When it comes to maintenance of hot water tubs, bromine, and chlorine-based programs are the 1960s and 70s technology originally designed for cool-temperature swimming pools. These days, water enzymes are regarded as the latest technology used for hot tub water care and to provide environmentally-friendly, luxurious, clear, and clean water in spas.
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What Enzymes Are
Enzymes are basically protein molecules. They are called biological catalyzers because they can accelerate or cause chemical reactions without taking part in any transformation. That means they may impact other molecules without changing.
How Enzymes Work
Every enzyme bonds with specific molecules called substrates. They often meet at an active site, where enzyme reactions happen.
After this bonding happens, substrates are broken apart into small pieces, which may continue deteriorating. Afterward, the enzyme moves onto another to proceed with the breakdown process.
How to Add Water Enzymes to Spa or Hot Tubs
Adding water enzymes to a spa or hot tub is easy to do. There are simple steps you will need to follow when adding enzymes. These steps include the following:
1. Prime Your Tub
When adding water enzymes, there are no special steps involved though you can begin by removing the hot tub’s covers and making sure the jets are put off.
If you add enzymes during a regular maintenance schedule, begin the process by testing water and balancing it to its natural state. You need to reach the following levels for your tub water to remain clean:
- Chlorine between 1 and 3ppm
- Calcium hardness ranges from 175 to 250ppm
- Total alkalinity of between 80ppm and 120ppm
- the pH level of between 7.4 and 7.6
2. Measure Dosage
Now that you have balanced the water, you can now add enzymes. Dosing your water tub correctly is vital, and you may need to consult instructions on the bottle because dosages differ between products.
Some water enzymes only need a capful every week, whereas others need more. The size of a water tub will as well factor into how many products to use.
3. Dose Your Tub
You may either measure everything out with a measuring tub or add the right amount of capfuls to the water tub on the fly. Once you add enzymes to the water, put on the jets and let them circulate for one hour or so to ensure they are distributed well.
Why Water Enzymes
Many people want to minimize the chemical amount they use in hot tubs or swimming pools to achieve a natural feel to the water. You can do this in two major ways:
- Safely keep sanitizer levels low
- Keep water balanced
Also, one way to prevent foamy water in a swim spa and hot tub is to get rid of organic materials in the water, which creates foam. Water enzyme products allow sanitizing chemicals to easily break down those organic materials, thus, leaving fewer available to produce foam. There are also other knock-on impacts of using enzyme-based chemicals. Those benefits include removing water line rings, odor elimination, and clearer water.
The Takeaway for Using Enzymes in Your Hot Tub
You can choose a variety of pool enzyme and spa products in the market. The costs of products vary significantly as enzymes are created differently in terms of effectiveness, concentration, and formulation.