Spa  Safety Tips
For  the most fun and good times, keep these safety tips in mind.
Always  check spa water temperature before getting in. Temperature should never exceed  104 degrees.
Limit time in the spa to no more than 15 minutes before showering and cooling down.
Avoid strenuous activity immediately after using the spa.
Heat can be dangerous for pregnant women and people with heart disease, high blood  pressure or diabetes. Check with your doctor first
Do  not use the spa if you have been drinking alcohol or taking prescription  medicines. Consult your doctor first.
Don’t  use the spa if you have open wounds or sores.
Don’t  use radios, hair dryers or other electrical appliances near the spa.
Reduce  the risk of accident with hand rails and non-slip surfaces.
Keep  areas around the spa clean and uncluttered

General Hot Tub  Maintenance
Following these basic procedures will help prevent problems:
Encourage good hygiene. A shower prior to use is a good practice.
Monitor bather load, adjust water Ph and drain spa when necessary.
Avoid using spa when wounds or open cuts are present.
Maintain adequate sanitizer level at all times. Check bromine or chlorine before each  use with test strips; alternately, maintain Aqua Fiennes per package instructions.
All tubs from Sun-spas.co.uk come with ozone generator O3as standard so shock treatments to oxygenate  the water can be done with the built in ozone generator.
After heavy use of the spa, or when smelly or cloudy water is noticed, shock with Chemicals  to quickly clear up problems.
Maintain  proper pH level to optimize sanitizer effectiveness.
Test your water frequently using spa water test strips
Keep waterline and adjoining surfaces clean.
Clean filter regularly with cold water from a hose pipe. Does not use Filter cleaner.  Leave the filter to dry out and rest. We recommend buying a second filter.
Thoroughly clean spa at each drain/refill. Don't forget to clean your spa  cover, inside and out.
Prior to each draining, use a flush solution to rid your plumbing and heating systems  of biofilm, grime, oils, and other contaminants.
If  your spa cover is smelly and in poor condition, replace it. Why? A  contaminated and waterlogged spa cover can continuously inoculate your  spa water with microorganisms, not to mention waste energy.

By keeping in mind the basic ABCs of  spa water chemistry, you'll be assured a pleasant and healthy hot tubbing  experience for yourself, your family and friends. If you are new to the  wonderful world of hot tubs, start here!
Although similar in one way to bath  tubs, hot tub spas are not drained after each use, so we must take measures to  ensure clear, clean, sparkling water. This means balancing the chemical  properties of our spa water so that it is neither too alkaline nor too  acidic. It also means maintaining a sanitizing system to keep the water  healthy and free of harmful microorganisms.
After reading this section, go to Preparation Maintenance for complete directions.

The warm water of hot tubs would  provide an ideal breeding ground for potentially harmful microorganisms if we  did not initiate and maintain an effective sanitizer system to control  them. Bacteria from our bodies, as well as airborne mold spores, algae,  and even viruses can find their way into the water.
Fortunately, we have great sanitizer  systems such as: Bromine, Cleanwater Blue, and Nature2 that can effectively  destroy these microorganisms and keep the spa water safe and healthy.

Shock treatment is simply the  routine of applying a compound to your spa water which oxidizes or breaks-down  the dead organic material left behind from your sanitizer system, as well as  non-filterable material such as dirt, soap films, hair spray and perspiration.  Allowed to remain in the water, these contaminants provide a food source for  bacteria and algae. Regular shock treatments eliminate them and the organics on  which bacteria feed.
Regardless of which sanitizer system  you use, periodic shocking is essential for clear, clean hot tub water. It will also allow your sanitizer to perform at peak efficiency.

When the mineral components of spa  water are correct proportion to one another, the result is balanced  water. Balanced means that it is neither too alkaline (high pH) which causes  destructive scale buildup on equipment, nor too acidic (low pH) which may erode  plumbing and cause costly damage to spa pumps, seals and heaters. Balanced  water has a more pleasant feel to the skin, and allows your sanitizer to work  more effectively. We take periodic measurements of spa water with test  strips to achieve balance.
Total Alkalinity (TA) pH
TA is important. It is the measure  of all the alkaline material in the water and really an indicator of the  ability of the water to resist changes in pH-- the water's buffering capacity.  Too high TA is much less of a problem than too low. Always adjust TA  first, then check your pH. Maintaining the proper TA will often bring the  pH into line automatically. Water chemistry is balanced by adjusting its TA and  pH with compounds such as Alkalinity Increaser, pH Decrease and pH Increase.
Hardness
The hardness level of spa water--  measured as the amount of dissolved calcium is also important. Insufficient calcium hardness can sometimes promote equipment corrosion and  also result in water foaming problems. Although there is no practical way  to reduce extremely high hardness levels, it is easy to increase levels which  are too low by adding Increase Calcium.
Stain & Scale Prevention
To prevent problems with spa shell  staining and scale formation, when refilling your spa, be sure to add mineral  stain & scale preventer.