Did you ever know that you can quickly check the free chlorine level and pH of any public swimming pool or the hot tubs before you go into the water? How can you do that? It is done by using over-the-counter pool test strips. Hot tubs and pools that have good disinfectant and pH control are a lot less likely to be a cause of spreading germs. That is why it is essential to know that any pool or hot tub you have is well maintained.
Many superstores, pool supply stores, etc., sell hot tub test strips, and you may get them to see the chlorine and ph level of your tub.
How can you use hot tub test strips?
The first thing you need to be concerned about is that you follow all of the manufacturer’s recommendations when using and storing pool test strips for spa and pool chlorine testing.
Be very sure to see the expiration date over the packaging before you buy them. Testing these hot tub test strips before getting into the pool may help you learn how to use and read them properly.
If you are testing water at home, you are going to need:
- 3 containers
- 13 cups of regular tap water
- 3 drops of liquid chlorine bleach
Let tap to run for 2 minutes:
- Fill container 1 with 1 cup of water
- Fill containers 2 and 3 with around 6 cups of water each
- Add a drop of liquid chlorine bleach to container 2
- Add 2 drops of liquid chlorine bleach to 3rd container
- Test every container of water using the strips and the instructions by the manufacturer
- Read the test strips to compare the amount of chlorine in the water
Why should you use hot tub test strips?
Testing your hot tub water is very important. The main reason that we try our hot tub water is to see the chemical balance and also determine if the properties are too acidic or too alkaline. The main aim is to keep both the alkaline and acidic at a very even and safe level. After we analyze the test strip, whatever properties are for your concern, we can then balance off with the use of chemicals.
Using hot tub test strips in your hot tub is the ideal way to understand and analyze the whole chemistry of your water. Maintaining water chemistry ensures you get maximum enjoyment and chemical effectiveness, but it also helps reduce bacteria.
That is why it is essential to understand why we should use hot tub test strips and function.
Pool test strips are the most straightforward processes for testing the chemical balance of your hot tub. Using a little instruction and practice, anyone may quickly learn how to use the test trips for checking their hot tub water.
The testing process:
The process of using pool test strips the test the chemical level in your hot tub is very simple. However, for basic chemical sanitisers such as bromine and chlorine, you must plan to check your levels one time a week.
Using any sanitiser or chemical you use, you must go through all of the instructions and warnings on the bottle to completely understand how the chemical works and maintain it the best. And also, testing strips instructions may be different in steps; hence make sure you read all of the instructions very carefully.
That being said, the basic process to prepare the hot tub you have, along with how testing strips work, must be the same:
- Begin by allowing your spa water to circulate by using the bubbling systems or jets for 1 or 2 minutes. Once you think your water is circulated, use any clean bucket to take a water sample.
- Use your pool test strips by dipping the test pad in the water and let it sit in water for around 15 seconds. Be careful about where you are placing the fingers so you do not contaminate the test pad.
- Remove the strip from the bucket and then shake off any excess water there is on the strip.
- The strip pad will now change color. Compare this color to the bottles testing chart.
- The testing chart on your water hardness test kit will help you fully understand the chemical level of your water. For example, you will know if it is too acidic or alkaline.
- Once you have determined the chemical level of your water, you may adjust it using the right chemicals
When adjusted, we recommend you let your chemicals calibrate for an hour. It is best to wait overnight before using your hot tub when adding new chemicals to the water. It is okay if the chemical balance in your hot tub isn’t perfect.
Bacteria tend to grow after a long term of ignorance. If you are checking the water level once a week and are doing your best to adjust it accordingly, you may free your worry of having severe health issues with your hot tub.
Pros of using a water hardness test kit?
One of the biggest pros of using hot test strips is how easy they are to use. In only 15 seconds, you will check what needs to be done with the pool water to get back to normal. You won’t have to be worried about measuring reagents or taking your water sample to a local spa dealer. Test strips are ideal for DIY geeks.
Test strips are very cheap as well. You may get a pack of 0 for around $10. But just because they are very affordable doesn’t mean they can be inaccurate. Although they may not be very accurate as of the tests, your spa dealer will carry out most people think their results are more precise than liquid testing kits.
Cons of water test strips:
Although considered entirely accurate, hot tub test strips may be unstable if not stored properly. Exposure to moisture or prolonged periods of sunlight may render them useless. They also come with an expiry date.
For this reason, it mostly doesn’t make any sense to stock up if they ever go on sale. And because hot tub test strips need the user to compare the colors on a ribbon to a chart of all colors on the packaging, a few subjective calculations occur. If the lighting conditions are not excellent or the tester is color blind, you may have inaccurate results.
The best hot tub test strips:
These BOSIKE 7 in 1 Pool Test Strips are the ideal ones to check chlorine levels in your hot tub water. These 4.5 star rated test strips are fast and give accurate results. You only have to dip a strip in water for 2 seconds and then remove it.
Hold the strip horizontally for around 30 seconds. Compare using the color charts and then ad in 30 seconds. These strips have broad applications for swimming pools, baths, spas, and hot tubs. For example, researchers show that you must test your pool and spa twice a week so that you may monitor your water quality at regular intervals.
These strips give you very high precision results as they are made of high-quality fibre paper and have no color bleeding pad, which offers instant and reliable results. In addition, these are very affordable 7 in 1 pool testing kit strips.
The essentials include total hardness, free chlorine, total chlorine, bromine, cyanuric acid, pH levels, total alkalinity. Each strip will test all results that are easy to read. In addition, these spa test strips effectively extend shelf life as they are packed in a well-sealed bottle to ensure the strips store for around 2 years.
Is it easy to maintain a hot tub?
Before you buy the hot tub, you require to know how much time to spend cleaning and maintaining a hot tub. Many people know that using bacteria-killing sanitisers such as bromine and chlorine is essential in their hot tub. But something that may not be mentioned so much is Ph. So you have to understand what pH is to keep your tub.
To keep the pH balanced, we have to test the pH in the hot tub water. There are many ways to do so that include:
- Hot tub test strips
- Mini pool spa testers
- AquaChek TruTest digital test kit
- Electronic tester
- Get a professional to have your tub checked
These are a few ways you can check the chemical composition of your hot tub water, but the ideal and easiest way is to use hot tub test strips.
