Soaking in a hot tub is a great way to relax after a long day or a grueling workout for many people. Unfortunately, keeping your hot tub clean and sanitized can sometimes be daunting, especially if you use traditional chemicals that can wreak havoc on your body and hair.
Using a mineral system for your hot tub is a great way to sanitize your water without harsh chemicals such as chlorine and bromine. Treating your hot tub with a mineral system is as simple as using either a dispenser, sticks or even an inline system cartridge.
Wondering how you can keep your hot tub clean and sanitized without harmful chemicals? Let’s look at all of the reasons a mineral water system may be better for you.
What is a Mineral Hot Tub?
A mineral hot tub system is an excellent alternative to harsh chemicals such as chlorine and bromine. This is because a mineral system not only cleans and sanitizes the water in your hot tub but also leaves the water incredibly soft, which is great for your skin.
It is important to remember that while using a mineral system does not eliminate the need for some chlorine or bromine, it does reduce it to a more acceptable level. This means that you will likely not experience any side effects that chlorine can cause, such as respiratory distress.
How Does a Mineral System Work?
A mineral system for a hot tub works the same way that a system treated with chemicals does. This is because you have the choice to use a cartridge, floating dispenser, or even mineral sticks to sanitize your tub.
Depending on the type of system you choose, you will likely need to maintain your hot tub less than you would if you used a traditional chemical method. This is because the mineral system only has to be changed when changing the water in your hot tub.
The mineral system works by releasing mineral ions, copper and silver, which are typically condensed in activated charcoal. These minerals then attack algae buildup or other bacteria that may affect your system.
This process results in cleaner water and is mostly free of the harmful chemicals you would typically use. It also results in water that feels much softer and gentler to your skin and hair.
Advantages of Using a Mineral System Hot Tub
Since keeping your hot tub clean and sanitized should be your number one priority, it is important to understand the various processes that can be used. While the traditional methods are effective, they come with side effects that many people are not okay with.
Check out these advantages of using a mineral system to clean and sanitize your hot tub:
More Affordable
Since you only have to change out the system when you do a complete water change, you spend less on sanitizing products. So even with the small amount of chlorine and bromine you still need to use, it is still less expensive.
Better For Your Body
Chlorine and bromine can be harsh on your skin, hair, and for many, your respiratory system. Mineral systems not only create softer water, but because they use fewer chemicals, they tend to be gentler on your body overall.
Ease of Use
Mineral systems come in three types: floating dispensers, mineral sticks, or inline cartridge dispensers. This means that you will spend less time using this system since you can add it to your hot tub and let it do its work.
Fewer Chemicals
In most cases, when you use chemicals to sanitize your hot tub, you have to use 3-5 parts per million to kill the bacteria that can grow. By using a mineral system, you can reduce that amount to about 1 part per million, which is only a tiny amount.
Disadvantages of Using a Mineral System Hot Tub
Like with most things, with as many advantages of using a mineral system for your hot tub, there are also plenty of disadvantages. No system is perfect for keeping your hot tub 100% safe from bacteria.
Here are some disadvantages of using a mineral system in your hot tub:
Does Not Eliminate the Use of Chemicals
Although minerals are a great alternative to harmful chemicals, they are ineffective at killing off all bacteria. Because of this, you will still need to use chlorine and bromine to assist in the sanitation process.
Can Cause Stains on Your Hot Tub
Because the copper in the mineral system oxidizes with the water, it can result in various stains in and around your hot tub. There are methods of reducing this from happening, but you have to be careful since some ways can limit the effectiveness of the mineral system.
Water Can Have a Green Tinge
As copper oxidizes with the air, the result is water that looks green in color. This can often be confused with a dirty hot tub and can be rather unpleasant to soak in.
How Do You Maintain a Mineral Spa?
Changing from only using chlorine and bromine to a mineral system in your hot tub is relatively easy if you know what you are doing. However, since the idea is to use fewer chemicals, then there are some steps you should take to ensure that the levels are reduced to an acceptable amount.
Before adding the minerals to your hot tub, you will need to drain much, if not all, of the water to get the chemical levels down to a minimum. It is suggested that the chorine levels be reduced until they are only about 0.5 ppm (parts per million) and bromine is about one ppm.
Once your chemical levels are reduced, here are some additional steps you need to take before adding your mineral system:
Test for Water Hardness
Whether you are starting your hot tub from empty or full, you will need to check the hardness of your water. This is to ensure that there are no impurities such as copper. You will need to ensure that this level is less than 250 ppm and then add the appropriate amount of water using a hose filter if it is.
Test for Metals in the Water
In addition to checking for impurities, you will also need to ensure that there are no metals in the water. You should take a sample to your local hot tub shop to have the water tested for this. If metals are present, they can recommend a treatment to help reduce this amount.
Test the pH Levels
Balancing your hot tub’s pH levels is a routine task for hot tub owners and should be done before you switch to mineral systems. You will need to check for alkalinity, pH, and calcium levels to ensure they are at an acceptable level before you make any changes to your tub.
Once all the appropriate tests are completed, you can set up your hot tub with whichever mineral system you choose. This means your hot tub should be ready to make the change whether you have decided to use the sticks, cartridge, or floating dispenser.
After adding your minerals, you can add a small amount of chlorine and bromine to your hot tub. It is important to remember that if you did not drain your tub completely, you might not have to add as much, so be sure to test the amounts first.
Remember that whichever method you choose for your mineral system, you will need to change it every three to four months. This ensures that your hot tub continues to function as usual and is free from bacteria that can grow without treatment.
How to Use Mineral Sanitizers in Your Hot Tub
If you have decided to switch your hot tub to a mineral sanitizing system, you should know that several different methods can be used. But, of course, this will depend entirely on your personal preferences once you have done your research.
Keep reading to learn more about the different types of mineral sanitizers for your hot tub.
Mineral Floating Dispenser
The mineral floating dispenser, like the Frog Serene Floating Sanitizing System (on Amazon), is an easy method to change your hot tub to a mineral sanitizing system. This is because all you have to do is attach the appropriate cartridges and let it do its work.
Here are the steps you need to take to ensure your dispenser is set and ready to go:
- Test the pH levels—if you already did this in one of the steps above, you should be good to go.
- Attach both the mineral and bromine cartridges to the dispenser.
- Set the cartridges to the appropriate levels as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Put the floating dispenser in your hot tub.
Keep in mind that this type of system comes with both a mineral cartridge and a bromine cartridge. This means that you may not have to add bromine to your hot tub ahead of time.
Mineral Sticks for Inline System
Many people prefer to use mineral sticks for their mineral sanitizing system since it is one of the easiest methods. In most cases, like with the Frog Filter Mate (on Amazon), all you have to do is take it out of the package and put it in your hot tub filter.
Mineral sticks typically already come equipped with all the needed minerals, so it takes the guesswork out of figuring this out yourself. Since it is placed directly into your hot tub filter, when the water passes through, it sends the appropriate levels of minerals through to your tub, keeping it sanitized.
Follow these steps when installing your mineral sticks sanitizing system:
- First, test the pH levels—if you did this previously, you are probably good to go.
- Add in the recommended amount of chlorine and bromine.
- Drop your mineral stick inside your hot tub filter.
- Make sure the filter is closed, and you are ready to go!
How Long Do Spa Mineral Sticks Last?
When switching to a mineral sanitizing system, one of the most critical factors is how often you need to change your minerals. This will mostly depend on which system you choose to use.
If you choose the mineral sticks as your preferred method, you should know that these will last between three and four months. This means you can enjoy sanitized water in your hot tub without having to change it for quite some time.
Final Thoughts on How to Treat a Mineral System Hot Tub
The bottom line when treating a mineral system hot tub is that depending on your chosen method; you may not have to do much maintenance along the way. Most systems are set up for you to place and then forget about them for months to come.
