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How to Get the Most Out of Your SmartChlor® Cartridge
Hey there, hot tub aficionado! Now that you’re enjoying the bubbly bliss of your spa, we hope water care is the furthest thing from your mind.
And when you get out of the spa, aren’t you delighted to know you don’t have to think about adding more chlorine or hoping the water stays clean and clear? That’s the beauty of using FROG® @ease®.
While we know you keep tabs on your FROG @ease System, and replace the SmartChlor® Cartridge when needed, we have some tips to help you get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge. Read on and get ready for some savvy advice that’ll make your hot tub experience more carefree than ever!
Tips for Extending Your Smartchlor Cartridge Life
1. Balance Hot Tub Water
Maintaining balanced water is important for a host of reasons including your SmartChlor Cartridge’s effectiveness.
When your water is out of balance, the SmartChlor has to work harder. And that can lead to faster depletion.
Water that’s out of balance, whether it’s Total Alkalinity, pH or Total Hardness, can not only make relaxing in your hot tub water uncomfortable, but can also damage its walls, equipment and other surfaces.
That’s why it’s important to regularly check the water’s Total Alkalinity, pH and Total Hardness and adjust as needed.
Ideal levels are:
- Total Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppm
- pH: 7.2 – 7.6
- Total Hardness: 150 – 250 ppm
Correctly balanced water ensures that the FROG Minerals and SmartChlor work at their best and most efficient.
Use FROG® @ease® Test Strips to monitor the water levels and adjust as needed. Consistency is key. Maintain balanced water, and you’ll get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge.
2. Shower Before Using the Hot Tub
Taking a quick shower before you hop into the hot tub might seem unimportant, but it makes a big difference in keeping your water balanced and getting the most out of the SmartChlor Cartridge.
When you shower, you rinse off oils, lotions, deodorants, and other residues that would otherwise get into your hot tub water. These substances can increase the workload on your SmartChlor Cartridge, causing it to work harder and deplete faster.
When you shower first, getting rid of all the body oils, lotions, sweat, etc., the SmartChlor Cartridge focuses on sanitizing rather than breaking down unnecessary contaminants.
This simple habit can prolong the life of your SmartChlor Cartridge and help maintain clean water for longer periods of time.
It will also reduce the frequency of maintenance tasks including draining and refilling your hot tub. Ultimately, showering before entering the hot tub is easy, it takes only a few minutes and saves time and money in the long run, so you get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge.
3. Rinse Your Swimsuit
Rinse – that means, don’t use soap or detergent. Rinsing swimsuits without detergent is a smart move to keep your hot tub water cleaner and get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge. Laundry detergents leave residues that are released into hot tub water, leading to increased foam and unbalanced water. With soap residue in the water, the SmartChlor Cartridge has to work harder and depletes faster.
This small change in your routine can make a big difference in the longevity of your SmartChlor Cartridge, and help it work more efficiently, so you have a more enjoyable hot tub experience every time.
4. Keep Hair Out of the Water
This is a simple yet effective way to get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge. Hair carries oils, styling products, and other residues that introduce contaminants into the water. These contaminants increase the workload on your SmartChlor Cartridge, making it work harder to maintain clean water.
Put up long hair or use a swim cap, and you’ll keep unnecessary contaminants out of your hot tub water, so the SmartChlor Cartridge doesn’t have extra work, and can focus on killing bacteria and keeping the water cleaner, clearer and more inviting.
Less contaminates in the water also means less foaming and fewer odors, which make for a more pleasant hot tub experience. Plus, when you keep hot tub water in balance, you’ll won’t have to constantly test and adjust your water, and you’ll likely drain and refill it less often, which will save you time and effort.
Keep your hair out of the water and you’ll help the SmartChlor Cartridge work at its best, maintaining clean, clear water, while you simply relax!
5. Keep Contaminants Out
In addition to taking a shower before you use your swim spa and keeping your hair out of the water, keeping food and beverages out helps you get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge.
