Swim and Soak A hot tub that won’t hold a chlorine or bromine reading usually has one of five root causes: high bather load, unbalanced pH, a biofilm problem, combined chlorine buildup, or UV degradation. This post walks through each cause and tells you exactly what to do about it.
Total alkalinity is the most overlooked number in hot tub chemistry, but it controls almost everything else. Get it wrong and your pH will swing constantly, your sanitizer won’t work properly, and you’ll be chasing problems for weeks. Here’s how to dial it in correctly from the start.
Not all hot tub water testing methods are equal. Test strips are fast but rough, liquid kits are more accurate, and digital readers are precise but pricey. Here’s how to pick the right one for how you actually manage your hot tub.
Hot tub store shelves are overwhelming, but most owners only need five or six core chemicals to keep their water clean and safe. This guide breaks down exactly what each one does, what order to add them, and which products are worth skipping entirely.
Inflatable hot tubs are more work than hard-shell spas, but a simple weekly routine keeps them clean and safe all season. This guide covers the specific chemical targets, filter habits, and water change schedule that actually work for inflatable models. No fluff, just the routine.
Summer is the hardest season for hot tub chemistry. UV light destroys chlorine, heat speeds up chemical reactions, and more bathers mean more contaminants. This guide covers exactly how to keep up.
Not all hot tub shock is the same, and grabbing the wrong one can make your water worse. This guide breaks down exactly when to use non-chlorine shock versus chlorine shock, how much to add, and what each one actually does to your water.
Running a hot tub typically costs between $20 and $100 per month, with electricity being the biggest variable. This breakdown covers energy, chemicals, filters, and water so you know what to expect and where to cut costs without cutting corners.
Soft water in a hot tub is more damaging than most owners realize. Low calcium hardness eats away at acrylic shells, corrodes heater elements, and causes persistent foam. This guide explains what target range to hit, how to raise calcium safely, and how to spot the damage before it gets expensive.
That slimy, sometimes smelly gunk coming out of your hot tub jets is biofilm, a bacterial colony living inside your plumbing lines. It won’t clear up on its own, but a proper line purge before your next drain and refill will get rid of it. Here’s exactly how to do it.