Tips For Reducing Chemical Use
Spa Marvel Water Treatment & Conditioner reduces sanitizer demand by removing the food (organic matter) necessary for bacteria to live, which is in part how lakes and aquariums can maintain themselves without using chlorine. Spa Marvel’s specially formulated hot tub enzymes thereby clear the path for sanitizers, creating an aquatic environment where less sanitizer needs to be added in order to maintain the desired level.
The following are more detailed instructions on how to use Spa Marvel, reduce sanitizer demand, and generally maintain your hot tub so that chemical use is further minimized.
Instructions
Instructions
Step #1.
Use Spa Marvel Cleanser to clean the spa’s plumbing
Spa Marvel Cleanser is a fast-acting proprietary cleanser that penetrates deep inside of your spa’s plumbing and equipment, removing biofilm, organic, mineral and chemical contaminants. In brand new spas, Spa Marvel Cleanser removes residues leftover from the manufacturing process including wax, lubricants, silicone, sawdust, oils and resins.
Remove filters. You will not harm your tub by operating it with the filters out.
Add one full bottle of Spa Marvel Cleanser into the existing water. Spa Marvel Cleanser performs much better in warmer water than in colder water. Run jets on high for at least 1 hour and then allow to circulate for an additional 23 hours. It is important that the Spa Marvel Cleanser circulate in the spa water. If the pumps are not on, the water is not circulating. If your spa does not run continuously, you may need to leave the Cleanser in for longer periods of time. i.e. if your spa circulates 12 hours a day, leave the Cleanser in for 2 days. 12 hours X 2 days = 24 hours of circulation. It is OK to leave the Spa Marvel Cleanser in the spa for longer than one day.
Do not use the spa during the cleansing process.
Spa Marvel Cleanser on its own does not foam. If you experience massive amounts of foam it is a result of contaminants that were built-up in the tub’s plumbing being removed and reintroduced to the water.
Drain the old water out. Clean and thoroughly rinse the tub, doing the best you can to remove the old water. Repeat before every drain and refill.
If you have a brand-new spa we do encourage you to use the Spa Marvel Cleanser to remove the residues from the manufacturing process. Many new hot tub owners are anxious to get using their spa and would prefer not to start out with the cleansing process. Many new spa owners also often experience extremely high bather loads during the first few weeks of ownership as all of their friends, family and neighbours come to experience their new hot tub. Remember that 4 people in a hot tub are equivalent to 400 people in a pool. This excessive use often dictates the necessity for a water change after only 1-3 weeks of using the spa.
As a new spa owner it may behoove you to start out with some traditional spa treatment products. Then in 1-3 weeks once all of your friends have finished trying out the spa and a water change is required anyway, you can then run the Spa Marvel Cleanser at that time, drain the water and start fresh with Spa Marvel Water Treatment & Conditioner.
Step #2.
Maintaining Clean Filters
Regular and proper cleaning of the spa’s filters using a spa filter cleaner product such as Spa Marvel Filter Cleaner are pivotal to the success of using Spa Marvel.
Replace the filters with new or PROPERLY cleaned filters using a spa filter cleaner such as Spa Marvel Filter Cleaner. As a rule of thumb, the spa industry recommends replacing cartridge filters after 6 months of use. If you currently have a brand new filter, it does not require cleaning prior to using Spa Marvel Water Treatment & Conditioner.
After soaking the filter in spa filter cleaner it is critical that the debris is thoroughly removed from the pleats of the filter. The water pressure from showers, dishwashers and kitchen sinks is often not strong enough to remove the debris. If after rinsing your filter there is still discolouration in the pleats or if it still smells dirty, then it is not clean and you need to reevaluate your current filter cleaning techniques. Many people use a pressure washer (gently and carefully) to quickly and effectively remove the debris after soaking the filter. If you do not have access to a pressure washer, the sprayer at the coin-operated car wash works well. Most reusable hot tub filters ought to be replaced after 6 months of use.
A thorough filter rinse once a week, with a proper complete monthly cleaning using a spa filter cleaner, will suffice for the majority of hot tub users. Keep in mind that the filter takes out whatever is put into the spa, and all it takes is one bather who is covered in body lotions to foul a clean filter.
Since there are no longer excessive amounts of chemicals in the spa to mask the odours harboured in the filters, if your filters are not properly cleaned then the odours from the filter will permeate the water and you will notice a “musty” smell coming from the spa. Proper cleaning of the filters with a spa filter cleaner and shocking the water with spa shock will correct this should it occur.
Step #3
Spa Marvel Water Treatment & Conditioner Application Directions
Refill the spa with fresh water and install clean filters as per your spa manufacturer’s directions. If using well water or poor quality source water, use of a pre filter such as the X10 Water Filter is strongly recommended. Before adding water to the spa, allow water to run through the hose for 5 minutes to flush out mould and mildew that may have developed in the hose.
Heat spa water to desired temperature. Add one full bottle of Spa Marvel Water Treatment & Conditioner to all tubs up to 500 gallons (2000 liters). Even in smaller tubs, use 1 full bottle as your bather-load per volume of water is usually equal to, if not greater than the larger tubs. (In a brand new spa, add one third of a bottle, the second third in 30 days, and the last third in another 30 days). Occasionally when the Spa Marvel is added it can be seen as white strands suspended in the water. This is normal and the Spa Marvel will go into solution once it has had a chance to circulate.
When using Spa Marvel in larger volumes of water such as a swim spa, add 1 bottle per month to the water. In a swimming pool, use Pool Marvel.
Step #4
Balance the water if necessary
- Balance the alkalinity to between 80-150ppm, ideally 120-150ppm, if necessary (or as directed by your professional spa retailer) using traditional spa-water balancing products available from your professional spa retailer
- After the alkalinity is balanced, then ensure that the pH is between 7.2 and 8.2, adjust if necessary. Spa Marvel changes the properties of the water, and in doing so it allows for a broader acceptable pH range. When Spa Marvel is in your water, pH is fine between 7.2 and 8.2.
Since the acceptable range for pH when using Spa Marvel is much broader than when using traditional spa care products, please take care to read your testing devices properly, keeping in mind that they are calibrated to show the “OK” range when using traditional chemicals, not Spa Marvel.
Balance hardness as per your professional spa retailer’s guidelines.
Step #5
Ensure proper pump filtration/circulation settings
To optimize results, ensure that your filtration settings are scheduled for filtering a minimum of 6 hours a day. If your spa utilizes a hush pump (often referred to as a ‘circ’ pump) please ensure that it is filtering 24/7. If you are unsure of your tub’s system, check your manual or consult your dealer.
Step #6
Changing the water
Change your water when your Total Dissolved Solids (which your professional spa retailer can measure for you) approach 2,000 ppm, and do not go past 1 year without changing. Use the Spa Marvel Cleanser for an hour on high speed when you change the water. It is best practice to change the water every 3 months.
Tips for reducing chemical use in your hot tub
The following are not “requirements”, but rather recommendations for achieving even more fabulous results with Spa Marvel while at the same time reducing hot tub maintenance and care.
Laws pertaining to spa water treatment vary from country to country and region to region. The Spa Marvel Company Inc. is committed to complying with all applicable laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate and we encourage you to respect your local regulatory agency’s guidelines and use sanitizers as required.