It’s a common problem, familiar to every spa or hot tub owner. Maybe you’ve been busy, or out of town, and haven’t checked on your water for a bit. Maybe you or your children have had company over, and the festivities carried everyone into the hot tub. Whatever the case, when you go to open the cover and hop in for your scheduled daily dose of zen, there is it: murk, fog, cloudiness, and maybe even a strange odour! Do you have to postpone your relaxation and wait until tomorrow for your tub to drain, refill, and heat back up?

You’re not alone in this dilemma, and the situation’s not as dire as it might seem at first! Cloudy water is one of the more common visual problems to run into in a spa or hot tub. Causes vary, but the most common culprit is improperly treated and balanced water. 

Low sanitizer levels—that is to say, low chlorine or bromine—may be to blame. When all the active, available sanitizer in water is used up battling organic contaminants, there’s nothing to prevent living bacteria from growing out of control. It may sound like the sort of grossness that requires a drain and a scrub down, but if that’s all it is, you may be looking at a quick and simple fix! 

If your water test tells you your other parameters are all relatively balanced but your sanitizer is low, just ensure you have some pucks in your dispenser, and give your water a shock. Better yet, add some clarifier at the same time as your shock, or buy a two-in-one shock and clarifier product like IPG Zap pouches, or Pure Logic Miracle! Leave the cover off, run your jets for a cycle, and you may find your water is starting to look clearer in just a couple of hours.

Alternatively, a very high pH or alkalinity level may be inhibiting the ability of your sanitizer to effectively do its job. Your filter may also be full of contaminants and need a good cleaning-off so it can get back to doing what it does best, or your rate of water circulation may be too low to get dirt out of the water fast enough. Ensure all your parameters are balanced—your test strips, or a visit to local Leisurescapes location with a sample of your water should do the trick—and consult your owner’s manual or a hot tub technician if you’re unsure how to access your filter for cleaning, or how to increase the rate of water circulation.

Remember: a hot tub is a relaxation device, so don’t panic! Calais Lesiurescapes is here to help you restore your home oasis to crystal clarity!