So, you’ve been relishing your new spa pool for a couple of weeks now, you may be starting to ask yourself; when do I change the water? I’m glad you asked because keeping on top of your water care regime will only keep you safe as long your spa chemicals and sanitisers can do their job. This is why it’s important to understand the frequency at which your spa pool water requires changing, on top of consistent sanitisation. In this article, we’ll take a look at why your water needs to be changed at all, and how to determine how often this change needs to occur.
TDS – Total Dissolved Solids
Every time someone enters your spa pool they are leaving behind contaminants, no matter how clean they believe they may be. Substances like make-up, deodorant, sunscreen, perfume, shampoo, sweat, not to mention the other bodily fluids. All of the chemicals that have been dissolved in your spa pool water since your last water change will also contribute to the TDS in your water. These contaminants combine to create what we refer to as total dissolved solids. They’re inevitable, which is why we need to stay on top of them.
Your thought process is probably heading somewhere towards chlorine, and you’d be on the right track. Unfortunately, no amount of chlorine will completely rid your spa pool of its TDS, and after a while, the TDS will build up to a point where it will actually prevent the water from mixing with your sanitiser. Once, you’ve reached this point your spa pool water will soon turn into a scaly, swamp-like environment – not ideal. If you find yourself in this predicament, it’s time to change the water.
General Rule
Regardless of your spa pool’s size and bather load, we recommend users should change the water every 3 months, at the least.
From here, we can start factoring in your spa pool’s particular circumstances, like size and bather load to get even more specific and accurate. If you have a smaller spa pool (3-4 people) you have less water circulating, and therefore it can become contaminated and problematic sooner than a larger body of water. This means you should completely change the water more frequently.
Likewise, if you believe that your spa has a particularly high bather load (e.g. four people using the spa daily) you will want to increase the frequency of a complete water change.
Need to Know – Water Volume
A great place to start is learning how much water your spa pool holds, as generally, smaller bodies of water will need to be changed more frequently. If you’re unsure, you can check your spa pool’s guide, or use our guide below.
- 2-seater spa pool generally holds approximately 650 litres of water
- 4-seater spa pool = approximately 1250 litres.
- 7-8-seater spa pool = between 1800 and 2300 litres.
Need to Know – Bather Load
This is a fancy term for how many people use your spa pool, and how often they’re doing so. In order to calculate your required water change frequency, you need to gain a general idea of your spa pool’s bather load. Exact numbers are not essential, just a general idea. The easiest way to remember is; the higher my bather load, the more often I need to change my water.
We understand keeping on top of your water care is one of the less glamorous facets of spa pool ownership. However, it’s nothing in comparison to the inconvenience you will experience after inviting your friends over for a pool party to open your spa and find murky, scaly water full of god-knows-what. This is why we implore you to regularly test, treat and replace your spa pool’s water.
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Spa Pool Water Care Tips
Having a good understanding of how to look after your spa water will ensure you can enjoy its benefits as often as you like, while also helping to maintain the product’s longevity.
Cleaning Your Spa Pool Filters
Filters are essentially the kidneys of your spa pool, they clean all the liquid passing through them, making it safe and inviting for you to bathe in. These filters are very busy, breaking down and trapping any nasty contaminants or bacteria that enter your spa pool water.
Draining and Refilling Your Spa
Giving your spa pool’s shell a good clean before you refill it with fresh water is an excellent chance to rid the area of bacterial residue that may be clinging to the walls.
