summer swim spa care

Summer Fun: Swim Spa Water Care Tips

There is no better time to enjoy your backyard than in the summer. The weather is warm, the days are long, and friends and family are excited to spend time together. They drop by for an afternoon of fun and relaxation or to splash around in the swim spa. But as you chill out on the deck with your favorite beverage, you can’t ignore a nagging feeling.

Does all this fun come at a cost? The more time you enjoy in the swim spa, the more time you have to spend taking care of it, you think. 

Yes, summer can change how you take care of your Master Spas swim spa. The warmer temperature and increased usage might affect the quality of your water.

But swim spa care does not have to take the fun out of the season. In a recent Facebook live event, Master Spas’ swim spa specialists share their tips for summer swim spa maintenance. 

summer spa chemicals
The key to managing your swim spa chemicals is to start with clean water. You can find a chemical schedule in your owner’s manual.

Start with Good Water Care

Starting off with good, clean water is the key to enjoying your swim spa throughout the summer and year-round. 

But your swim spa chemical routine does not have to be complicated. In fact, it shouldn’t be, Ben says in the summer spa care Q&A.

He suggests a two-step process: monitor the clarity of your water and add sanitizer after each session in the swim spa. 

When it comes to the clarity, look at the water from above. You want to make sure that the area above the water returns is crystal clear. If you have SoftTread, make sure that you can easily see the “M” logo on the steps. 

Master Spas recommends using di-chlor granules in your swim spa to keep the water clean. Generally known as a sanitizer, di-chlor is the type of chlorine that works best with the EcoPur filtration system.

If you want to take your summer swim spa water care a step further, you can change your filtration cycles. The longer your filtration cycles, the easier it will be to maintain your water.

The manufacturer default is two cycles, each two hours. To improve your water quality, change the filter cycles to six hours each. 

If your swim spa has the QuietFlo circulation pump, you do not need to change your filter cycles as it runs 24 hours a day. The circulation pump does keep your water evenly heated, which might make it more difficult to keep cool.

summer party swim spa
If you want to host a backyard summer party, there are a few things your guests can do to avoid swim spa water care problems. The most important tip? Avoid sunscreen in the water!

Hosting a Summer Party 

The guests have been invited, and the menu is set. You have cut the grass and trimmed the trees. You even have the perfect summer playlist.

Before the guests arrive, though, you want to make sure that the water of your swim spa is clear and clean. 

What do you need to do? The truth might surprise you. Beyond your regular water care, you don’t need to do anything special. 

It’s only after the guests leave that you should focus on adjusting your swim spa chemical routine. 

Depending on how many people were in the spa, you might need to add extra sanitizer. Use a 1-ounce scoop — like the kind you might find in protein powder — and add it to the water with the jets on. While you might have to add more, it’s best to do it gradually so as not to over chlorinate the water.

Did your guests wear sunscreen in the swim spa? If the answer is yes, you will need to go on the defense to prevent water problems. The oil in the sunscreen will clog your swim spa filters and prevent them from doing their job. 

The best course of action is to have two sets of filters. Take one set out, and put the other filters in. Soak the filters in a filter cleaner overnight or even for a couple days. Rinse thoroughly and allow them to dry. 

When you go to rinse your filters again (every week, per Master Spas guidelines), you’ll have a clean set ready to go. 

cool down spa water
How do you keep your swim spa water from getting too hot? You can vent the cover or leave it open when it’s cooler. You can also use your garden hose, with pre-filter attached, to top off the spa. The water from the hose will help cool down your water.

In Hot Water: Can You Cool a Swim Spa?

It’s one of those hot days. The temperature is nearing triple digits, and the sun’s rays feel like they are on steroids. A refreshing dip in the swim spa seems like the best way to escape the heat. 

But when you take the cover off, you find that the water is not at the refreshing temperature you had wanted. There has to be a way you can cool down the water of a swim spa … right?

Master Spas swim spas are built to meet the most stringent energy standards and are very well-insulated. It’s a feature that you appreciate in the winter, when the water remains a comfortable temperature.

In the summer, though, the water might not cool down — even when you set it to a lower temperature. 

But don’t worry. You’re not destined to soak in a spa that feels like bath water. 

To prevent getting in hot water (see what we did there?), you can follow the guidelines in your owner’s manual to prevent heat creep. 

First, vent your cover by placing a folded cloth under the corners of your hot tub cover. No worries — you will still be able to close and lock down the cover. Alternately, you can leave your cover open at night as this will quickly cool the water. However, you should not do this overnight or if you live in a wooded area where a lot of leaves and debris could fall in.

Another option is to temporarily leave the air controls open during cooler times of the day or night. 

What happens, though, if the warm water is a surprise? Some Master Spas owners have been known to keep gallon jugs of water frozen, putting them in the swim spa. Effectively, you are putting the water on ice.

A plan that does not rely on filling your freezer with jugs is to top off the swim spa with water from the hose. The water from your house will likely be enough to cool down the spa. Remember: You should still use a prefilter when you do this.