Frequently Asked Questions

Although the roots of these names are all different, they mean the same thing. The “hot tub” was originally a wooden barrel sawn in half and filled with hot water to warm people in northern climes during winter.

Then in 1956 an idea was born — why not treat a family member’s arthritis with jetted warm water using a hydrotherapy pump? The Jacuzzi® brothers invented a pump that hung on the side of a bathtub, and the jacuzzi business was born.

Later the word “spa” was coined, relating the hot tub/jacuzzi to a thermal spring using the Roman word “spa”. To clarify and save space, we’ll only use the term spa from here on.

Many of our customers are first-time spa buyers with no experience in this field. You might be surfing the web seeing what seem to be identical spas (same size, same number of pumps and jets) at very different prices.

If you were looking for a car — something you have experience with — you’d be suspicious of a vehicle claiming to be the same as a Volkswagen Golf at half the price. Like most things that seem too good to be true, this is often the case — especially with spas.

To help, we’ve written a Buyer’s Guide. It’s not slanted to our products: we discuss every configuration and component so you have a basic knowledge of what the salesman is talking about, and a better idea of what you actually want. Most salespeople work on commission and will try to sell you a higher-priced spa, so it pays to know what you want — and what you don’t.

Start with how many people you want to use the spa at one time, and roughly how big you want it. You may have space restrictions or want the biggest spa you can get. Then move to shape: round, square, rectangular, triangular, heart-shaped — many shapes exist.

Within those shapes there are three basic styles by seat layout:

1. Standard spa: one lounger plus 2 to 5 seats.
2. No loungers: only seats.
3. Several loungers.

These divide into two types: view spas (everyone faces the same direction — e.g. AquaClear Lakeview, Balcony) and conversational spas (everyone faces each other, like sitting around a table — e.g. AquaClear Family, Sunbelt Luna).

Then ask: how many bells and whistles? Spas can have 20 jets or 100, with stereos, televisions, even exercise machines. Want a simple soak and good massage, or the full monte? Once these are answered, your dealer can help you find the right model.

Spas don’t have enormous heaters because they’d be too costly to run — normally 1.5 kW to 4.5 kW. Heaters are sized in relation to water volume: bigger spas have more water and larger heaters, so heat-up time is roughly the same — about 1.5 ºC per hour.

We calculate in degrees-per-hour because the starting temperature varies widely between summer and winter. To go from 16 ºC to 37 ºC is a 21 ºC rise — around 14 hours. The easiest approach: fill it one day for use the next. So if you’re planning a party, you know what to do!

If you use your spa three to four times a week, keep it hot. The heater will cut in and out as needed to maintain set temperature.

Even if you use it less often it’s usually best to keep it warm: heating from cold is costly — often more than the cost of keeping it warm. Spas are designed to be kept hot 24/7, and once it’s hot you’re only recuperating lost heat, so consumption stays low.

Normally only in summer, to use the spa for cooling off. Simply turn the heat below ambient and it stays cool.

If your spa sits in the sun and you leave the cover off in summer, it’ll heat up by itself — so keep the cover on during the day and take it off at night to keep it cool.

Most portable spas fill from a hose pipe. Time depends on water volume, hose size and water pressure — impossible to give a fixed figure. For a mid-sized spa it normally takes 2–3 hours.

Depends on time of year. In summer, most people keep the spa around 27 ºC (skin temperature) — though it may rise with ambient temperature.

In winter it’s normal to run at 37.5 ºC, or even 40 ºC. It’s a question of personal taste — some prefer it hotter than others.

For a week or two you can leave the spa full and turned off with the cover locked. Before you go, shock the water to ensure no bacteria remain (see our Daily Water Care guide).

If someone can come around once a week to add a small chlorine dose and run the spa for 20 minutes, you can leave it full indefinitely. Going away longer? Best to drain it and refill on return.

You can only do this in winter in regions like the Costa del Sol where it never freezes — if water freezes inside the spa pipes, you’re in big trouble.

On most electronic systems the water is filtered twice a day. At the start of each filtration period, all pumps and the blower fire up to churn the water so debris is lifted and filtered out. They run a few minutes and stop, but filtration continues for the programmed interval.

Almost all systems (Balboa, Gecko, Smart Touch and others) limit jets to a fixed time — usually 15 or 20 minutes — then automatically switch off.

The reason: at high water temperatures (38–40 ºC), staying too long risks hyperthermia — raising your body’s core temperature too high, leading to dizziness or possible loss of consciousness. Manufacturers include this as a gentle reminder.

Hard to answer with accuracy — it depends on use. But some observations:

Choose a spa with a quality cover and good insulation. Many covers are thin and become waterlogged, losing nearly all insulation when water transmits heat straight through.

Keep the cover tightly closed when not in use. Most heat loss happens during use — the entire water surface is losing heat — so close it immediately when you get out.

Siting matters. Place the spa in a protected area out of the wind. Windy spots increase heating costs.

Surprisingly, the temperature you keep it at makes little difference. Whether 35 ºC or 40 ºC, the cost gap is negligible — heat loss when open is almost the same.

