Weekly

Test water weekly using good quality test strips such as the AquaCheck 7 strips. These strips will indicate Total Chlorine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, Hardness, and lastly Cyanuric Acid.

Adjust pH to be in the range 7.2 – 7.8. Use white vinegar to lower pH. Use dissolved baking Soda to raise pH.

Check Free Chlorine levels and adjust Scepter salt cell output to compensate. Too little free chlorine, e.g. below 3 ppm, increase the salt cell output on the ACE® control screen. Too much free chlorine, decrease cell output.

Monthly

Complete the tests and balancing as above.

Clean Spa Filter(s)

Turn off spa pool power, and then remove the filter and clean using your choice of filter cleaner. Make sure the product does not contain phosphates. Following the spraying of all filter surfaces, set aside the filter for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes thoroughly rinse and drain. Some people put their filters horizontally into a dishwasher and wash at the lowest temperature. Half way through the wash cycle they turn the filter over. Make sure that the heat drying cycle is turned off.

Clean Scepter Cell

Ensuring that the spa power is off, submerge the Scepter cell in a tall narrow container of white vinegar. Allow to stand for between 10 and 20 minutes. This will allow the acid in the white vinegar to dissolve any built up “scale” or calcium on the cell plates. At the end of immersion give the cell a gentle rinse and shake in the spa water. If you still see the white scale on the plates repeat the process until all scale has been dissolved or removed.

Check Water Level

Inspect the level of your spa pool water and refill with clean quality water as required to the manufacturers recommendation.

Check Salt Level

Using a quality test strip or hand held electronic instrument (such as the Lamotte Tracer) test the spa water to determine the current salt level which should be in the range of 1500 – 2000 ppm. If the salt level is too high (which often happens over time with water evaporation) add more clean water to bring the water up to the correct level. In extreme cases of high salt the water will need to be drained (maybe 50%) and refilled. If salt level is too low add additional quality salt.

Check Water Hardness

Using your test strips, check the total water hardness to ensure that it is close to 250 ppm. If too low (below 200) add dissolved hardness increase granules. If too high (above 450 ppm), either drain some spa water and replace with fresh clean water, or consider using the Vanishing Act calcium remover.

Reduce Phosphates

Run the spa pool jets and add the recommended amount of liquid phosphate remover to the water in the filter compartment. (see FAQs for more details)

Switch Scepter Connections (optional)

There is some belief that salt cell life can be improved by swapping the polarity of the connections to the Salt System controller. If you choose to do this please ensure that power to the spa pool has been turned off before removing the pump compartment cover. Once completed and the cover re-installed, power the spa pool up again and check that it is correctly functioning via the Salt System Controller.

Check Total Dissolved Solids & Cyanuric Acid (optional)

An understanding of the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the spa water - along with the Cyanuric acid levels, helps in deciding when to replace the spa water. Once the Total TDS goes above around 3500 ppm, it is more difficult for the salt cell to do its job of producing sanitisers. Once Cyanuric acid goes above 300 ppm the water molecules have difficulty holding onto the chlorine sanitisers produced by the salt cell. To resolve this situation either drain a significant proportion of the water off and replace, or completely change the water. Test Cyanuric acid levels with the AquaCheck 7 test strips. To test TDS, either take a water sample to your local pool shop, or use a hand held test instrument such as the Tracer. (see FAQs for more details)

Maintain Spa Pool Cover

Check all fittings, including the hinges, etc. to ensure they are not coming loose. Think about using a product to ensure that your spa pool cover material remains supple. (over time the suns UV dries out the vinyl material and it tends to break down and crack) Experience has shown that Meguiars M40 Mirror Glaze Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner and Conditioner can with regular use assist in minimising this deterioration.

Other Maintenance Tips

1. After heavy use, add 1 cup of unscented household bleach and white vinegar. For swimming pool Chlorine, follow dosing instructions but is likely to be between 100 ml and 200 ml.

2. If pH is rising add 1 cup white vinegar 1 to 2 times weekly for pH control.

3. Shock monthly with 1 cup each of household bleach and vinegar for 2-3 person tubs, and 2 cups each of bleach and vinegar for 4-6 person tubs.

4. If foaming occurs while running the jets, add phosphate remover as per the bottles instructions. This likely to be around 20 ml.

5. If alkalinity is high, turn off tub, and add 4.5 litres of white vinegar, leave cover off for 1 hour, then turn back on and close cover. You may need to do this multiple times if alkalinity is real high.

6. Switch connection of the leads between Salt Cell and Salt System Controller. (Helps extend life)

NOTE: If you leave for extended periods of time, add 1 cup each of bleach and vinegar. Then forget about it and enjoy your time away.