Hot Tub Water Chemistry Guides
Pick your problem. Each guide gives you the diagnosis, the fix in order, and exactly what you need.
- How to Fix Cloudy Hot Tub WaterWhy your hot tub water is cloudy and the exact steps to clear it: test, balance, shock, and filter. Works for chlorine and bromine tubs.
- Green Hot Tub Water: Two Causes, Two FixesGreen hot tub water is either algae or dissolved metals (copper). How to tell the difference and the exact fix for each.
- How to Get Rid of Hot Tub FoamFoamy hot tub water comes from soaps, lotions, and body oils building up. Quick fixes, the real fix, and how to prevent foam.
- How to Lower Total Alkalinity in a Hot TubStep-by-step: lower hot tub total alkalinity to 80–120 ppm using pH decreaser, with doses, wait times, and why high TA causes cloudy scale.
- Why Your Hot Tub pH Won't Hold (and How to Fix It)If your hot tub pH keeps falling, low total alkalinity is almost always the cause. How to fix the buffer so pH finally stays put.
- Why Your Hot Tub Smells Like Chlorine (It's Not Too Much Chlorine)A harsh chlorine smell means chloramines — used-up sanitizer — not too much chlorine. How to shock it away and keep water smelling neutral.
- White Flakes and Scale in Your Hot TubWhite flakes in hot tub water are either calcium scale or biofilm flakes. How to tell which, remove it, and stop it from coming back.
- How Often Should You Drain Your Hot Tub?Most hot tubs need draining every 3–4 months. The formula to calculate your interval, the signs your water is done, and a clean refill checklist.
Not sure what's wrong? The free Spa Assistant takes your test readings and tells you what to add.