To keep your bath relaxing, your spa water should be crystal clear and comfortable. The treatments to be carried out are almost identical to those of a swimming pool, with one nuance: "Unlike the latter, spas have very small volumes of water, which are loaded with impurities much faster than pools," explains Pauline Di Pietro, chemistry project manager and head of chemistry training at Bayrol, a specialist in water treatment. A bather in a cubic meter of water pollutes as much as 30 people in a 30 m3 swimming pool. We will therefore have to be more vigilant. The water temperature is also much higher, between 36 and 38 ° C, the risk of bacterial development is thus greater. The hygiene of bathers must therefore be strict and requires a real shower before bathing.
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Regardless of the type of water treatment in your spa (chlorine, bromine or active oxygen), the hydrogen potential (pH) must be monitored. In the days following the filling of the spa, the pH will tend to increase a lot, especially if the water is heated heavily. The full alkalimetric strength (TAC) is another value to be checked. This is the bicarbonate and carbonate content of the water. It indicates the buffering capacity of water, i.e. its ability to absorb pH variations. The analysis is carried out either using strips that react by changing color, or using a photometer.
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A sponge placed in the water or the skimmer (suction duct with a basket) slows down the clogging of the filter by absorbing fat: Water Lily from Toucan, to be changed every 4 weeks, or Bayrol reusable sponges.
Balance the water
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In most regions of France, Di Pietro continues, the TAC is generally high when the water is new. Over time, a phenomenon of degassing at the nozzles causes it to fall. If it drops below 80 mg/l, the water balance is lost, the pH is no longer stable and will eventually remain very acidic. » Adjusting the pH is important so that the disinfectant treatment is effective, for the comfort of the bather but also to reserve all the equipment.
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Chlorine-based disinfection requires greater vigilance on pH maintenance, because with a pH of 7.8, the effectiveness of chlorine is only 20%, while in comparison, bromine remains active at more than 88% " warns Pauline Di Pietro. The pH must therefore be between 7 and 7.4 for a treatment based on chlorine or active oxygen. In the case of bromine treatment, it can rise to 7.4 or even 7.6 because its effectiveness is not dependent on pH. Many spas are treated with active oxygen, which remains effective regardless of pH (it must still be between 7 and 7.4). This treatment provides the best comfort for swimming, but since it is a gentler method, it requires more rigorous maintenance. Depending on the disinfectant used, the dosage of treatment products should be adjusted to maintain the recommended levels (between 1 and 2 mg/l for chlorine, between 2 and 4 mg/l for bromine and more than 5 mg/l after dissolution for an active oxygen product).
After filling, when the temperature of the water rises, it evaporates, which accentuates the limestone precipitates. In this case, use a limescale sequestrant (SpaTime anti-limescale). You can supplement with a clarifier, to prevent cloudy water problems and an antifoamer in case of foaming on the surface of the water.
Take care of the filter
Physical treatment is equally important. Let the filtration run for several hours a day and clean the filter cartridge at least once a week, taking it out and passing it with a water jet.
The spa should be drained approximately every 2 months. "Before emptying," recommends Pauline Di Pietro, "disinfect the pipes with a specific cleaner (such as SpaTime Pipe Cleaner) that removes grease deposits and bacteria. This eliminates the risk of biofilm, which can be very complicated to remove once it is installed. Rinse before refilling.
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