Swim Spa FAQ

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Frequently Asked Questions for Swim Spas

Your Answers to Clean, Clear and Safe Swim Spas

Q - How to startup on the 12 oz. Pure Enzymes for Swim Spas (monthly application)

  • Start with clean, clear water that is less than 1 year old or use Clean & Drain Spa Purge and drain and refill.
  • Balance pH and alkalinity.
  • Add 1 bottle of Pure Enzymes for Swim Spas every month.
  • Add 1 Tablespoon of granular chlorine. (We recommend adding 1 Tbl. 3x per week)

Q - How to Startup on the 4 oz. Swim Spa Enzyme Concentrate (weekly application)

  • Start with clean, clear water that is less than 1 year old or use Clean & Drain Spa Purge and drain and refill.
  • Balance pH and alkalinity.
  • Add 1 full bottle of 12 oz. Pure Enzymes for Swim Spas. This is a first month only application. After the first month, you an continue to use 1 bottle of Pure Enzymes for Swim Spas every month or switch to the 4 oz. Swim Spa Enzyme Concentrate and add per directions.
  • Directions for 4 oz. Swim Spa Enzyme Concentrate – add 1 cap full every week.
  • This 4 oz. bottle will last for 6 months.
  • Add 1 Tablespoon granular chlorine. (We Recommend adding 1 Tbl. 3x per week)

Q – Difference between 2 oz. Spa Treatment & 4 oz. SWIM SPA Enzyme Concentrate.

Q – How many gallons do the Swim Spa enzymes treat?

  • Both Swim Spa enzyme applications treat up to 2000 gallons of water.  If you have a swim spa with a larger capacity, you may need to add more enzymes, depending on how much use your swim spa gets.  If you have questions, please reach out to us.

Q - When it's time to clean and drain your swim spa.

  • When using Waters Choice Enzymes in your swim spa, you can go 3-5 years before cleaning and draining your swim spa, as opposed to cleaning and draining every year on a traditional chemical system.
  • Before you drain your swim spa, purge your plumbing with Clean & Drain Spa Purge (1 tube per 500 gallons).
  • Make sure your water is up to temperature.  Clean & Drain works best in hot water.
  • Start by removing your filters and then add 2-3 tubes of Clean & Drain to your filter compartment area.  Let your swim spa run for a couple of hours.  You will probably need to restart your jets every 20 minutes or so.
  • Make sure that by the end of the cleaning time the water has gone through all of the jets and any waterfalls.
  • When it is time to drain your swim spa, have a rag handy to wipe the gunk off the sides as the water is draining. You do not want any of that gunk to dry on your swim spa.  It is very difficult to get off when dry.
  • Also, keep a hose near by.  You will need to hold the hose up to each of the jets to flush out any remaining soapy water, so that when you refill you don't have a bubble bath.
  • After everything has been drained, hosed out, and wiped down, you can refill with clean water and reapply your enzymes.

Q – My swim spa has an ODOR.

  • The smell is most likely CARBON DIOXIDE trapped between the cover and the water– This is present due to the breakdown process where the enzymes are breaking down organics in the swim spa. This is usually strongest in the 1st month and gets milder with time. It should gas off a few minutes after opening the cover.
  • If it smells like a DIRTY SOCK after the cover has been opened for a few minutes, sniff the filters. Most of the time, the smell is in the filters. Soaking the filters in a bleach water solution should take care of it.
    1. Soak filters for 1 hour in 1 cup of bleach or vinegar per filter and enough water to cover the filter. Rinse thoroughly before putting back in the swim spa.
    2. Wipe down the pillows and the cover with a bleach/water solution.
    3. If steps 1 & 2 do not fix the smell, add 2 extra Tablespoons of Sanitizer to the water.
  • Another smell could be from the ENZYMES. They can have a yeasty smell. This is normal and should become milder with time.

Q – How much CHLORINE should I add & how often?

  • For compliance reasons, we must tell you to follow the recommended label rate.

Q – Can I use BROMINE instead of CHLORINE?

  • Yes, they are interchangeable.

