Why Is Calcium Bad For Your Hot Tub and How To Fix It

As the fifth most abundant element on Earth, Calcium is easily found in seawater and is an essential part of our lives, making up parts of our teeth and bones. Just like how our bodies need a right amount of calcium, our hot tubs also require calcium levels to remain balanced. Having a level that is too high or too low will cause problems in your hot tub. Before you learn how to fix it, you should first understand the effects of calcium in hot tubs. The hardness level of your water is determined by how much calcium you have in your hot tub. To be more specific, total hardness or calcium hardness is a measure of the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium. The right range of calcium levels should be between 200-400 PPM. If your hot tub water has too little calcium, it will corrode other minerals such as copper, aluminum, and iron, which will erode the surface of your hot tub. But, if the water has too much calcium, scales will start to form on the surface and the water will become cloudy. You should test for your water’s total hardness every month to prevent unnecessary trouble in the future. Issues arising from calcium issues in hot tubs are rare but can happen occasionally. To determine the calcium level in your hot tub, use test strips. If the total hardness of your hot tub water is too high, you should use strong calcium cleaners to lower the level. The cleaners don’t actually remove calcium from your water, but instead they neutralize the element to prevent it from causing further damage. You can also use a water softener or a mineral protection agent while balancing the water and alkalinity levels of your hot tub. There are also products that don’t affect the hardness level but will prevent against the scaling of your spa equipment. If the total hardness of your hot tub water is too low, you can consider calcium boosters to increase the calcium levels in your water. Once ounce of calcium booster can raise the calcium hardness 7 PPM for every 500 gallons of water. Run the water jets and add in the correct amount of calcium booster. Keep the filter on for 2 hours, and test your water again to see if the calcium level rose up to its suitable place. If you’ve added too much calcium, simply drain 6-12 inches of water, and refill your hot tub. If you have more questions about the hardness level or calcium level of your hot tub water, give us a call or come visit our store at 27 Heritage Road in Markham, Ontario. Controlling calcium and keeping it at the right level is essential in maintaining the health of your hot tub. Seaway Pools & Hot Tubs has many years of experience in pool maintenance and solving calcium-related problems in hot tubs. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 905-294-8030, or on our toll free number 1-888-494-8030, or by email at online@seawaypoolsntubs.com.