Keeping your water balanced is an important part of hot tub ownership. The pH reading is one of several readings that you should keep a close eye on. This blog covers what causes low pH in hot tubs, and what you can do to increase it.
What is low pH?
The pH reading of a hot tub should be between 7.2 and 7.8. If it is lower than 7.2, the pH is too low and your water is too acidic. If not increased, this can cause skin and eye irritation and damage to hot tub components.
What causes low pH?
There are a variety of causes of lower pH levels, it may be as a result of:
- The water in your area naturally being more acidic
- The water becoming imbalanced through the use of sanitisers or other hot tub chemicals
How to test for low pH
Use Hotspring test strips to test the pH level of your water. We recommend testing the water at least once a week, or each time you use your HotSpring hot tub – which ever is most often.
How to fix low pH
If your pH level is too low, use pH increaser gradually to increase the pH level to 7.2 or above and then leave for 30 minutes. After this time, retest the pH level in still water with no running jets to check it hasn’t had a negative impact on total alkalinity and other water levels.
How to fix high pH
Alternatively, if you find your pH level is now too high, use pH reducer gradually to reduce the pH level to 7.6 or below and then leave for 30 minutes. After this time, retest the pH level in still water with no running jets to check it hasn’t affected alkalinity and other water levels.
Hot tub water care
Visit the Hot Tub Necessities shop for all your water care needs.