Hello, just curious as to methods of keeping hot tub clean and in perfect PH Balance. Curious as to maybe Northwest water is in a hot tub, as I have recently obtained a used one and am in need of more knowledge..?
Just spent $460 on a new pump.

Just put a new pump, new filters, fresh water, and chlorine, in our hot tub and it works great. I wouldn't screw with the pH balance. I have extra pH balance and some other excess chemicals.

Good filter system and ozone generator.

Hot Tubs are like boats and pools. Best when close friends and family own them. Not you.

That said, the BEST thing to do is keep it TIP TOP. That way no one gets chemical burns or conversely--Some nasty fuggin' disease like chlamydia.

You should visit your county health dept and get "The List" of nasty diseases you can get from pools and hot tubs with inadequate chems.

There's a few on there that are incurable and lethal.

Thurston Co's. "list" was posted on the bulletin board at The Valley Athletic a couple summers ago. I damn near yanked my daughter out of the kiddie urinal and rinsed her in rubbing alcohol on the spot.

Here's a few of the juicy ones:

Typhoid
Dysentery
Cholera
Botulism
Cryptosporidiosis
Giardia
E. Coli
Leptospirosis
Salmonella

If you ho or row a Clackacraft you might want to get vaccinated.
Never know where those things have been.

I think it depends upon who you let into the tub. Vedder in drag would probably leave a nasty ring.

I had one for years and got rid of it. To much cost and maintenance for my liking.
Perhaps the newer models are easier to maintain. I sure hope so.

Take a tap water sample to your nearest hot tub/spa business. They'll test it right there and tell you exactly what you need to get started. Make sure you get plenty of test strips.

From there, it's really not that much maintenance. Just test it every few days and add the appropriate chemicals if needed. It's usually not much. We had one, and it was great to have in the beginning, especially in the winter time, but after a while we just didn't use it much and eventually got rid of it.

Thanks for the advice gentlemen.
I like the water sample at the hot tub store idea.
I am a broke down drift boat owner and former athlete. I have been dreaming about owning my own hot tub.
Now my time is at hand.
I hope it isn't as bad as some say.

I use mine a min of 4 times a week. Love it. Keep up on it, practice makes perfect on the chem's. In the process of tryin to keep all the chem's balanced you'll start ta figure it out.

What Bucket says. I have had hot tubs for 20 years. I start almost every day in the tub with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. What a great way to start a day.

The chemical thing is not rocket science. use yur test strips and adjust accordingly. I can't imagine not having a hot tub.

Enjoy!