March 11th, 2021 by Sarah Miles

The top 5 reasons your hot tub water has lost its clarity

Hot tub water should be crystal clear – not cloudy, not green, and not foaming. If you are wondering why your water is cloudy, it could actually be one of a number of things. Here are the top 5 reasons why this might be happening – plus, how to restore it to beautiful clear water again.

Dirt

Put simply, your water could be cloudy because it’s dirty. This may not necessarily be a reflection on your cleaning regime but could be due to heavy use by multiple bathers. A range of contaminants can get into the water, including dirt, organic matter, and debris from the garden that can be blown in on breezes or carried in on feet. However, the biggest culprits for external substances in the water are the bathers themselves. Yes, this could mean bodily substances you’d probably prefer not to think about, like skin cells and sweat, but it will also include things like cosmetics, fake tan, body lotions, and deodorants. Residue from washing powder in swimwear can also be absorbed. Some of these items will be removed by the filters but tiny micro-particles are just too small to be captured.

To resolve, use a spa clarifier and then follow up by cleaning the filters. To prevent it from happening, try to minimise what you and your guests take into the spa by showering first or at least removing makeup or tanning cosmetics.

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Insufficient Sanitiser

Essentially, this also boils down to dirty water but in this case, it’s due to there not being enough sanitiser (chlorine or bromine) in the water to properly clean it. Clearly, this is not water that you want to be sitting in. Test the water to gauge the sanitiser level and if it’s too low, top up slowly and keep retesting. Always keep an eye on sanitiser levels so you can take remedial action before the water becomes cloudy.

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Too Many Chemicals

If there is an issue with hot tub water, it’s easy to over-compensate with treatments. Add too many chemicals and the water can’t dissolve them, resulting in a cloudy appearance. This is known as saturation. Use testing strips to gauge the chemical content of the water. If this is the case, it’s best to drain the hot tub and start afresh with new water.

Incorrect pH Levels

pH levels are really important in hot tub maintenance and this is one of the reasons why. If the water is too alkaline, it can create scaling, which will make the water appear cloudy. If pH levels are out, you will need to rebalance it but first, deal with the scaling by treating with a descaler. Prevent future issues by keeping a close eye on the pH level and also Total Alkalinity (TA), which acts as a buffer for the pH.

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Limescale Build Up

As well as high alkalinity causing scaling, limescale can build up in the pipes due to mineral deposits in tap water – especially if you live in a hard water area. These can accumulate without you really noticing for a while because they are inside the pipes and lines. As water passes through the pipes, it picks up the limescale, as well as other gunk and dirt, and brings it into the tub. You can clear the pipes, and in fact the whole hot tub, by conducting a system flush which you run through the unit prior to draining and cleaning. Use this every time you empty the hot tub to keep limescale and other potential issues at bay.