Salt
Salt keeps chlorine steady. Use non-iodized, kosher, rock, or pool salt.
Chemistry Made Simple
Simple Hot Tub Chemicals
Necessary solutions: salt, baking soda, vinegar, bleach. No unnecessary chemicals.
Chemicals Don't Have to Be Hard
Hot Tub Spa Chemicals do not have to be expensive or difficult to use. Find out how you can use salt, baking soda and white vinegar to your advantage when treating your hot tub. Did you know that the additives in these chemicals can lead to dry, itchy skin? The Hot Tub Wizard shows you how to keep the chemical side of things simple and your skin soft and smooth.
The Hot Tub Wizard's maintenance program is based around regular, inexpensive, bleach and white vinegar.
Essential Ingredients
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Baking Soda
Raises alkalinity. Keeps your water balanced and safe.
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White Vinegar
Lowers pH safely. A simple solution for balance.
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Bleach
Inexpensive chlorine without cyanuric acid. Start up with a cup.
The Wizard's Potions
Explore our potions for balanced and clear water.
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Magic Potion Boric Acid Natural Hot Tub Water Softener
$24.95
View Product: Magic Potion Boric Acid Natural Hot Tub Water Softener
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Maintain Hardness: 250-350 ppm
Proper hardness protects components. Tub Defender raises hardness to ideal levels.
- It is recommended to maintain water hardness in the 250-350ppm range if your tub is not offered new with a salt option.
Test Before You Treat
Use test strips for accurate water readings.
Lance Fitzsimmons aka "The Hot Tub Wizard"
Free E-Book: Hot Tub Chemicals
Learn more with our free e-book on simple hot tub chemicals.
Watch: Chemistry Basics
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Easy Hot Tub Maintenance
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Do Not Fill Your Salt Hot Tub With a Water Softener
Chemistry Questions
Why do you tell people to use bleach and vinegar?
Granular chlorine contains cyanuric acid (conditioner) which as it builds up in the water, reduces the ability of chlorine to oxidize and sanitize the water. Vinegar is an easy, safe way to lower the pH.
What kind of salt do I have to use for a hot tub?
There are several options. Non-iodized table salt, Kosher salt, rock salt, solar salt, pool salt and hot tub salt. Pink salt or Dead Sea salt can also be used but contain other elements that can reduce the production of chlorine. Also, the beneficial minerals get oxidized by chlorine and end up trapped in the filters.
What does a simple maintenance routine look like?
The Hot Tub Wizard's maintenance program is based around regular, inexpensive, bleach and white vinegar.
What hardness should I keep my water at?
It is recommended to maintain water hardness in the 250-350ppm range if your tub is not offered new with a salt option.
I have a difficult time keeping my water clear.
You may need to increase your output level. If you are using sodium dichlor (chlorine granules) you may have a high level of cyanuric acid over 30 ppm which will make it more difficult to sanitize your water.
My cell has a white substance built up on it.
The white substance is scale buildup on the plates which is a normal part of the electrolysis process. Systems that are self cleaning reverse polarity, which helps reduce scale accumulation but cannot totally eliminate the need for cleaning in a mild acid solution such as white vinegar. Excessive scale accumulation will reduce the life of the cell and diminish chlorine production.
Necessary Solutions, Not Unnecessary Chemicals
Keep your tub simple with our maintenance supplies.