If you’re a diligent hot tub owner, chances are you do a good job maintaining various chemicals in your tub or spa. You look at areas like TA, pH levels, hardness and the sanitizer levels being used to keep the water clear, clean and healthy for anyone who uses the hot tub, plus you shock it after each use and drain it every few months.
At Dolphin Pools & Spas, a proud licensed dealer for Bullfrog Spas in Utah, we’re here to tell you about one additional tool at your disposal for cases where you’re dealing with cloudy water due to bacteria, algae or various chemical issues: A clarifier. What is a hot tub clarifier, how does it work, and what are some types you might consider for your hot tub? Here’s a primer on everything you need to know in this area.
What Hot Tub Clarifiers Do
Generally speaking, hot tub clarifiers have three distinct purposes:
- Clearing up cloudy water from several potential sources
- Increasing hot tub filter performance
- Maintaining hot tub pH balance
When using a clarifier, many of the particles that cause cloudiness in water are globbed together. This significantly reduces cloudiness while also maintaining the pH levels and reducing stress on the filter – larger particles are easier for the filter to grab and prevent from making their way into the water.
Clarifier Types
There are a couple specific clarifier types to consider:
- Flocculation or coagulation: This is the process described above, where smaller particles are stuck together until they’re large enough to be captured by the hot tub’s filtration system. Many such clarifier products exist, including many that utilize recycled products.
- Enzymes: In other cases, clarifier products will contain enzymes that are meant to actually consume the organic and inorganic particles leading to clouding or other issues. These enzymes, which can come from natural sources, will track and eliminate such particles in a short period of time. They remove contaminants like oils, lotions, sweat and various cosmetic products.
Sanitizing Compatibility
One concern some spa owners have when using clarifiers is whether the product is compatible with the sanitizing system already in place for the hot tub. Luckily, the answer here is yes: Both flocculation systems and enzyme systems can be used alongside any modern sanitizer type, so you can proceed without any worries here.
When to Use Clarifier
Clarifier is valuable because it can be used in a variety of circumstances. Some hot tub owners choose to use it weekly as a preventive method against clouding, but you can also use it when specific problems crop up – there is no limit or maximum to how often they can be used.
For more on clarifier and its benefits for hot tubs, or to learn about any of our hot tubs, custom pool construction or other services, speak to the staff at Dolphin Pools & Spas today.