Here’s How To Use Hot Tub Chlorine Tablets

Chlorine comes in different forms for different purposes. Therefore, it is not safe to use chlorine meant for a swimming pool in your hot tub. Luckily, you can quickly tell the difference between the two by the nature form they are sold. A majority of swimming pool chlorine is in liquid form, popularly called sodium hypochlorite.

Can I just Use Chlorine Tablets in my Hot Tub?

However, trichlor tablets are chlorine tablets meant for the pool as well, but they are not recommended for your tub. The tablets take longer to dissolve and can do significant damage to your tub’s acrylic shell or leave a permanent ring around the tub’s waterline. Chlorine tablets made of calcium hypochlorite are also a no-go for hot tub’s use. It doesn’t respond well to heat and can cause pH imbalance.

If you are going to choose chlorine tablets for your hot tub treatment, opt for sodium chlorine or di-chlor. The latter is the most recommended, although it could be a bit pricier than other options. However, you will have to keep testing your chlorine levels frequently since di-chlor does not come in the form of sanitizer cartridges or time-release tablets. Granulated chlorine is also a great option.

Chlorine tablets for your tub come in either 1-inch or 3-inch tablets. The former is easier to use and regulate, while the latter will require that you get a floating dispenser.

How Often do you Put Chlorine Tablets in a Hot Tub?

This depends on how big your tub is and also what tablets sizes you use. A 20g chlorine tablet will take between three to seven days to dissolve if the water flow and temperatures remain favorable. This means you can put such tablets every three or seven days.

However, if you use a di-chlor that does not come with time-release tablets, you will need to keep a constant eye on your tub by testing pH levels. This will then help you come up with an ideal interval between which you could use it. To be safe, always test your chlorine and pH levels before you decide to add another chlorine tablet.

How do you Put Chlorine in a Hot Tub?

Since chlorine tablets for hot tubs dissolve slowly, you do not want to toss them in and go on with your business. It would help if you created an ample environment to allow an even flow of the dissolved chlorine. To achieve this, use an in-line chlorine feeder or a chlorine dispenser. Skimmer baskets serve the same purpose in multiple situations.

The dispenser or skimmer basket helps create a stable flow, preventing the chlorine’s direct contact with the tub’s surface. They also prevent direct skin contact with the tub’s users.

How Many Chlorine Tablets Should you Use?

For ideally large hot tubs, three to five tablets will be enough. The smaller hot tubs will only need one or two tablets. Although this is an average answer, you will often need to check your tub’s pH and chlorine levels before you decide to toss in another tablet.

How often and how many tablets you use will depend on the size of the tablet you bought. 1-inch tablets are more common and recommended, especially for small tubs. If you only find the 3-inch tablets in the market, you will use less than the amount for 1-inch options.

What Happens if you Put too much Chlorine in a Hot Tub?

Since chlorine is not the most recommended hot tub sanitizer, having too much of it is even worse. You only need enough, and so you need to be careful of how much you use. Excess use of chlorine could damage your tub.

It can discolor the tub’s floor and lower pH levels, thus increasing the tub’s acidity. The acidic liquid is corrosive to your pumps and pipes, and the damages could be so severe that you will have to replace them entirely. The water can also damage your skin and swimming costume.

High chlorine is a possible trigger for health issues, especially for people with asthma and other lung problems. The only way to be sure that you are not risking these issues is by continually testing your hot tub.

How Many Chlorine Tablets can I Take a Week?

Given that different hot tubs come in different sizes, you will need to take chlorine tablets appropriate to your tub’s size. For an 800L or a 4-person hot tub, two tablets should do per week. If yours is a 1000L tub or 6-person capacity, three tablets will work right. A floating dispenser will help even out the process, so you are not using chlorine in excess.

How Long do Chlorine Tablets Last?

A 1-inch chlorine tablet with a 20g capacity will take three to seven days to dissolve in your hot tub completely. However, this will depend on the tub’s temperature and climatic pressure levels. Using two tablets for an 800L hot tub will take seven days before you need to add the tablets again. For a 1000L tub, you will need at least three tablets for them to last up to seven days.

How Many 1-inch Chlorine Tablets Should I Take?

Although the 20g 1-inch chlorine tablet is the smallest you will find in the market today, you do not need as much as you might think. For a relatively small private hot tub, one or two tablets weekly will work alright. Else, you can do two or three. However, you need to understand your tub before you decide how many chlorine tablets you will take. This makes sure you are not doing too much or too little just because someone else’s tub uses the same amount. Therefore, always test and observe how your tub responds, at least twice or thrice before you reach a conclusion.

What can I Use in my Hot Tub Instead of Chlorine?

Chlorine is quite popular among both the hot tub and swimming pool users. However, it is not the only sanitizer you could use. Bromine is an ideal alternative, and many people actually consider it a better choice than chlorine.

Although bromine and chlorine almost belong to the same chemical family, bromine is less reactive, gentler on the skin, and works better with a hot tub’s high temperature. You can get bromine in tablet or granule forms, although it is a bit pricier than chlorine. When you shock your tub’s water, bromine re-generates, unlike chlorine, which means you will need fewer amounts.

If neither bromine nor chlorine is reachable at the moment, you could try salt systems. These systems are fixed into your hot tub with sodium chloride to produce the chlorine you need automatically. For starters, the freshwater salt systems should be an ideal option. The best part about using salt systems is that you do not need to balance your pH levels often with as many chemicals as you would have used otherwise.

Non-chemical systems such as Aquablanc are other options if you are within an area that gives you access to the likes. However, be careful not to blend different systems at once, which might cause more harm than good. For example, you have to choose between bromine and chlorine and not use the two at once. If you want to change from one option to another, empty your hot tub, wash it, and refill using your selected option.