Spa Care Guide - Step 1

In a spa or hot tub, the water is heated between 98-104°F - a temperature that is much warmer than a swimming pool water. In addition, the ratio of people to the amount of water in a spa is much greater. For example, having four people in a hot tub is equivalent to having 300 people in an average backyard pool.

The heated water and higher bather load ratio can result in increased water problems due to a great deal of residual soaps, deodorants, perfumes, natural body oils, and other cosmetics. In order to avoid these problems, it's very important that you use products specifically formulated for spa or hot tub use such as the Leisure Time products we recommend throughout this guide.

NOTE: Before adjusting water chemistry, add a sequestering agent such as Spa Metal Gon to prevent staining of spa surfaces.

Now that your spa water has been tested professionally, you're ready to begin preparing your spa for use.

As you follow along, please note that you can obtain each Leisure Time product individually from your Leisure Time retailer or we'll indicate which Leisure Time Spa Kit contains the product you need. During all steps of spa water care, remember to circulate your water for at least 15 minutes before adding an additional Leisure Time product.

Once you've set up your spa for initial use, follow the 3-day a week program listed in this guide to keep spa water sparkling clean.

Filling Your Spa

1. Protect the Spa's Finish with Spa Fast Gloss.

If you have an acrylic or fiberglass spa, you should first protect the finish with a polish like Spa Fast Gloss before you add any water. This polish will chemically bond with the spa surface reducing chemical attack or fading from UV rays. Apply a coat of Spa Fast Gloss every time you drain and refill the hot tub for continual protection.

Spa Fast Gloss is included in standard Leisure Time Bromine and Chlorine Spa Kits.

2. Fill Spa with Water.

Add water into your spa until the water level reaches the center of the skimmer or the middle of the tile line. If you are using a garden hose to fill the spa, allow water to run for several minutes before adding water to the spa in order to flush out any bacteria that sometimes accumulates in the residual water of garden hoses.

3. Add Spa Metal Gon to Prevent Staining.

As you fill your spa, it's very important to add a sequestering agent to the water to prevent minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, and manganese that may exist in your source water from staining spa surfaces.

Each Leisure Time Spa Kit contains the sequestering agent Spa Metal Gon to prevent such staining. Add one bottle of Spa Metal Gon for up to 500 gallons of water. This dosage should be allowed to circulate in a completely filled spa for at least 30 minutes before proceeding to Balancing The Water - Step 2.

Next Step (Step 2)