Q – What about Non-Chlorine Shock?

  • You do not need to use any shock with our enzyme system.

Q – My swim spa is FOAMING.

  • Soap or Detergent - This is almost always due to soap or detergent in the water.
  • Swim Suits - DO NOT USE detergent when you wash them and then rinse very well. Simply rinse suits after soaking in your swim spa and hang them to dry. Alternatively, you can wash your suits in vinegar.
  • T-Shirts and Regular Clothing - These hold even more detergent than swimsuits. Please do not wear t-shirts or boxers in your swim spa.
  • Spa Purge Product - If you recently did a purge on your hot tub, it is possible that the lines were not completely flushed out or the blower wasn’t rinsed out. Scoop foam out over the side and this will dissipate.
  • Calcium Hardness - CH that is too low causes the water to be too soft. If you are experiencing foam, make sure your Calcium Hardness is between 175 and 250.
  • Low pH - If the pH is too low (below 7.2) your water could be too soft and can cause foaming.  Keep pH between 7.2 & 7.6.
  • Filter Cleaner - A commercial filter cleaner can leave residual residue in the filter and cause foaming.  Instead, you can use a simple bleach/water solution to clean your filters.  (See "How Often Should I Clean the Filters" below).
  • The best way to get rid of existing foam is to scoop it out over the sides of the tub.  You should not need to add a de-foamer (which is a temporary fix).  Scooping the foam over the sides should get rid of the majority of the foam, as long as we are addressing the cause of the foam.

Q – What about filtration?

  • You should set your filtration for 8 hours/day for the first month when starting on our enzymes or any time the water is cloudy.
  • After the first month on our enzymes, and the water is clear, you can slowly back your filtration hours down to no less than 4 hours/day, as long as your water remains clear. If it does not stay clear, bump the amount of filtration hours up a little more.
  • Check your owner’s manual or the manufacturer's website for directions on adjusting your filtering times.

Q – How often should I clean the filters?

  • You should clean your swim spa filters 1x/week for the first 4-6 weeks with a garden hose and pressure nozzle.
  • After that time, if your water is clear, clean your filters every 2 weeks with a garden hose.  A special filter cleaner is not necessary.  Using a commercial filter cleaner could cause foaming in your swim spa if there is any residual residue in the filter.
  • If, after cleaning your filters, they do not come back to white or if they have any kind of odor, soak for 1 hour in 1 cup of bleach or vinegar, per filter, and enough water to cover the filter. Then rinse and replace.

Q – How do Enzymes affect pH?

  • Enzymes tend to push the pH up.  So it is best to keep your pH on the low side of normal; around 7.2.
  • To prevent scaling associated with pH that is too high, use a pre-filter when filling your spa and keep pH between 7.2 and 7.6.

Q – What happens when pH is out of balance?

  • pH that is too low is corrosive to your swim spa equipment and can be irritable to your skin and eyes.
  • Unbalanced pH can cause foaming.
  • pH that is too high, can cause cloudy water and scale can begin to form on your spa.
  • To prevent scaling associated with pHs that is too high, use a pre-filter when filling your spa and keep pH between 7.2 and 7.6.

Q – Rough sandpaper feeling / Scaling on swim spa

  • Scaling is a result of high calcium hardness levels (hard water) and pH that is too high.
  • This can cause internal damage to your spas plumbing, motor, and heater, etc.
  • Keep pH levels between 7.2 and 7.6.
  • If you discover scaling on the tub or flakes in the water, lower your pH to the low side of normal and keep it there until there is no more scaling. 
  • To get rid of existing scale, lower your pH to the low side of normal and periodically scrub your swim spa walls to loosen and remove scale.
  • If you have hard water, you can fill your spa using a hose-end pre-filter that reduces minerals, metals, and other contaminants.  This will make balancing your swim spa water much easier.

Q – Using a Hose-End Pre-Filter

  • Using a hose-end pre-filter when filling your spa will reduce or eliminate metals, minerals, and other contaminants that could cause problems in your swim spa like brown water from metals and scaling on the shell from too much calcium.