Cloudy hot tub water is something that no hot tub owner wants. If you can’t see the bottom of your hot tub, chances are you and your party guests won’t want to jump in. In most cases, cloudy water is a sign of an imbalance in your hot tub water chemistry. Proper hot tub chemical maintenance is important not only for the comfort of the bathers, but also to protect and extend the life of your equipment. Unbalanced water can irritate your skin and damage your jets as well as your hot tub’s other working parts. The good news is that keeping your hot tub water clean, clear, and safe for bathers is easy. It all starts with knowing what’s in your water.

What’s In My Water?

How does the water come out of your hose, in terms of composition? Every municipal area has its own water composition. For example, one town might have a different pH/alkalinity/calcium level than a neighbouring community. These changes happen at your water treatment plant before water delivered through the pipes to your house. Your water composition is unlikely to change, so once you know what it is, use the same steps for adjusting the alkalinity, pH and calcium levels to suit your hot tub needs each time you do a fresh fill. Chances are, you’ll need alkalinity increaser (Resist) and calcium increaser (Protect) as city water tends to be low in both. So how can you find out what’s in your water? You won’t know by simply looking at it, but you can bring in a sample of your water to our store for a free water test. Based on the size of your hot tub, we can recommend a hot tub water maintenance plan that will keep your water clean, clear, and beautiful.

7 Simple Steps to Avoid Cloudy Water in Your Hot Tub

Now that you have a hot tub water treatment plan, you’re on your way to avoiding cloudy hot tub water permanently. Here are 7 simple steps that will help you maintain your hot tub water:

• Maintain your bromine or chlorine sanitizer between 3-5ppm. This is the #1 cause of cloudy or unappealing hot tub water. If the sanitizer goes to 0 – 1ppm, you’ll need to shock your hot tub with Bromo Blast for bromine or Care Free Boost for chlorine. Shocking (aka raising sanitizer to 10ppm) is the best way to resolve cleanliness issues that arise from low sanitizer levels. Remember not to close the cover, test, or enter the water for at least 40 – 60 minutes or until the sanitizer falls between 5 – 8ppm.
• Ensure you have a clean hot tub filter. Even if you have good sanitizer levels, your hot tub water can only be as clean as your hot tub filter. Filters should be rinsed down every 1-2 weeks, chemically treated once per 1-2 months and replaced once per year. We often find an undermaintained filter when cloudy hot tub water is present. Always clean your filter before adding products so they work more effectively.
• Add a liquid clarifier such as Pure Blue to the hot tub water. It works extremely well to clear up that cloudy water within 24 hours. Pure Blue will bind smaller particles into larger ones giving your filter a better opportunity to capture them. Make sure your filter is cleaned before and after the application for best results. Please see below for more details on cleaning your hot tub filter.
• Hot tub water needs to be changed every 3 – 4 months. Just like changing oil in your car, it’s done to keep things performing properly. If you are past this timeline and experiencing issues, you may have a high TDS levels (Total Dissolved Solids). TDS refers to all the impurities that are left behind by products and bathers that can cloud your water or lead to hot tub foam. Once your TDS reaches 1500ppm over the source water, it’s time to change your water so your chemicals will work with maximum efficiency.
• Clean your pipes with a pipe cleaning solution such as Swirl Away when you drain your hot tub. This will clean the internal plumbing for bacteria, biofilms, and other buildup that can grow over time. This way, your fresh water will go into a freshly cleaned hot tub inside and out, delivering the best results.
• Bring a sample of your hot tub water to Lakeshore Pools so we can do a professional analysis. You will be given printed results with product and quantity recommendations in step-by-step order. It can’t get any easier than that!
• Do a home check once per week with test strips or a test kit to make sure your parameters are not too high or low. Make any changes necessary to stay on top of your water so you correct a problem before it makes your hot tub water go cloudy. 

How to Clean Your Hot Tub Filter

It’s best to rinse your filter with your hose at least every two weeks. You should also clean it using a filter cleaning solution (Filter Pure) and let it air dry at least once every couple of months. Investing in 2 filters is a wise idea so your hot tub fun is never interrupted. While your filter is in the hot tub water cleaning solution, the second filter is in installed in your hot tub because you should not run your hot tub without a filter unless otherwise instructed. When the second filter becomes dirty, just reverse the process. Each filter will last one year, but if you follow this method your filters should last you for two years. This is why we always give two filters to our customers when they buy a hot tub, just to make sure they’re covered and never get tempted to run their hot tub without a filter. Keeping your hot tub water clean takes a little effort, but will almost guarantee a great hot tub experience for you, your family, and your party guests. Clouds belong in the sky, not in your hot tub water. With our help, your water will always be inviting. Talk to one of our hot tub experts at (905) 891-8818, or visit our store at 309 Lakeshore Road East in Mississauga for professional advice and award-winning service you can count on!