DIRECTIONS FOR HOT TUB CARE

Dear Natural Hot Tub Enthusiast,

You want to enjoy your hot tub naturally without comprising your health and so do we. Because this is an all natural chemical free product, you may need to make adjustments or be patient while the water is going through its molecular changes to get the results that you are looking for. This is a fantastic product, used successfully by hundreds of thousands of healthy hot tubs and spa owners worldwide. Please read our information on how to take care of a hot tub, spa, or swimming pool. If you are having issues and can’t find the balance for your particular water type and usage, please give us a call so we may assist you. Buying your hot tub products online should be easy and enjoyable. Let us help you arrive there.

Enjoy!

Soft Tubs, Inflatable Hot Tubs and Small Spas Around 200 Gallons

Start off using 1/2 dosage for both the initial dosage and the weekly dosage thereafter. Due to the reduced circulation of water flow and aeration, we suggest adding a pint of hydrogen peroxide either weekly or biweekly depending on usage to help keep the water clean.

​Purging the Hot Tub

(The cleaner your spa is to start, the easier it is for the enzymes to purify your water.)
1. Remove all spa filters during the purge time to prevent clogging.
2. Open and center all spa jets and air values.
3. Add Spa Prep to your existing water. First time users, for large spas, or old and dirty spas, add entire bottle of Spa Prep. For smaller spas (200 gallons or less) and for new spas add 1/2 bottle of Spa Prep. If you have been using our products, use 1/2 bottle of Spa Prep prior to water change.
4. Let spa circulate on your normal maintenance schedule while running jets for approximately 10 minutes each day. For new spas, 1 day is sufficient, For older spas, leave for 3 to 7 days depending on how dirty the spa is. (It’s okay to use the spa during the purge if it looks inviting).
5. ***If your spa is new or empty. Fill spa with regular hose water and follow above directions (do not use Hose Pre-Filter for purging).

​After Purging the Hot Tub

1. Drain all water out of the spa and turn on the jets for a few seconds to empty water from the plumbing. Rinse, wipe clean spa thoroughly.
2. Reinstall either new filters or sterilized old filters (Filters older than 2 years must be replaced by new ones).

​Installing the Micron Sleeve

1. Simply tie the Micron Sleeve around your main filter. If you have more than one, choose the main filter. The string side of the sleeve goes on the outside and it doesn’t have to cover the entire filter. It’s okay to custom cut the Micron Sleeve, if needed, for a proper fit.

​Fill up the Hot Tub

1. Attach the Hose Pre-Filter to any garden hose and let water run through it for 1 minute before placing into spa.
2. If you have a water softener, use 1/2 softened water and 1/2 regular water to fill your spa.
3. Our Hose Pre-filters are designed to work with our products. For large spas they are good for one fill along with topping off for the season. For smaller spas, you can get 2 fills with topping off between water changes.

​Adding the Spa Drops

Follow the directions on the bottle for dosage amount. The initial dosage, for the first week, is twice the amount of the weekly maintenance dosage afterward. Use your jets to help mix the enzymes into the water. It’s okay to use your spa right away. You may need to adjust Spa Drop dosage depending on usage and water type.
For Soft, Inflatable Hot Tubs and Normal Hot Tubs around 200 gallons: Start off by using 1/2 dosage of what is recommended on the bottle. (Both the initial dosage and the weekly maintenance dosage). Due to the limited flow pressure of these smaller spas, we recommend adding hydrogen peroxide on a weekly or bi-weekly basis starting out with 1 pint per week and then adjusting as needed depending on your particular usage.

​Maintenance Schedule

Once a Week: Thoroughly rinse filters and Micron Sleeve and add Spa Drops as directed.
Once a Month: Sterilize filters and Micron Sleeves with either a solution of 5 cups of white distilled vinegar to 5 gallons of water, soak over night then rinse thoroughly, or use 1/4 cup of bleach to 5 gallons of water and soak for 2 to 3 hours then rinse thoroughly.

​Overdosing with Spa Drops

Using too many Spa Drops in your spa is the most common error. Everyone’s water is different and spa usage can vary to a large degree. In some cases you need to adjust the dosage accordingly. The more frequently you use the spa, the more drops you may need. On the other hand, if you are not using the spa for a week or so, you don’t need to add any drops at all. It’s best to start off with the recommended dosage on the bottle.
If you notice a brown gooey substance begin to develop along with a strong musty smell that doesn’t go away; this is a sign of overdose. Skip a week or two or until water balances and then cut your weekly dosage down by 1/3.