The same goes for keeping debris like leaves, twigs, grass clippings, dirt or dust out of your hot tub water. All of these things introduce organic matter into the water that affects water balance and increases the workload on your SmartChlor Cartridge. When the SmartChlor Cartridge has to work harder to maintain clean water, its lifespan is significantly reduced. Keeping the hot tub cover on when it’s not in use will keep out leaves and debris.
When it comes to food and beverages – who doesn’t like to enjoy a snack and a drink while you’re soaking in the hot tub? The hot tub water is the one who doesn’t! It’s best for your water quality to enjoy snacks and beverages away from the hot tub.
Keep contaminants out, you’ll help the SmartChlor Cartridge work more efficiently.
6. Use Non-chlorine Shock like FROG Maintain®
To maintain clean water and make the most of the SmartChlor Cartridge, use FROG Maintain® the recommended non-chlorine shock for hot tubs once a month.
FROG Maintain oxidizes organic materials. That means it breaks down sweat, oils, lotions, and other contaminants and maintains clean, crystal clear water.
Use FROG Maintain once a month as a good water maintenance routine. You can also use FROG Maintain after heavy hot tub use to keep your water clean and clear.
FROG Maintain is a non-chlorine shock, so you don’t add any extra chlorine to your water. It’s also cyanuric acid free, which means cyanuric acid won’t build up in your water, creating itchy, smelly, hard-to-manage water.
And it’s easy to use. FROG Maintain comes in a single dose packet – cut it open, pour it in and hot tub water is clean and clear in 15 minutes. Keep a supply on hand, you’ll find maintaining clean, clear hot tub water is easy. Plus, that means no extra work on the SmartChlor Cartridge!
7. Regular Cleaning Routines
Put yourself on a regular cleaning routine and you’ll make the most of your SmartChlor Cartridge. Consistent maintenance that includes wiping down all surfaces, and regularly testing and keeping the water balanced.
Routine cleaning also includes the hot tub’s filter. A clogged filter can’t do its job; it can’t filter out contaminants and it impedes water circulation, both of which make the SmartChlor Cartridge work harder. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for routine cleaning – and keep a new filter on hand. That way, you won’t miss a minute in your hot tub, and you’ll be prepared in case you discover the filter is worn, torn or unusable.
These tips will help you get the most out of the SmartChlor Cartridge:
- Routinely wipe down all the hot tub’s surfaces, including the rails and pillows
- Keep the cover clean, inside and out
- Pay special attention to where the cover meets the hot tub surface – that’s a wet, warm environment that invites mold and mildew – wipe it away and keep it clean
- Wipe down any accessories used in the hot tub
8. When to Replace Your SmartChlor Cartridge
The SmartChlor Cartridge is designed to last up to 3-4 weeks, depending upon your hot tub size and use. One of the great benefits of FROG @ease is that it flips upside down when the SmartChlor Cartridge needs to be replaced – what an easy reminder!
Use FROG @ease Test Strips to check the SmartChlor levels. When the top tab on the Strip is lighter than the Out Indicator on the bottle, it’s time to replace the SmartChlor Cartridge.
When it’s time to replace the SmartChlor Cartridge, do it right away to keep your hot tub water clean and clear. Stay proactive with replacements and you’ll avoid potential water quality issues and get the most out of the life of your entire hot tub system.
Maximizing Your SmartChlor Cartridge Lifespan
There you have it – make these simple tips part of your hot tub maintenance routine and you’ll get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge.
FROG @ease makes hot tub water care easy – so you can spend your time relaxing in your hot tub, not working on — your water.
*Compared to the minimum ANSI recommended chlorine level of 2.0 ppm for a hot tub.
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FROG products can be purchased from local dealers in your area. Over the past 20 years, we have built a strong nation-wide network of dealers that carry our products and can service your needs. For this reason we do not sell our products on-line or directly to the pool or spa owner.