Raise Alkalinity in Hot Tub Water: A Step-by-Step Guide

Maintaining the proper balance of water chemistry in your hot tub is crucial to ensure a safe and enjoyable soaking experience. One of the key aspects of water balance is the alkalinity level, which helps stabilize the pH and keep the water properly balanced. If your hot tub’s alkalinity is too low, it can lead to fluctuating pH levels, which may cause skin irritation, cloudy water, and ineffective sanitization.

In this post, we’ll explain why alkalinity is important, how to test it, and provide a step-by-step guide to help you raise alkalinity in your hot tub water.

What is Alkalinity and Why Does It Matter?

Alkalinity is a measure of the water’s ability to neutralize acids, and it acts as a buffer for pH levels. Proper alkalinity helps keep your water stable and ensures that the pH level doesn’t fluctuate dramatically. If alkalinity is too low, the pH can drop, making the water more acidic and causing potential problems like:

• Corrosion of hot tub equipment and surfaces
• Irritation to the skin and eyes
• Difficulty in maintaining a stable sanitizer level (chlorine or bromine)
• Cloudy or unbalanced water

The ideal range for hot tub alkalinity is between 80 and 120 ppm (parts per million). If your alkalinity is below this range, it’s time to raise it.

How to Test Your Hot Tub’s Alkalinity

Before you can raise the alkalinity in your hot tub, you need to test the water. Testing your hot tub’s alkalinity is quick and easy with the right tools:

• Test Strips: These are inexpensive and easy to use. Dip the strip into the water and compare the color to the chart on the packaging.
• Liquid Test Kits: These provide a more accurate reading. They typically involve adding a reagent to a small amount of water and observing the color change to determine the alkalinity level.

Once you’ve tested the water, you’ll know whether your alkalinity is within the ideal range. If it’s below 80 ppm, you’ll need to raise it.

How to Raise Alkalinity in Hot Tub Water

Raising alkalinity in your hot tub is a simple process that involves using a chemical alkalinity increaser, which is specifically formulated to raise alkalinity levels without drastically affecting the pH.

1. Use an Alkalinity Increaser

The most common and effective way to raise alkalinity in your hot tub is to use an alkalinity increaser (usually sodium bicarbonate or baking soda). This product is safe and easy to use, and it can raise alkalinity without significantly affecting the pH.

Steps to Add Alkalinity Increaser:

1. Turn on the Jets: Start by turning on your hot tub’s jets to circulate the water. This helps the chemicals dissolve and spread evenly throughout the water.
2. Read the Instructions: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the alkalinity increaser packaging. The amount you’ll need to add will depend on the size of your hot tub and how much you need to raise the alkalinity.
3. Add the Alkalinity Increaser: Gradually add the recommended amount of alkalinity increaser to the hot tub, pouring it evenly around the perimeter of the water.
4. Allow Circulation: Let the jets run for about 15-30 minutes to ensure that the alkalinity increaser is fully dissolved and circulating throughout the water.
5. Retest the Water: After 30 minutes, retest the water using your test strips or liquid test kit to check the alkalinity. If it’s still too low, repeat the process until you reach the desired range of 80-120 ppm.

2. Adjust pH if Necessary

When you add an alkalinity increaser, it can also affect the pH level of your water. In most cases, alkalinity increasers have only a minor effect on pH, but it’s still important to test the pH after adjusting alkalinity. The ideal pH range for hot tub water is between 7.2 and 7.8.

• If the pH is too high (above 7.8), you can lower it using a pH decreaser.
• If the pH is too low (below 7.2), you can raise it using a pH increaser.

Keeping the alkalinity and pH within their ideal ranges ensures that your hot tub water remains balanced, clear, and comfortable.

3. Refill with Fresh Water if Necessary

If the alkalinity is severely low, or if adding increaser doesn’t seem to have the desired effect, another option is to partially drain your hot tub and refill it with fresh water. New water can often help restore balance and raise alkalinity levels naturally.

How to Refill with Fresh Water:

1. Drain about one-third to one-half of the water from your hot tub.
2. Refill the tub with fresh water, ideally with a lower natural alkalinity.
3. Test the water again after refilling to see if the alkalinity has improved.

Additional Tips for Maintaining Proper Alkalinity

Once you’ve successfully raised the alkalinity in your hot tub, here are a few tips to help maintain balanced water chemistry:

1. Regularly Test Your Water

Test your water at least once a week to keep track of alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer levels. This helps you spot any imbalances early and make adjustments as needed.

2. Clean Your Hot Tub Filter Regularly

A clean filter ensures proper water circulation, which can help maintain more stable alkalinity levels. A dirty filter can cause issues with water flow and chemical distribution.

3. Keep Chemicals in Balance

Always make sure your alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer levels are within the recommended ranges. When one of these factors is out of balance, it can affect the others, leading to water quality problems.

4. Avoid Overuse of Chemicals

Using too many chemicals can cause rapid fluctuations in water balance. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations when adding chemicals to your hot tub.

Conclusion

Raising alkalinity in your hot tub is a simple but essential task in maintaining water balance and ensuring a clean, clear, and comfortable soak. By using an alkalinity increaser, testing the water regularly, and monitoring your pH levels, you can keep your hot tub water in optimal condition.

A well-maintained hot tub not only ensures a relaxing and enjoyable experience, but it also helps protect your equipment, prevent damage, and reduce maintenance costs over time. So, make sure to stay on top of your water chemistry, and you’ll be able to enjoy your hot tub for years to come!

Have questions about the water balance of your hot tub? Visit us in-store for a free professional water test!