Hydropool HSC720P - Glossary of Common Water Maintenance Terms; Water Balance Summary for Your Hot Tub (Chart)

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GLOSSARY OF COMMON WATER MAINTENANCE TERMS
1. CHLORINE – in granular, liquid or puck/tablet form, is an oxidant and biocidal agent. It is very effecve and fast acng.
Recommended chlorine residual level is 3.0 to 5.0 ppm.
2. CHLORAMINES – a compound formed when chlorine combines with nitrogen or ammonia present in the water. When
allowed to go unchecked, it causes eye and skin irritaon and is indicated by a strong chlorine odor.
3. ONE-PART BROMINE – also available in puck/tablet form, is another type of oxidant/biocidal agent, and is introduced
into the hot tub water via a brominator. Recommended bromine residual level is 3.0 to 5.0 ppm
4. TWO-PART BROMINE – composed of a liquid or powder component introduced manually into the water on a weekly
basis, and a granular component that is added daily or as the hot tub is used.
5. BROMAMINES – are formed when bromine destroys nitrogen-bearing organic maer. Unlike chloramines, bromamines
don’t cause eye irritaon, however, when allowed to go unchecked, will cause an objeconable odour.
6. SHOCK – the pracce of adding an oxidizing agent to hot tub water to destroy ammonia, nitrogenous and organic
contaminants (chloramines and bromamines)
7. pH – a logarithmic value expressing the relave acidity or basicity of a substance (such as hot tub water) as indicated by
the hydrogen ion concentraon. pH is expressed as a number on a scale of 0 to 14, where 0 is most acidic, 1 to 7 being
acidic, 7 considered neutral, 7 to 14 being basic, and 14 being most basic. The ideal range for hot tub water is 7.4 to 7.6
ppm
8. pH INCREASER – raises the pH level of the water.
9. pH DECREASER – lowers the pH level of the water.
10. TOTAL ALKALINITY (TA) – the amount of carbonate, bicarbonate and hydroxide compounds present in the water that
determines the ability or capacity of the water to resist change in pH. Also known as the ‘buffering’ capacity.
11. ALKALINITY BOOSTER – raises the alkalinity.
12. CALCIUM HARDNESS – the calcium poron of the total alkalinity which represents 70 to 75% of total hardness. Calcium
concentraons determine whether water is ‘so’ - too lile calcium, or ‘hard’ -too much calcium.
13. CALCIUM BOOSTER – increases the calcium level.
14. TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS) – a measure of the total amount of dissolved maer in the water (calcium, carbonates,
bicarbonates, magnesium, metallic compounds, etc.)
15. SEQUESTERANTS (STAIN AND SCALE CONTROLLERS) – keeps dissolved metals and minerals in the water from aacking
the hot tub shell and support equipment components.
16. DEFOAMER – removes foam build-up from the water surface. At best, this is a temporary remedy, as excessive foam is
merely a symptom of improper water balance (typically high organic residue and/or high pH).
17. CARTRIDGE FILTER CLEANER – degreases and cleans cartridge filters.
18. OZONATOR – generates Ozone (a gaseous molecule composed of 3 atoms of oxygen) and is injected into the hot tub
water for the oxidaon of water contaminants.
19. TEST KIT – used to monitor specific chemical residual or demands in the water. May be in the form of litmus strips or
liquid drops.
20. PPM – abbreviaon for ‘parts per million’, the unit of measurement used in chemical tesng which indicates the parts by
weight in relaon to one million parts by weight of water. Essenally idencal to the term mg/L - milligrams per liter.
WATER BALANCE SUMMARY FOR YOUR HOT TUB*
SANITIZER (ppm)
Chlorine
Bromine
CHEMICAL
PH
Total Alkalinity (TA)
Calcium Hardness
MIN
1.0
1.0
7.2
80
150
IDEAL
3.0 - 5.0
3.0 - 5.0
7.4 - 7.6
80 - 120
200 -400
MAX
5.0
5.0
7.8
180
500 -1000
*Naonal Spa & Pool Instute recommended levels for residenal spas/hot tubs