surfaces - walls, floor, steps, corners and waterline and allow proper circulation so applied products are most efficient.

The best solution to algae is PREVENTION. It's far better to maintain proper chlorine levels through regular testing as well as applying preventative dosages of algecide weekly and shocking pool regularly to oxidize organic waste and bacteria that can contribute to algae.

For more information on how to correct Algae and other problems visit the Bioguard Canada Troubleshooting page by clicking here.

Return to List

How can I remove metals from my pool water?

If your pool is developing stains or strange colors it could be signs of metal deposits in your water. This should be corrected as soon as possible. Metals can come from source water or introduced by means of pool equipment breakdown over time, such as copper heater coils corroding because of improper pool chemistry.

To determine if you have metals in your pool, bring a water sample in for a special water analysis and ask that the technician test for copper, iron and / or manganese.

If any of these metals are found in your pool they need to be removed using a specialty product such as BioGuard's "Pool Magnet Plus" and Kwik clear (for sand filters). Special instructions are provided for the application of these products. In addition you should chemically clean your sand filter or chemically soak your cartridge filters after the treatment to ensure trapped metals don't find their way back into your pool.

Return to List

WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED