Maintaining
Proper Care of
Your Investment:
PROPER HOT TUB CARE IS EASY!
Congratulations on becoming an owner of a new MAAX SPA! This will be one
of the best investments you have ever made for your health and wellness.
Caring for it is easy if you follow a few important steps. To help acquaint you
with the start-up and general ongoing care, these guidelines will provide a
brief overview of the necessary steps to enjoying your new hot tub every day!
Start-Up
Initial start-up is simple. Make sure to
fill your hot tub by putting your hose
in the filter cartridge area by removing
the cartridge and inserting the hose
into the opening. This will force any air
out of the plumbing lines. It is
important to balance water chemistry
the first time and every time. Be sure
to turn on all pumps before adding
any chemicals and allow the water
temperature to reach at least 78-80
degrees. And leave cover open at
least half way for the full pump cycle
so that the chemical gases are not
trapped under the cover.
•
Add 2-4 tablespoons of your
sanitizer of choice. NEVER
USE TRICHLOR CHLORINE
TABS OR GRANULE
•
Add 4 tablespoons of non-
chlorine Spa Shock Oxidizer.
•
Test your water with test strips and if
your pH is high, add 1 teaspoon of PH
Down (a little bit goes a long way).
Test your water after 20 minutes and
add additional pH down depending on
what the test strip indicates.
•
Always run all pumps for at least 20
minutes with cover off after adding
chemicals and wait at least one full
hour before using hot tub.
Weekly Schedule
After your initial start-up, you can
move to a weekly schedule that
includes the following: Remember to
always turn all the pumps on for 30
seconds and then test your water
using Test Strips before adding
chemicals. After testing the water,
turn the pumps on and add
chemicals as necessary. Always adjust
PH and ALK first.
•
Add 2-4 tablespoons of your
sanitizer of choice every 3-5 days
to maintain good reading.
•
Adjust sanitizer if reading is 0 by
adding 2-4 tablespoons at a time.
•
Continue to use Non-Chlorine Shock
Oxidizer once a week OR after heavy
use. Add 3-5 tablespoons at a time.
•
To lower pH, add 1 teaspoon of PH
Down and wait 20 minutes to check.
Repeat as necessary.
•
If water is cloudy, make necessary
chemical adjustments and wait 24-48
hours for water to circulate and clarity
to return.
•
Dissolve in a bucket of water
separately before adding to spa water
Ongoing Maintenance
To ensure your hot tub performs best,
ongoing maintenance tasks are as
follows:
•
Drain and refill every 3-6 months.
Follow Start-Up steps after refill.
•
Perform a deep clean of the filter
system every month by removing
cartridges and hosing them off. We
recommend using Filter Cleaner
and having a
second set of filters to
rotate for longer cartridge life.
•
Replace large filter every 18-20 months
or as needed.
•
Apply 303 Protectant monthly to your
cover and your cabinet. Remember to
first clean your cover using a mild soap
and water before applying 303.
•
Change your UV bulb annually.
•
Most important, PROTECT
YOUR INVESTMENT!
Cloudy Water
C:
Inadequate filtration or dirty filter.
S: Check that the filter is securely attached. Clean or replace
filter.
C: Water is not balanced.
S: Shock water with Non-Chlorine and add sanitizer of choice to
get the ppm up to 1-3
C: Unfiltered particles or chemically saturated water.
S: Use Water Clarifier to combine particles so the filter can
pick it out or drain the spa (then clean filter after 24 hours),
clean and refill. UV bulb must be changed annually.
Chemical Odor
C: Buildup of chloramines/bromamines (by products of
sanitizer) in the water.
S: Shock water with Non-Chlorine Shock. Or Drain and Refill
Musty Odor
C: Not enough sanitizer in water, bacteria present in water.
S: Add Spa sanitizer of choice to reach a reading of 1-3
ppm and also use Non-Chlorine Shock. Re-adjust sanitizer
level as necessary.
Foaming
C: High concentration of body oils, lotions, or soaps as well as
excessive contaminants.
S: Use Spa Defoamer and adjust pH and sanitizer levels as
necessary. Or drain, clean and refill.
C:
Low or Zero Total Hardness (Calcium) Causing Milky
Water.
S: Raise Total Hardness (Calcium) Level to 150-400 ppm
Green Water-Algae
C: Low sanitizer level or high PH.
S: Make any needed adjustments using PH Up or Alkalinity Up
or PH/Alkalinity Down. Add Spa sanitizer of choice
as necessary.
Erratic pH Test Color
C: Sanitizer level is too high.
S: Test pH level again when sanitizer level is below 5
ppm. Drain Half of hot tub water and refill
Corrosion or Appearance of Rust
C: Low pH level.
S: Adjust with PH Up or Alkalinity Up.
Failure to Get Sanitizer Reading
C: S
anitizer level is too low.
S: Add Spa sanitizer of choice until sanitizer level tests in recommended range.
C:
Algae present.
S: Dirty water will consume the sanitizer as soon as it is added. Add more your
sanitizer of choice until the sanitizer tests stays in the recommended range. Or drain,
clean and refill.
C: Test strip remains “white” even after sanitizer is added.
S: Sanitizer level is extremely high. It can bleach the reagents on the test strip
and give a false reading. See below.
Too Much Sanitizer
C:
Too much sanitizer added or dispensed into the hot tub (inspect type of sanitizer
used).
S: Activate jets with air control open. Allow jets to run 30 minutes. Test water
with a test strip to see if desired level has been reached. Do not use hot tub
until sanitizer level registers below 5 ppm.
S: Drain ½ of spa water and refill.
Eye and Skin Irritation
C: Contaminants or excessive amount of chloramines/bromamines in water.
S: Shock water with Non-Chlorine Shock. Adjust sanitizer level.
C: pH level is low.
S: Adjust pH level as needed with PH & Alkalinity Up.
Over Hot Water
C: Hot summer temperatures are making my hot tub water too hot
S: Your spa is manufactured with energy-efficient components and systems that capture
heat generated by the equipment, then transfer that heat back to the spa water. In
warmer weather or in situations with extended run times, “Thermal Creep” may occur.
Thermal Creep is a condition whereby the actual water temperature is higher than the
set temperature. To manage “Thermal Creep” you may:
- Vent your cover. Newer covers have removable center seal padding. To remove this
padding, open the Velcro on one side of the vinyl
pouch and slide the white padding out.
- If your spa does not have removable center seal padding, you may instead place a
folded cloth about ¾” (2cm) thick under all four corners of the cover before you lock it
down. Opening the cover at night will also quickly cool the water down if desired.
- Here is a fun tip: Fill 3 or 4 empty gallon milk jugs with water and freeze them. Place
them in your hot tub a few minutes before you want to use it. This will cool it down
several degrees relatively quickly. After you are done, put them back in the freezer so
they are ready for your next soak.
