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Most of us do not know it, but we meet Chlorine almost every single day. Yes! From paints and paper to insecticides and PVC, Chlorine is used in a wide range of products.
We all know how Chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water. Not only in drinking water, but Chlorine is also used almost at every place where there can be lots of water. One of these places is a hot tub. People, who have hot tubs often go through the same dilemma- how much hot tub chlorine should be used?
Well, if you are also one of them, do not worry! Keep reading, and you will know everything that you need to know about Chlorine. From what this chemical is to how much you should use it and how often should hot tub chlorine be used; you are about to know everything!
Talking about the uses of Chlorine, we cannot forget water. Someone who owns a swimming pool, or a hot tub would know that he needs Chlorine. Although are you sure that you are using the right amount of your hot tub chlorine, that too in the right way?
Well, if you are not sure about what you are doing with your water, then stop right there! Before using anything, you must know what it is and why you are using it.
What is Chlorine?
Chlorine is a chemical that can be used as an oxidizing agent, bleach, or a disinfectant. It is made by using hydrogen, table salt, and sodium hydroxide. When talking about water, Chlorine is a water sanitizer. It sanitizes water and makes it clean for drinking by killing bacteria and germs that can make you ill.
- Chlorine granules for hot tubs and spas
- Initial dose: Add 6 teaspoons of this product for each 500 gallons of water
- Each level teaspoon (0.17 ounce) of this product will provide approximately 1.4 ppm available...
- Dissolves quickly and completely
- Controls algae and kills bacteria
Now, if you have a hot tub, you must be using hot tub chlorine every time you step into the tub. Although, many people probably do not even know why Chlorine is used in hot tubs?
Why Are You Using Hot Tub Chlorine?
Now that you know what Chlorine is, you should also know why your hot tub needs it. Now that you know about the cleansing properties of Chlorine, one and a significant reason is apparent. Chlorine cleanses the water in your hot tub.
Also, we are all aware that hot tubs help us relax inside out and are very effective in cleansing our body and skin. So, the absence of Chlorine in your hot tub will instead treat your body with more toxins and dirt altogether.
However, we cannot forget the fact that Chlorine itself is a chemical. So, it is required to keep a check on that too. You cannot use it blindly. Varieties of Chlorine can be found in the market that serves different purposes. You have got to make your choice.
Which Chlorine Should You Use in Your Hot Tub?
Different hot tub chlorines have different chemical combinations and so have different effects. So before buying any hot tub chlorine, you need to think about its pros and cons. Let us have a look at some of the options you can choose from for your hot tub.
The most common and most preferred option for hot tub chlorine is Sodium Dichloride Granules.Dichloride has an almost neutral pH with a quickly dissolving property. Although a little expensive, you would find it worth the price.
Many people also like to go with Salt Systems. These plug-in salt systems produce pure Chlorine from mineral salts. This purification system has been used in swimming pools for many years and has proven safe for hot tubs. This option works great for consistent sanitation.
You will also find Chlorine like Trichloro and Calcium Hypochlorite (Cal-hypo) in the market at comparatively cheap rates. Although, these cannot be recommended as hot tub chlorine.
Trichloro is used in pools, but it cannot be used in hot tubs due to its slow dissolving rate and strong acidic nature. While Cal-hypo has high pH and calcium levels, so it is not an excellent choice to make for hot tub chlorine.
The wrong choice of your hot tub chlorine can ruin your skin as well as your hot tub. Problems like bleaching, discoloration, and the appearance of a ring around the waterline are common. So, Choosing the right kind of hot tub chlorine is very important. Although, the right Chlorine needs to be used in the right amount too.
Are You Using Too Much Chlorine?
Too much usage of anything gives terrible results. Even if you have made the right choice in hot tub chlorine, you must make sure that you do not use too much of it. Deciding the right amount of Chlorine is a common problem for most of us.
However, you will find many kits that can be used to test the chlorine levels in your hot water. Chlorine is measured in terms of Parts per million (ppm). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends having Chlorine between 1.0 and 3.0 ppm for safe hot tub use. In any case, the chlorine levels should not go above five ppm in your hot tub.
The easiest way by which you can genuinely get to know your hot tub chlorine level is to test it with chlorine test strips. You will just have to dip your chlorine test strip into the concentrated water and wait for it to change its color.
With these test strips, a printed color chart shows how colors represent the various concentration levels. Matching your strip color with the closest printed color will tell your hot tub chlorine’s concentration level.
Another easy method to check Chlorine residual in water is the Diethyl Para Phenylenediamine indicator test, using a comparator. You will find it in tablet form. This tablet is supposed to be added in a sample of Chlorine concentrated water, and after a while, the tablet would turn red. The stronger the color, the more concentrated the water is.
How Often Is Chlorine Needed?
If you own a hot tub, you probably know that you cannot just add Chlorine once in your tub and relax. You need to use Chlorine often in your hot tub to disinfect the water, but the real question is how often? Well, here is the answer to this question.
When Chlorine is added to water, it is known as free Chlorine. Although, once your Chlorine reacts with other bacteria and oils, it becomes combined Chlorine. To get rid of this combined Chlorine, you need to shock your water with a higher concentrate. In general, you can shock your water once a week.
However, if your hot tub is heavily used, shocks can also be given to your hot tub more often.
Should You Wait for The Chlorine to Settle?
Legit, the biggest question that people with hot tubs have is- how long to wait after adding hot tub chlorine? Well, there are no strict rules for this. However, it is recommended to wait for at least 20 minutes after adding Chlorine to your water.
Moreover, if we talk about shocks, you may need to wait for up to 24 hours after shocking your hot tub water. No matter how much time you wish to wait, it is never recommendable to step into the hot tub right after adding Chlorine.
Conclusion
Whether you choose tablets, liquid, or granules, you always must make sure that you add a minimal amount of Chlorine in your hot tub. Also, hot tub chlorines come from different brands. And these different brands give their way of using and measuring Chlorine. So, if you find any such instructions with your hot tub chlorine, do make sure that you follow them.
Moreover, having your hot tub chlorine at the optimum level is necessary to have a safe and healthy soak. Too much Chlorine may irritate your skin, bleach it, or give you rashes. So always try to stick to a strict schedule of chlorinating your water. Only then your hot tub chlorine would benefit you.
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