Choosing Chemicals

Brands 

One of my first questions was which brand of chemical was the best.  Hot Springs recommends their own Freshwater brand.  My dealer primarily carries Spa Guard and gave me a great start-up kit of these chemicals.  

I don't always believe that manufacturer products are the best, but I hoped to find some objective data comparing the different chemicals online.   Unfortunately I have not found one and hope someday someone will do some objective testing.

So I relied on surveying the Hot Springs Freshwater Salt Hot Tub Owners Facebook group to see what people were using.  Of the 44 respondents, here was the breakdown:

  • Freshwater (64%)
  • SpaGuard (15%)
  • LeisureTime (14%)
  • Clorox (7%)
Even though SpaGuard is in the minority for salt water hot tub owners, I take away from this (combined with my dealer recommendation and The Hot Tub Lady's glowing recommendations) that it's still a very viable product and I'm continuing to use it because I value supporting my dealer.

Basic Needs

Regardless of brand you pick, here's the basic list of chemicals you will need for your hot tub.

  • pH Increaser - I haven't used this product yet, but I suspect it's handy if I put in too much pH Decreaser.
  • pH Decreaser - The chemical reaction of producing chlorine from salt naturally raises the pH level of your hot tub.  I find myself regularly using this to bring things back into alignment.
  • Chlorine - You will need this during start-up to establish a residual chlorine.  Occasionally you use will use this "shock" your hot tub to help correct problems or reduce combined chlorine.
  • Phosphate Remover / Clarifier - Depending on brand you may need both products (SpaGuard) or a single product (Freshwater).  To help prolong the life of your salt cell, you will want to use this anytime your phosphates get over 200-300ppm.  
  • Anti-Foam - I personally have not needed this yet mainly because I use dedicated hot tub swimsuits that are laundered with low-detergent and raised after.  That said, I'm sure the day will come when I need it from soap/other factors in the hot tub.  
  • System Flush - This will help clean biofilm out from my plumbing lines when changing your water.  In addition to the SpaGuard brand, it seems many people use a product called Ahhsome with great success.  My personal plan is to follow my dealer recommendation the first time, then alternate between brands since different chemicals have different effects.
Cleaners
  • Filter Cleaner - I can't stress enough how important it is to clear your filters.  It may seem trivial, but The Hot Tub Lady is so passionate about it preventing problems / improving quality of water that she named her Facebook group, Clean Your Hot Tub Filter, after it.  
Nice to Have / Not Required

  • MPS Oxidizing Shock - My dealer recommended against this as not-needed and prioritizes fewer chemicals to prolong water life.  When surveying the Freshwater group, 40% of 56 respondents mentioned using it on a regular basis.  With that in mind, I'm currently using it on a monthly basis.  Oxidizing Shocks are better than Chlorine at breaking apart certain contaminants and I'm trying the theory that having a variety of cleaning agents will help prevent Biofilm and other build-up.  That said, I don't want to use it on a regular basis.  I've also read multiple posts that it can cause skin irritation for some individuals.  
  • Enzyme - My dealer also said this was not needed for a salt water hot tub.  Of the 56 respondents to the above survey, only 1 person selected they were using it.  That said, I'm using it on a monthly basis as well under the theory it will help break apart contaminants that chlorine/MPS.   might be struggling with.  I have not seen any posts about this causing skin irritation.
  • Cover Cleaner & Protectant - Your cover will get dirty.  You will also need to replace it from time-to-time.  I've read quite a few posts raving about the 303 brand products (Multi-Surface cleaner and Aerospace Protectant).  I am currently using both mainly because I have not seen any posts raving about the Freshwater cover product.
  • Mineral Stick - My dealer included some of these along with the startup kit.  They include silver, a product that helps reduce the need for chlorine.  Given the low price point, it seems worth it to include even if it helps a little.  After all, we're trying to keep water clean for 6-12 months at a temperature that naturally promotes bacterial growth.  It gives me some peace of mind.
Not Needed for Salt Water
  • Chlorine-Based Shock
  • Stain and Scale Control - This came along with my hot tub startup kit, but my dealer told me it wasn't needed.  I was confused as it is also a product within the Freshwater line of chemicals.  In short, after reading lots of posts, because you are using softened water in your hot tub, this is not a concern.  Further, it can actually lead to problems if regularly used in a salt water setup.
Products I tried but didn't like
  • Water Freshener - Although not specifically recommended by my dealer, this sounded like a good product to have.  I've found that any time there is a bit of an odor, it's of chlorine and that means I need to shock the hot tub to reduce the combined chlorine.  I did try it once and wasn't a fan of the scent it left behind for a short time.
Online Purchase Places
First, I highly recommend you support your local dealer.  That said, there's cases where you may need/wish to order online.  

As a starting point, I go to Amazon to make orders.  That said, many of the chemicals/supplies they cary are sold by 3rd party suppliers / not available.  I once purchased some test strips only to find that they were quite old.  Since freshness is a concern, I thought going directly to a reputable supplier makes the most sense.  Here are two reputable sources I've found and have had great experiences with:

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