The accepted American norm is to put sanitizer in before getting in — which we think is crazy, because you’re then bathing in water full of chlorine. The reason, as far as we can tell, has to do with the US legal climate.

What we do here in Europe is more sensible: add sanitizer after you get out. This kills the bacteria you just introduced, so the next time you get in there’s no bacteria and a minimal amount of chlorine.

If shocking with chlorine granules, wait until chlorine drops below 5 ppm (parts per million) — up to 24 hours.

To speed it up, open the cover and run the jets — this dissipates chlorine faster. For full instructions, see our Daily Water Care guide.

Small soap problem? A few drops of anti-foam liquid will make the bubbles go away.

If the problem persists, or there’s a major amount of soap in the water, the only option is to empty and refill with fresh water.

Two possible causes:

1. Filtration failing to clean small dust particles and dead bacteria. Use a flocculant — it acts as a coagulant, combining particles so they’re large enough to filter out. Once clean, remove and clean the filters or they may block.
2. Bacteria growing in the spa. Shock with a large dose of chlorine. See our Daily Water Care guide for full instructions.

Green is not a good colour for spa water — it means algae is growing in the water.

1. Don’t use the spa until the problem is solved.
2. Empty the water and scrub all surfaces with a chlorine solution.
3. Rinse with clean water.
4. Refill with fresh water.
5. Shock with chlorine (see our Daily Water Care guide).

There’s no formal time limit, but it’s best to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water during your soak. If the temperature is over 37 ºC you do run the risk of hyperthermia — see the answer above on why jets turn off automatically.

If you spend a long time in the spa, remember to add a correspondingly larger amount of sanitizer when you get out.

Water is good for your skin, but hot water over a long period dries it out. It’s important to maintain the correct pH and sanitiser balance to avoid skin irritation.

Many people wrongly blame chlorine for skin irritation when in fact it’s the pH that’s usually responsible.

There’s no reason you can’t bring your baby into the spa, provided you keep it below 36.5 ºC (just below body temperature). Your baby will love it.

At that temperature, limit the amount of time. Lower the temperature to 35 ºC and you can spend longer. Really, it’s no different to a baby in a bath. The key: don’t let the baby overheat or get cold. Same goes for small children — not too hot, not too long.

Yes, but not at high temperatures. You should consult your doctor beforehand in any event.

Within the first three or four months of pregnancy it’s normally safe. Once the baby starts developing it is not recommended.

Please consult your physician if you think you may be pregnant before using the spa.

Headaches: drink plenty of water during long, hot soaks. Without hydration you may give yourself a headache, possibly leading to faintness or dizziness.

Alcohol: not recommended — especially with very hot water. Like most things it’s a question of balance: the hotter the water, the less you should drink. The most important point — if you have imbibed, don’t stay in the spa alone.

Depends on use. Rule of thumb: every 3 months, maximum 4, for a spa used 3–4 times a week.

If the water goes funny, just change it and don’t feel bad about it. A 3 m × 5 m pool loses more to evaporation in a single month than it takes to fill your spa.

Many spas have a bottom drain — connect a hose pipe to it and run to a drain.

No bottom drain? Not a problem. Buy a submersible pump and some hose to drain the spa just as easily. Stop adding chlorine the day before and you can even use the water to irrigate your garden.

General cleaning: never use soaps or household cleaning products — they cause foam. Use only clean water with a soft sponge or cloth. Don’t use scrubbers — they scratch the acrylic. If a small amount of soap gets in the water, a few drops of anti-foam will fix it.

Greasy waterline: means sun creams, body creams or oily products got in the water. If a sponge won’t shift it, use a small amount of universal paint solvent on a cloth. Drain a little water first so the solvent doesn’t get into the spa.

Sand or dirt at the bottom: make a syphon. Put one end of the hose in the spa, run water from the tap, then turn the tap off. With the spa end fully submerged, disconnect the hose from the tap and lay the other end on the floor. Water now flows backwards out of the spa — use the in-spa end as a vacuum cleaner. Top up the spa afterwards.

Once a year: use a dedicated spa cleaner — a liquid you pour in that dissolves oils and limescale in pipes and pumps. Especially important if you drain and leave the spa empty for long periods, since trapped water can leave residues and bacteria in the pipes.

Cover and surround: soapy water and a sponge or mop, rinsed well. For sun-exposed covers, a vinyl protector from any marina works well.

Filters clog with dirt and grease over time until water can’t flow through. When this happens, water pressure drops — jets feel weaker, the heater may cut out, and you may get error messages.

Routine clean: remove the filter from its housing (below the skimmer) and spray water through the pleats with a hose. Clean each pleat individually, turning the filter as you go.

Deep clean: if hose-spraying doesn’t do the job, either replace it or use a chemical cleaner. Add cleaner to water in a bucket and soak the filter for 24 hours. This breaks down grease and calcium chemically; rinse with a hose and the filter is clean again.

Yes, especially in hard-water areas. Limescale slowly deposits inside pipes, on heater elements and on the shell at the waterline.

The annual spa cleaner described above dissolves these deposits. Using a scale inhibitor as part of your weekly chemical routine prevents new build-up. If you ever notice a white crust at the waterline or reduced flow from the heater, it’s time to run the cleaner cycle.