​Under Dosing with Spa Drops

If you detect a sour, gym sock or dirty washcloth smell when you lift the cover of your hot tub you have an under dose and you should immediately add another initial dose of Spa Drops and increase your weekly dosage by 1/3 to 1/2. Wait until this smell is gone before you enter the spa.

​Adjusting your pH

You don’t need to adjust the pH with our system unless calcium deposits build up on the shell of your spa. If this is happens use any standard pH up or down. Or white distilled vinegar as a pH down and baking soda as a pH up. You will need to experiment to determine how much you may need to use. We suggest adjusting your pH slowly as to not over correct.

​Circulation and Filtering

Adequate circulation and filtering in your spa is THE most important thing you need in order to enjoy pristine spa water. The water in your spa needs to be moving and passing through your spa’s filter for at least four hours a day. This is a healthy, living body of water and must be oxygenated! We can’t state it enough that adequate movement and filtering is paramount in order for the Clear Choice system (and indeed, any spa maintenance system) to work properly. The circulation and aeration of the water allows the Clear Choice enzymes to adequately break down organic contaminants and ensures that the spa water is oxygenated, thus deterring the growth of pathogenic organisms. Adequate filtration ensures that organic matter is trapped and removed from the water.

​Spa Filters

If your spa filter is over two years old, it’s time for a new one. We have had people struggling to maintain clear water, astounded by the difference they see after they have invested in a new filter. To thoroughly clean your filter, a regular garden hose attachment that has a jet spray is fine; a high- pressure water cleaner is too hard on the filter fabric. As you spray the filter, try and get into each pleat and remove built up hair and other material. The Clear Choice system works best with regular white pleated filters. Filters with a very fine weave, like Microban or Sundance Micro Clean filters, may require more frequent cleaning than once a week.

​Patience

These are completely natural organic products. Sometimes it may take a few weeks for the water to go through the necessary molecular changes before you get the clear and clean conditions you can expect from using our products. If you have any questions along the way, please feel free to give us a call so we can assist you in finding the right amount of Spa Drops for your particular situation. Once you find the right balance of Spa Drops you won’t find an easier or more natural product to use in keeping your spa clean and safe.

​Leaving Home

We advise turning down your spa’s temperature down to the minimum setting and reducing the spa’s filtration time to two hours per day. Add one full week’s dose of Spa Drops, and ensure that your spa’s cover is securely locked down. Your spa will be ready to use upon your return no matter what length of time you are away.

​Ozonators and UV Lights

Clear Choice products are compatible with these additions to your spa though not necessary for our products to work correctly and effectively.

​Compatibility

Clear Choice products are compatible with just about everything except Baqua Spa products. All other products should be added after the initial set up and the water has stabilized. Add any additional products slowly in small increments to see how they affect the water.

​Milky White, Cloudy Water

If the water becomes an obvious white cloudiness during the first initial dosage of Spa Drops during the first week add another full dose of Spa Drops right away. This white cloudiness is caused by the water going through molecular changes and is in need of an extra one- time boost.

​Light Musty Odor

This is normal for new customers during the first to fourth week while the natural spa water adjust. During that time odor (trapped Co2 gas) should only be noticeable when you first open your spa cover and release the steam. This could also be the beginning of an overdose of Spa Drops. If you suspect an over dose skip a week of Spa Drops and see if the musty smell diminishes. If it does, lower your weekly Spa Drops by at least 1/3.

​Green or Brownish Tint

This can be due to a number of factors.

1. Phosphates in your source water will create a green tint. This is harmless and should disappear with time.

2. Metals like copper or nickel oxidizing in the water can turn slightly green. Iron oxidizing will result in a brownish tint.

3. Algae growing in your spa can also cause a greenish tint. This is mainly due your spa water being exposed to excess sunlight, which occurs if you are not covering the spa with a lid. If you suspect this is the case make sure that you cover the spa at all times when not in use and treat the water with a shock dose of chlorine to 5ppm. Chlorine shock will dissipate from your spa water and will not interfere with the Clear Choice system. Refrain from using the spa until the chlorine levels drop to 2ppm or below.

4. Sometimes a persons water may just have a natural tint to it and can be bleached out by a one time dose of shock.

​Cloudy Water

Occasionally, during the first week or two with Clear Choice, you may have some cloudiness. Try to be patient as your water is softening and changing molecularly.

Cloudy spa water can also be due to heavy use. With enough time your spa water will return to its original state, to speed things up to return to clarity, wash your spa filter more often and the spa pumps longer. If the water is really cloudy, you may need to hose out your filter a couple of times during this process.

