Common Water Chemistry Questions. Cal Spas Portable Spa

Sanitizers

Common name

Chlorine

Bromine

Usual chemical name

sodium dichlor sodium bromide

Common brand names

Both chlorine and bromine are available under numerous brand names

Shock

Common name

MPS

Dichlor

Usual chemical name

monopersulphate sodium dichlor

Common brand names

MPS Shock, Oxy-Spa, SeaKlear

Dichlor Shock

Note: Dichlor (chlorine) is both a sanitizer and a shock. Monopersulphate (MPS), when used as a shock, can be purchased alone as non-chlorinated shock or combined with dichlor, which makes it significantly more effective than MPS alone.

Other chemical additives

Common name

Stain and scale inhibitor

Foam inhibitor

Clarifier

Do NOT use these in your spa:

Usual chemical name Common brand names

These are usually proprietary chemical formulations and cannot be purchased as a single generic chemical.

Metal Stain Gone, Scale Inhibitor, Stain and

Scale Preventer, Stain and Scale Defense

Foam Gone, Foam Down, Defoamer

Water Brite, Spa Bright, Water Clarifier, Clear

Water, Natural Clarifier, Brite & Clear

• Sodium hypoclorite (household bleach)

• Trichlor

• Chemical floaters

• Bromine tablets

• Muriatic acid

• Borax or boric acid in any form, including brand names such as 20 Mule Team Borax or generic as sodium tetraborate

• Cyanuric acid, also called sun protector or chlorine protector

Common Water Chemistry Questions

Question:

Why is the use a floater not recommended to sanitize my spa water?

Answer:

We do 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 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.

• 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 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.

2018 Portable Spa

LTR20181000, Rev. O

www.calspas.com

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