How to Start Water Chemistry After Installation

The step-by-step guide to starting your water chemistry after your spa is installed.

  1. Fill your spa with water using the pre-filter on the end of the hose (keep this pre-filter for future use).
  2. Wait for the water to get to 80 degrees before you add any chemicals.
  3. When the water reaches 80 degrees, test the water using a test strip.
  4. Balance the PH & Alkalinity first: –If the PH & Alkalinity are low, add “Adjust Up” (this is usually the case with City Water). –If the PH & Alkalinity are high, add “Adjust Down” (this is usually the case with Well Water). –If the PH & Alkalinity are within the ideal range of the test strip, you do not need to add any Adjust Up or Down.
  5. After balancing the PH & Alkalinity, balance the Sanitizer levels using either Bromine or Chlorine (“Boost”).  Add in small amounts over time & keep adding incrementally until you reach the ideal level indicated on the test strip.
  6. After the water has been balanced using the above chemicals, add Shock (ie: Refresh or Renew).  After the initial fill of your spa, use Shock once per week.  It is helpful to pick a specific day of the week to add your Shock so you can create a routine.  General Notes: –After the initial start-up of your chemicals, you should check the chemical levels of your spa every day, using a test strip, until you get an idea of how much of the chemicals your water needs to maintain your chemical levels within an ideal range. –Do not use your spa until you have balanced everything because your body oils & lotions will throw off the chemical balance. –To determine the amount of chemicals to use, follow the directions on the bottle according to the size of your spa.  When balancing your chemicals, try adding chemicals in small increments over time.  It takes a while for the chemicals to work so it may take some time to get the full results.  One of the biggest mistakes people make is adding chemicals in too quickly or using too much too fast. –When adding chemicals, allow the jets to run for about 5 minutes to mix the chemicals, then put your spa on the “boost” cycle by pushing pump 2 for about 5 seconds.  This boost cycle will last about 45 minutes and will shut off by itself.  When adding chemicals, leave cover open for a minimum of 20 minutes.  Go through this process every time you add chemicals to your spa, during the initial set-up and during normal maintenance.  You should consider using the boost cycle every time after using your spa. –Your spa filter should last up to 3-4 months, however, when you first fill your spa, you should check it sooner, especially with well water.