Owner`s manual

35
WATER QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE
COMMON WATER CHEMISTRY QUESTIONS
Question: Why is the use of a floater not recommended to sanitize my spa water?
Answer: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation does not recommend the use of a floater for three reasons:
The floater is unable to control the rate at which the sanitizer is dissolved into the water. When a floater is first placed in a spa, the sanitizer level can be extremely 1.
high. High sanitizer levels can chemically burn or discolor the spa’s shell or the underside of the cover. Then, after a period of time, the sanitizer level dispensed by
the floater will fall to near zero. A low sanitizer level will allow viruses, bacteria or algae to grow.
Floaters tend to stay in one area of the spa most of the time, causing this area to be exposed to extreme sanitizer levels. 2.
The floater may allow pieces of the highly concentrated sanitizer to fall out and settle on the floor or seat of the spa shell. These pieces of sanitizer will chemically 3.
burn (blister) the spa shell. Although your spa shell is specifically designed to resist the effects of spa chemicals, no spa surface can withstand this type of highly
concentrated chemical. Remember, chemical abuse is specifically not covered under the terms of the warranty.
Question: When I open my spa, I smell chlorine. How do I get rid of this smell?
Answer: There are two types of chlorine in your spa. The first is the Free Available Chlorine, which is the chlorine available to sanitize your spa. This Free Available
Chlorine does not have an odor. The second is Chloramine, which is residue from chlorine already expended. Chloramines have a strong chlorine odor. The smell from
Chloramines can be eliminated by “shocking” the water. If you smell chlorine in the water, your spa is reminding you to add a shock treatment.
Question: Why can’t I fill my spa with soft water?
Answer: Soft water is essentially the same as regular water, except that most or all of the calcium has been replaced by sodium. Soft water may be corrosive to the
heater and other components. Replacement of spa components damaged by soft water is extremely expensive.
Question: I am trying to reduce the number of chemicals to which my family is exposed. Do I really need to use so many chemicals and in such large amounts?
Answer: While over-exposure to any chemical can be unhealthy, many low levels of chemicals are effective and beneficial. In the case of spa water, the chemicals
recommended in the Caldera
®
Spa Water Maintenance program are needed to protect the user from water-borne pathogens (disease-causing microbes) and to prevent
corrosion of spa components.
Question: Why isn’t water chemistry damage covered by the warranty?
Answer: The chemical levels and water quality of the water in the spa are under your direct control. With proper basic care, the spa will provide many years of hot water
relaxation. If you are unsure about any chemical or its usage in the spa, contact your Authorized Caldera Dealer or Watkins Manufacturing Corporation.
SPA WATER MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PROBLEM PROBABLE CAUSES SOLUTIONS
Cloudy Water
• Dirtyfilters
• Excessiveoils/organicmatter
• Impropersanitization
• Suspendedparticles/organicmatter
• Overusedoroldwater
• Cleanfilters
• Shockspawithsanitizer
• Addsanitizer
• AdjustpHand/oralkalinitytorecommendedrange
• Runjetpump(s)andcleanfilters
• Drainandrefillthespa
Water Odor
• Excessiveorganicinwater
• Impropersanitization
• LowpH
• Shockspawithsanitizer
• Addsanitizer
• AdjustpHtorecommendedrange
Chlorine Odor
• Chloramineleveltoohigh
• LowpH
• Shockspawithsanitizer
• AdjustpHtorecommendedrange
Musty Odor
• Bacteriaoralgaegrowth • Shockspawithsanitizer–ifproblemisvisibleorpersistent,drain,
clean and refill the spa
Organic buildup / scum ring around spa
• Buildupofoilsanddirt • Wipeoffscumwithcleanrag–ifsevere,drainthespa,useaspa
surface and tile cleaner to remove the scum and refill the spa
Algae Growth
• HighpH
• Lowsanitizerlevel
• ShockspawithsanitizerandadjustpH
• Shockspawithsanitizerandmaintainsanitizerlevel
Eye Irritation
• LowpH
• Lowsanitizerlevel
• AdjustpH
• Shockspawithsanitizerandmaintainsanitizerlevel
Skin Irritation / Rash
• Unsanitarywater
• Freechlorinelevelabove5ppm
• Shockspawithsanitizerandmaintainsanitizerlevel
• Allowfreechlorineleveltodropbelow5ppmbeforespause
Stains
• Totalalkalinityand/orpHtoolow
• Highironorcopperinsourcewater
• Adjusttotalalkalinityand/orpH
• Useametaldepositinhibitor
Scale
• Highcalciumcontentinwater–totalalkalinityandpH
too high
• AdjusttotalalkalinityandpH–ifscalerequiresremoval,drainthe
spa, scrub off the scale, refill the spa and balance the water