If the water is still cloudy, you may need to treat it with some non-chlorine shock, like MPS, to more quickly break down the organic matter. The shock dose will dissipate from your spa water fairly rapidly so don’t worry if you occasionally need to resort to a shock dose. Cloudy water after the first couple of weeks have passed could be a sign of overdose. Skip a week or two of adding Spa Drops and, if this fixes the problem, reduce your weekly dosage of Spa Drops by 1/3.

​Slippery sides to your Soft Tub or Spa

This is a temporary issue. The enzymes are breaking down the manufacture’s coating on the vinyl causing slipperiness. Not to worry, our enzymes will considerably extend the life of your vinyl! This slipperiness will dissipate with time. If you notice a brown gooey build up or strong musty smell along with slippery sides then it’s an overdose issue. Skip a week or two then lower your weekly dose of Spa Drops by 1/3.

​Foamy Water

Foamy water is always caused by detergents being introduced into the water from bathing suits, etc… There is nothing in the Spa Drops that will cause foaming. (Spa Prep can cause foam, which is normal).

​Rough Surface Deposits

Sometimes soft or hard deposits will form on the spa shell. This can be a result of some final chlorine or bromine salt deposits being flushed from your spa’s plumbing or extra calcium. Normally, these deposits will break down and disappear within two weeks. If deposits remain, reduce your pH levels to 7.2 and rinse your filters more frequently until the problem is resolved.

​Flakes

Brown flakes in the water are a non-toxic buildup from the spa’s plumbing that has been loosened by the enzymes in Clear Choice. Your spa’s filter will eventually remove these flakes from the water. You may hose out your filter more often until the flakes are gone. Flakes that are whitish in appearance may be due to white mold in your spa’s plumbing. If this is the case you will need to shock dose your spa with chlorine to 5ppm to remove the mold from your system. Chlorine shock will dissipate from your spa water and will not interfere with the Clear Choice system. Refrain from using the spa until the chlorine level drops to 2ppm or below.

​Slippery Feel

Clear Choice contains positively charged ions and your spa surface has a negative charge. Occasionally a bond between these two charges will occur resulting in a slight film that may develop on the spa walls. Simply wipe the surface with your hand or a cloth (rinsed well to remove any existing detergents) to break this bond.

​Is Clear Choice Safe?

Most of our customers are looking for an alternative to the harsh chemicals of chlorine and bromine. Exposure to these chemicals can cause skin rashes, red eyes, dried-out skin, respiratory irritation, and other health problems due to their corrosive and toxic nature.
Many of our customers are chemically sensitive or dealing with serious health issues that make soaking in a chemical hot tub disastrous for their health. Many do not want their children to be exposed to these chemicals (especially younger children who may accidentally consume spa water as they play).
Clear Choice is not a sanitizer, it does not kill “all” organic matter indiscriminately like chlorine and bromine. Our products work as Mother Natures does. Our perfectly safe, natural enzymes break down the organic matter so rapidly that the food chain for bad bacteria is removed. Circulation and oxidation (through aeration) completes the process.
Our products are a “Water Purification System” not a sanitizer. Your skin will be softer, feel nourished and your immune system will not be compromised. Our most sensitive and health-challenged customers love our products and are happy to be able to enjoy their hot tubs, swim spas and pools again!
If you have concerns about not using a sanitizer, please complement our products with hydrogen peroxide, MPS, or anything else you’d like except the Baqua Spa products. You will want to experiment with dosages for your particular situation, water type, and usage.

​Skipping Steps

If your having issues and you skipped some of our outlined steps, please back up and start again using our tried and true process for a happy, healthy and clean hot tub experience.

Adding Other products to Your Spa

If you want to add minerals, salts or other health-supportive ingredients to your spa water, it’s best to wait for 4 to 6 weeks for your spa water to balance out with the enzymes then proceed to add any new products to the water slowly gaging how the spa water reacts and then adjust accordingly.

Heavy Bather Load or Difficult Water Conditions

Occasionally, some customers have heavy bather usage or difficult water making it challenging for the enzymes to keep up in providing you with the water clarity you should expect. It is okay to complement our products with small dosages of shock treatment. Whether it is chlorine or nonchlorine products such as MPS or using 3%-30% strength Hydrogen Peroxide (which is our favorite choice). Start off by using 1/2 what is recommended on the bottle with whatever you are using then experiment with dosages. Allowing our enzymes to do most of the work, even when a little extra help is needed, is a positive and healthful alternative to returning to a total chemical approach.

Soft Tubs, Inflatable Hot Tubs and Small Spas Around 200 Gallons

Start off using 1/2 dosage for both the initial dosage and the weekly dosage thereafter. Due to the reduced circulation of water flow and aeration, we suggest adding a pint of hydrogen peroxide either weekly or biweekly depending on usage to help keep the water clean.