Q&A for How to Lower pH in a Hot Tub

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My pH is orange, does this mean it is high or low?

Konner Wilson

Community Answer

Your pH is low. This is slightly acidic, probably a 3-4 on the scale. Remember, green is neutral.

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Question

Our hot tub's pH is too high, but the alkalinity is normal. We're using a pH decreasing product, but it still won't go down. How can we fix this?

Community Answer

Take a sample into your local pool retailer and have it analyzed. If your pH is high and adding pH decreaser has no effect, you could have what is known as pH lock. Have your source water analyzed to determine initial levels.

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Question

Can itchy skin with a rash be caused by a pH imbalance in our spa?

Community Answer

The short answer is yes. The pH level can irritate your skin. The warm water will dilate your pores and the water will also rinse away any protective natural oils. If the condition is paired with a low sanitizer level, it creates an ideal path for bacteria to enter your skin and cause an infection.

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Question

What can a high pH in a hot tub cause?

Community Answer

High pH can cause minerals to come out of the water and form scaling on your spa surfaces and equipment.

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Question

Does it make a difference whether I have soft or hard water in my hot tub?

Community Answer

Yes, it does. You need some level of hardness in your water, particularly calcium. Most spa manufacturers and water chemists recommend somewhere between 150 - 300 ppm. When refilling or starting your spa, err on the low side and see how it goes. You need to have good balance between pH, total alkalinity (TA), and calcium hardness. Make sure you understand what you have in your incoming fill water before adjusting any of these parameters in your hot tub. Also, I highly recommend using liquid reagents as opposed to the more common dip strips for accuracy.

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Question

If I put in a little too much acid, is it safe to use the spa?

Community Answer

Just to err on the side of caution, I would avoid using it until the acid levels are back to normal. Use the test strips designed specifically for the spa to determine when it should be safe enough to use it.

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Question

How do I lower the hardness of my spa?

Community Answer

Drain your hot tub either fully or partially (depending on the calcium concentration) and then refill it. Do not add any calcium (hardness) increaser until you know what the level of hardness is in your incoming raw water. You need some level of calcium hardness (check with your manufacturer or google "spa water chemistry" to understand the appropriate level of calcium hardness requirement). Depending on your raw water you may have enough calcium hardness present so that you don't need to add any "calcium increaser" when you refill or top off your spa.

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Question

I'm in the process of balancing my spa for the first time. I now have alkalinity in the acceptable range, but the pH is still too high. How do I decrease the pH without over correcting alkalinity?

Community Answer

Your pH should always be adjusted before adjusting the alkalinity. Alkalinity absorbs acids in the water. If you have a normal-to-high alkalinity and add pH decrease, it may be absorbed by the alkalinity before it can affect the pH.

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Question

How do I fix too high alkalinity in my hot tub?

Community Answer

If the PH is normal, then turn on an aerator for a couple of hours and recheck. You will find the PH has increased and acid will need to be added to lower PH. This will in turn correct alkalinity. It may take several attempts.

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Question

My pH level is fine but my alkaline is low. How do I rectify this?

Community Answer

It's more common to have high alkalinity than low alkalinity. Low alkalinity is usually caused by heavy rainfall (acid rain). Add sodium bicarbonate to the water to raise the alkalinity to 80ppm.

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