Did you just drain your hot tub?
Or are you starting it up for the first time?
You’re in the right place!
Follow our essential start-up steps so you can relax with confidence:
Filling Your Hot Tub for the First Time?
If you’re filling a new hot tub for the first time, we suggest purging it first. All hot tubs are water-tested before they leave the shop (thank goodness, you don’t want to find your new hot tub has a leak). However, after it’s drained, some trapped water remains that can overtime cause biofilm to form. Purging before use helps set you up for success.
Draining and Refilling?
If you’re thinking about draining and refilling your hot tub, or in the process of it, you might also want to purge your swim spa!
How to Start a Hot Tub
Once your hot tub is drained, it’s ready to start the start-up process.
Step 1: Clean and Drain
The first step of start-up is to clean the hot tub surfaces. It’s crucial to clean all surfaces as bacteria left behind could easily get into the water.
Clean the shell (the actual tub or the hard surfaces of your hot tub) and the cover. Be sure to clean the pillows, rails and inside the jets — every surface matters.
Bacteria will cling to any possible surface, and the surfaces hardest to reach – underneath the curve of the rail, for example – are prime spots for bacteria!
Then, rinse the surfaces thoroughly to prevent any unwanted foam in your hot tub later.
Expert advice: Use a non-abrasive cleaning solution with a FROG® Scrub Pad to keep your shell safe from scratches! It’s powerful and strong enough to tackle tough grime, but gentle enough not to damage your hot tub!
Step 2: Filter Care – Clean or Replace
The filtration systems in hot tubs help keep water clean and clear by removing debris.
Clean or replace filters regularly to ensure efficient water circulation. This helps maintain the quality of water in your hot tub.
Step 3: Fill It
Before you fill your freshly cleaned hot tub with water, it’s a great idea to take a sample of the fill water you plan to use to your local retailer to check for Total Hardness. If it tests higher than 250 ppm, here’s 2 solutions:
- Put a hose filter on the hose you use to fill the hot tub and then fill it.
- Fill the hot tub with water as is and then add descalers or metal-out products to help bring that Total Hardness down.
When you fill your hot tub, ensure the water level is above the jets but below the skimmer.
Be cautious not to overfill, as the water level will rise when people get into the tub!
Step 4: Turn Up the Heat
We recommend you set the water temperature between 100◦F – 102◦F – you can always adjust this based on your personal preference.
Heating times vary, but it typically takes a few hours to reach your desired soaking temperature.
Most hot tubs won’t heat water over 104◦ F; at that temperature, your body will overheat quickly – it’s best to avoid health issues associated with overheating your body.
Step 5: Balance the Water
This is the most important step of hot tub start-up, for several reasons:
Water that’s out of balance, whether it’s Total Alkalinity, pH or Total Hardness, can not only make relaxing in the hot tub uncomfortable, but can also permanently damage the walls, equipment and other surfaces around your hot tub.
Balanced water is the key to proper sanitization. When your water isn’t balanced, it’s hard on equipment and causes corrosion and scaling! If you keep your water balanced, your hot tub will not only be cleaner, but it will also protect your investment.
Expert Advice: Always balance in this order: 1. Total Alkalinity 2. pH 3. Total Hardness. Stick to this order and the process will be much smoother and easier.
Ideal Water Balance Levels
- Total Alkalinity 80 – 120 ppm
Starting with Total Alkalinity first will make it simpler to balance the pH. If your Total Alkalinity tests low, add a Total Alkalinity increaser or TA Up.
If your Total Alkalinity tests high, add the same product that lowers pH – it’s usually called pH Decreaser or pH Down.
- pH 7.2 – 7.6
Proceed to pH only when Total Alkalinity is between 80 – 120 ppm. pH is important to maintain clean, clear water that doesn’t attack surfaces or irritate skin.
If your pH tests low, add a pH Increaser or a pH Up product. If your pH tests high, add a pH Decreaser or pH Down product.
- Total Hardness 150 – 250 ppm
(Total Hardness is also known as Calcium Hardness or Water Hardness, we use the term Total Hardness.) Proceed to Total Hardness only when pH is between 7.2 – 7.6.
Even though you checked your fill water’s Total Hardness earlier, it is important to check Total Hardness again to prevent corrosion of your hot tub’s surfaces. If your Total Hardness tests low, add a Calcium Increaser.
Try the FROG® Balancing Basics™ Kit
Everything you need for easy, accurate water balancing in one convenient kit. It includes five essential hot tub and swim spa balancing chemicals, plus the FROG TruDose Cap™ with built-in measurements for precise dosing every time!
Additional Water Balancing Tips:
- When adding adjustment chemicals, add them in small increments and follow label directions carefully
- Wait 6 hours between adjustments so your adjustment chemical has enough time to do its job
- If balancing your hot tub takes longer than 2 days, add a chlorine shock to maintain sanitizer levels
- Maintaining water balance is an ongoing process. You must regularly test the water and adjust the chemical levels accordingly
When Total Alkalinity is between 80 – 120 ppm, pH is between 7.2 – 7.6 and Total Hardness is between 150 – 250 ppm, your water is balanced and you’re ready to add your choice of sanitizer.
We recommend FROG® @ease®, the complete hot tub sanitizing system that lets you experience Fresh Mineral Water®∞ every time you soak. By combining patented FROG Sanitizing Minerals® with SmartChlor® Technology, FROG @ease creates water that’s Cleaner, Clearer and Softer® while using up to 75% less chlorine* than traditional hot tub sanitizers.
The result is a more enjoyable soaking experience with water that’s gentler on skin, hair, swimsuits and hot tub surfaces — without the harsh over-chlorinated feel or smell. Plus, SmartChlor® self-regulates to maintain a consistent, low chlorine level, so you spend less time testing and adjusting your water and more time relaxing.
It’s everything you want from hot tub water: Cleaner, Clearer, Softer® and easier to care for, so every soak feels as refreshing as it should.
Want more water balancing tips? Check out our Water Balancing Guide for Hot Tubs!
Step 6: Time to Enjoy, Without Worry!
It’s now time to indulge in the relaxation you signed up for!
To ensure all cares and worries are left behind, keep these hot tub safety tips in mind:
Hot Tub Safety Tips:
- Limit your soaking time to 15-30 minutes per session to prevent overheating
- Ensure you’re hydrated and maintain hydration while soaking by drinking enough water daily
- Never leave children unattended in the hot tub
- Avoid using the hot tub if you have medical conditions that could be exacerbated by heat
The Start-up Wrap-Up
Proper hot tub start-up improves the overall experience and cleanliness of your hot tub. Thanks to this guide, you can successfully start-up your hot tub and create a special space that promotes relaxation, rejuvenation and memories! Enjoy!
