How to Use Hot Tub Chlorine Tablets: 5 Easy Steps

How to add hot tub chlorine tablets to my hot tub?

Chlorine tablets are a form of chlorine that releases slowly into the water of a spa to keep the water protected from bacteria, algae, and other contaminants. In order to administer chlorine tablets, you must first test the spa water, determine how much chlorine you need, add the tablets to the dispenser, allow the chemical to dissolve, and then test the water again. 1 – 3 chlorine tablets should be enough.

Stop wasting time and money with hot tub maintenance and confusing water chemistry! The Hot Tub Handbook and Video Course will help keep your hot tub balanced, sanitized, and crystal clear all the time.

Check out my list of high-quality hot tub products to help keep your hot tub clean and running great all year long!

My recommended product to help you test your hot tub or pool water for accurate pH, alkalinity, bromine, and chlorine readings is the AquaCheck Trutest Digital Reader.

I will also talk about some other accessories to keep your hot tub clean. Let’s get started!

What are Hot Tub Chlorine Tablets?

Chlorine is one of the main chemicals used in hot tubs, pools, and drinking water to keep the water clean and safe from bacteria.

Chlorine has been used for decades to clean and sanitize pools and drinking water which ultimately allowed hot tubs, swim spas, and pools to become a popular choice for relaxation and recreation for people around the world.

Over the past several years chlorine has become available in different forms allowing for easier distribution of the chemical, allowing people to enjoy their pools and hot tubs without worrying about chlorine levels 100% of the time.

This distribution of chlorine comes in the form of chlorine tablets and a chlorine dispenser.

Chlorine tablets allow for slow-releasing chlorine into the spa water, along with other spa-related chemicals to keep the water protected from bacteria, algae, and other contaminants while being safe for children and adults.

Hot tub chlorine tablets are also great because they allow you to quickly add them to your spa in no time at all.

Usually, a chlorine dispenser would be needed to house the chlorine tablet. Chlorine dispensers are often used in hot tubs, inflatable spas, and large pools.

However, some hot tubs and pools come with their own chlorine generators. If this is the case, remember to check with the manufacturer to ensure the water chemistry is properly administered.

My recommended choice for hot tub Chlorine Tablets. These tablets come in different-sized containers based on weight.

My recommended choice for a hot tub chlorine tablet dispenser is this U.S. Pool Supply dispenser.

When to Use Hot Tub Chlorine Tablets?

Chlorine levels in your pool or hot tub should always be at a healthy level. To make sure your water chemistry is correct it is best practice to test your pool or spa water on a regular basis.

I recommend these water test strips from JNW Direct Pool and Spa to test your chlorine. The total chlorine should be between 1 and 5 PPM (parts per million).

These test strips also test water hardness, bromine, alkalinity, cyanuric acid, and pH.

The chlorine tablets recommended above last up to one week. The recommended amount is 7 tablets per 2,500 gallons of pool water.

If you are planning on having a pool or hot tub party, ensure that your chlorine levels are where they need to be. If not, this would be the best time to add chlorine to your spa or pool.

Check out our article on how to keep your inflatable hot tub clean for the best results!

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Benefits of Hot Tub Chlorine Tablets

Chlorine tablets are cost-effective and are considered one of the cheapest ways to keep your pool or hot tub water clean from bacteria, algae, and other contaminants.

Hot tub chlorine tablets are safe for both children and adults and if properly applied, will keep the water safe and clean for long periods of time.

The tablet format allows for slow-releasing doses of chlorine over a consistent amount of time. The chlorine tablets mentioned above will last for an entire week.

Negatives of Hot Tub Chlorine Tablets

Chlorine tablets can often be misused which could result in poor water chemistry. Usually, this happens by adding too much chlorine to the hot tub or pool.

Poor water chemistry means more acidic water which will cause the PH and Alkalinity of your water to decrease rapidly. PH balancer would have to be applied. If too much PH balancer is applied, the water can feel irritating to the skin and produces a chemical smell. If this happens, the best thing to do is to drain some of the water and add fresh water.

Don’t panic, everything will be ok.

Consider Using a Water Care Monitor

Monitoring the health of your hot tub can often be challenging if you are not testing the water on a regular basis. This can also be a problem if you go on holiday or you are unable to take care of your hot tub due to mobility issues.

The pHin Smart Water Care Monitor for pools, hot tubs, and inflatable spas continuously tests the water and alerts you when to add chemicals with the integrated mobile app.

The mobile app will inform you when to add chemicals such as chlorine, and how much chemical is recommended. This is done by entering your hot tub or pool’s unique dimensions.

Simply scan the bar code of any chemical brand and the pHin app will calculate how much chemical is to be added to the water. Most products and brands are recognized by the application.

The pHin device will sample water more than 1000 times per week to give you an accurate reading compared to using test strips.

The pHin device works with different water types including chlorine, bromine, and saltwater hot tubs, swim spas, inflatable hot tubs, and pools.

This unique device comes with a lifetime warranty to ensure your water remains clear and ready for you to use at all times.

How to Use Hot Tub Chlorine Tablets: 5 Easy Steps

I will briefly talk about the 5 steps needed to add chlorine tablets to your pool or hot tub.

1. Test the Water Chemistry

The first step is to test your water chemistry. To do this, use water test strips from JNW Direct Pool and Spa. If the total chlorine level is below 1 PPM (light green) then the water requires chlorine.

Also be mindful of your pH, alkalinity, and total hardness. Adding chlorine to your pool or hot tub will change these readings.

Always follow the instructions given by the manufacture.

If you’re using the pHin app, then simply be aware of what the application is telling you. It’s also a good idea to occasionally use a test strip along with the app to ensure the integrity of the reading.

2. Determine How Much Chlorine you Need

The testing strips and the pHin application will inform you how much chlorine you need.

Based on the chlorine tablets recommended above, 7 tablets per 2,500 gallons of pool water should satisfy the amount of chlorine needed if none exists. However, if chlorine is present, 1 – 3 chlorine tablets should be enough.

Read the instruction given by the manufacture of your pool or hot tub carefully in order to not overdo the application.

3. Add the Tablets to the Chlorine Dispenser

Add the chlorine tablets to the U.S. Pool Supply Floating Spa chlorine dispenser. The dispenser takes 3 1inch chlorine tablets. The chlorine tablets last up to a week.

The dispenser allows you to adjust how much chemical is released into the water at any given time. This may depend on how often people are using the hot tub or pool.

4. Allow the Chlorine to Dissolve

Allow for at least a couple of hours to pass and then check to see if the chlorine levels in the hot tub have risen. If the rise in chlorine levels is modest then leave the water alone.

However, if the chlorine has risen too quickly or too much chlorine was added, simply remove the dispenser from the water.

If not enough chlorine has entered the water, simply adjust the dispenser to allow more chlorine to enter the water.

5. Test the Water Chemistry Again

The next step is to allow for some time to pass and test the water again. If everything looks and smells normal then you’re ready to enjoy your hot tub or pool.