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How to Get the Most Out of Your SmartChlor® Cartridge
Hey there, swim spa aficionado! Now that you have your own private exercise and destress spa, you may wonder, “How long does this little marvel last, and how can I get the most out of it?” Well, you’re in the right place.
FROG® @ease® Sanitizing System for Swim Spas works with two Cartridges: The blue Mineral Cartridge lasts 4 months. And the translucent silver SmartChlor Cartridge lasts up to 3-4 weeks, depending upon your swim spa size and use.
Here are some tips that’ll maximize the life of your SmartChlor Cartridge, so you can keep enjoying your exhilarating workouts and steamy soaks without a hitch.
Tips to Extend Your SmartChlor Cartridge Life
1. Balance Swim Spa Water
Water that’s out of balance, whether it’s pH, Total Alkalinity or Total Hardness, can not only make relaxing or swimming in the swim spa uncomfortable but can also permanently damage the walls, equipment and other surfaces around your swim spa.
Plus, it can lead to faster depletion of the SmartChlor Cartridge, which simply put, is a waste of SmartChlor.
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 function optimally and efficiently. Use FROG® @ease® Test Strips to monitor the water chemistry and adjust as needed. Consistency is key. Maintain balanced water, and you’ll get the most out of your SmartChlor Cartridge; it will last longer and work efficiently.
2. Shower Before Using the Swim Spa
A quick shower before you hop into the swim spa 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 swim spa water. These substances 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., you allow the SmartChlor Cartridge to focus on killing bacteria rather than breaking down unnecessary contaminants. This simple habit can prolong the life of your SmartChlor Cartridge, help maintain balanced water and help keep it clean for longer periods of time.
It will also reduce the frequency of water changes and maintenance tasks, like adjusting water balance. Ultimately, showering before entering the swim spa is easy, 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 help keep your swim spa water cleaner and help your SmartChlor Cartridge last longer.
Laundry detergents leave residues that are released into the swim spa water, leading to increased foam and chemical imbalances. These residues can burden your SmartChlor Cartridge. With soap residue in the water, the SmartChlor Cartridge has to work harder and depletes faster.
This small change in your routine can significantly impact the Cartridge’s longevity, helping it perform efficiently and consistently so you have a more enjoyable swim spa experience every time.
4. Keep Hair Out of the Water
This is a simple yet effective way to extend the SmartChlor Cartridge’s life. 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 long hair in a clip or ponytail or wear a swim cap, and you’ll keep unnecessary contaminants out of the swim spa water, so the SmartChlor Cartridge doesn’t have extra work. It can focus on killing bacteria and keeping cleaner, clearer and more inviting water.
Less contamination also means less foaming and fewer odors, which make for a more pleasant overall swim spa experience. Additionally, when you maintain clean, swim spa water and keep in in balance, you’ll reduce the frequency of maintenance and water changes, which saves you time and effort.
Keep your hair out of the water and you’ll help the SmartChlor Cartridge last longer, and enjoy spending more time in your swim spa, than working on it.
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 prolong the life of your SmartChlor Cartridge.
The same goes for keeping leaves and other debris out of swim spa water. All of these things introduce organic matter that affects water balance and increases the SmartChlor Cartridge workload. When the SmartChlor Cartridge has to work harder to maintain clean water, its lifespan is significantly reduced.
Good practices include enjoying snacks and beverages away from the swim spa and keeping the cover on the swim spa when it’s not in use.
Keep contaminants out and you’ll help the SmartChlor Cartridge work more efficiently. And once again, that means less maintenance, fewer water changes and a better swim spa experience for you.
6. Use Non-chlorine Shock like FROG Maintain®
You can get an additional week or so from your SmartChlor Cartridge when you add a packet of FROG Maintain® for Swim Spas.
When you notice the FROG @ease for Swim Spa tilted over in the water at about ¾, it’s time to add FROG Maintain. This nonchlorine shock removes contaminants in the water in as little as 15 minutes. It doesn’t contain chlorine, so no Cyanuric Acid buildup causes hard-to-manage, irritating water and frequent draining and refilling.
Use FROG Maintain for Swim Spas once a month to maintain clean water and extend the SmartChlor Cartridge’s life.
FROG Maintain for Swim Spas effectively oxidizes organic contaminants, like sweat, body oils and lotions.
It’s also simple to use — cut open the packet, pour it into the swim spa and the water is ready for action in 15 minutes.
Make it a regular part of your routine to keep your swim spa water clean and get maximum enjoyment with minimal maintenance efforts.
7. Regular Cleaning Routines
Put yourself on a regular cleaning routine and you’ll prolong your SmartChlor Cartridge’s life. Consistent maintenance helps prevent dirt, oils and other contaminant buildup that can cause your SmartChlor Cartridge to work overtime.
Routine cleaning includes the swim spa’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 swim spa, and you’ll be prepared in case you discover the filter is worn, torn or unusable.
A couple of other tips will help you get the most out of the SmartChlor Cartridge:
- Routinely wipe down all the swim spa’s surfaces.
- Keep the cover clean, inside and out
- Pay special attention to where the cover meets the swim spa surface – that’s a wet, warm environment that invites mold and mildew – wipe it away and keep it clean
- Wipe down any floaties or accessories, including swim caps or goggles used in the swim spa
As always, regularly test and balance your swim spa water to keep Total Alkalinity, pH and Total Hardness levels in the ideal range. By staying on top of these tasks, you help your SmartChlor Cartridge maintain optimal performance and enjoy consistently clean and inviting water.
8. When to Replace Your SmartChlor Cartridge
The SmartChlor Cartridge is designed to last 3-4 weeks, depending upon your swim spa’s size and use. One of the great benefits of FROG @ease for Swim Spas is that it flips upside down when the SmartChlor Cartridge needs to be replaced—what an easy reminder!
When you see it tilting at about ¾ over in the water, add a packet for FROG Maintain for Swim Spas. That will extend the life of the SmartChlor Cartridge.
When it flips upside down, remove it, test the water with the FROG @ease Test Strip, and if the tab on the Test Strip is lighter than the Out Indicator on the bottle, it’s time for a new SmartChlor Cartridge.
It’s important to replace an empty SmartChlor Cartridge promptly to keep your swim spa water clean. It’s far easier, less expensive, and less time-consuming to maintain clean swim spa water than to fix a problem. Staying proactive with SmartChlor replacements helps you avoid potential water quality issues and extends the life of your entire swim spa system.
Maximizing Your SmarChlor Cartridge Lifespan
There you have it — incorporate these simple tips into your swim spa maintenance routine, you’ll significantly extend the life of your SmartChlor Cartridge.
FROG @ease makes swim spa 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.