Common Questions/Answers
Q. How do I test my spa to ensure it is ready to use?
- Correct water balance ensures that equipment and surfaces are protected and that water is comfortable for bathers. To test pH, alkalinity and calcium levels in the water, use the Poppit 4Way Test Strips. Remove the strip from the vial and swirl beneath the surface of the spa water 2 to 3 times then line the strip up against the outside of the container. (Do not shake water from the strip). Readings should be made within 10 – 20 seconds. Simply compare the colour for each measure, note: if using another brand of test strip, or a strip that includes FCL (free chlorine level), the FCL should be zero. Other readings should be; Alkalinity (teal to light blue), pH (orange), and TH (total hardness - calcium) light blue not 250 – 450 as shown by some products on the vial. Those are measurements for swimming pools not spa pools.
Next test for Poppit Spa Sanitiser in the water using the Poppit 4Way Strip or Poppit Test Kit. Simply ½ fill the test kit vial with spa water and add one drop of the test solution. If the drop remains the same colour, Spa Poppit is required. If the drop turns brown instantly then the spa is ready for use. If it turns brown slowly add Spa Poppit Sanitiser. We recommend the use of the Poppit Peroxide Test on the Poppit 4Way Strip and simply follow the instructions. Spa Poppit sanitiser level should be maintained at 100 ppm and must never drop below 40 ppm.
Q. Why does my spa Poppit Test Kit show pink even after adding Spa Poppit to my water?
- There can be a number of reasons why this occurs. Firstly ensure filter cartridges have been cleaned correctly. Next test pH and total alkalinity and adjust if required. Ensure correct dose rate of Poppit Spa Sanitiser has been added to suit your size of spa. It could also be that this has happened after degreasing and dumping your water. Occasionally degreaser can be trapped within the pipework of the spa. This needs to be flushed through while the spa is being emptied, using the high pressure of the garden hose through the face of the jets. Occasionally, if Quick Fix has been added (incorrectly) at the same time as Poppit Spa Sanitiser there will be a problem. Always leave 4 hours between the two additions. Finally, it is possible that insufficient Poppit Spa Sanitiser has been added. Another cause is when algae is present. See instructions on the removal of algae.
Q. Why is my spa water cloudy?
- Cloudy spa water can result from a heavy bather load. If this is the cause, use Poppit Quick Fix directly after use and filter for 4 hours. It can also be a result of dirty filter cartridges, clean with Poppit Filter Cartridge Cleaner as per instructions. Other causes can be insufficient filtering time, pH and alkalinity out of balance or incorrect dose rate of Spa Poppit and low levels of calcium hardness (particularly with tank water). Sometimes it is simply time to dump the spa water.
Q. How often do I need to dump the water?
- This depends on the bathing load of your spa
| Heavy usage |
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4-6 weeks |
| Regular usage |
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6-8 weeks |
| Light usage |
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8-12 weeks |
This is a guideline only, but should be done at a maximum of 12 weeks or when the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level exceeds 1000ppm. For convenience use the Poppit Spa TDS test strips.
Q. My spa water has gone smelly – Why?
- Smelly spa water can be the result of insufficient dose rate of Spa Poppit, pH and alkalinity being out of balance, heavy bathing load without the use of Poppit Quick Fix or dirty filter cartridges. If all have been checked and are fine, it can be that the spa has been covered for a period of time and a condensation smell can appear. Remove cover and wipe down with damp cloth and Poppit Pipe Degreaser (using rubber gloves) rinse off and leave in the sun to dry. The Spa Poppit range has no smell, where others contain a chemical odour which masks the cause of the smell.
Q. Why do I have to use Poppit Pipe Degreaser when I dump my spa pool or spa bath water?
- An accumulation of “body fats” builds up on the internal wall cavities of the pipework of your spa. These body fats will absorb Spa Poppit and other sanitizers causing excessive usage of product. This can lead to a breeding ground for bacteria. You need to eliminate this from your system to prevent any build up. Use Spa Pipe Degreaser as per instructions prior to every water dump.
Q. How often do I need to clean my filter cartridge?
- Spa filters should be cleaned every 1-2 weeks. This depends on bather usage and surrounding elements. Regular cleaning of filters will ensure maximum filtration of spa water and will prolong the life of your filter. Just hosing down the filter will not clean it. The filter traps body fats which are an oily build up that water will not disperse. Use Poppit Filter Cartridge Cleaner to dissolve these body fats, then hose down with a garden hose.
Q. Do I need to balance my spa water?
- This depends on water quality, water will differ from area to area around the country. It is recommended that regular testing using Poppit 4Way Test Strips, will enable you to test and adjust if required. See "Balancing the Water".
Q. My spa has an ozonator should I use Spa Poppit?
- Poppit Spa Sanitizer is compatible with ozone. Using Poppit in conjunction with ozone maintains a “chlorine free” environment. This ensures also that a registered bactericide is used within the spa water.
Q. What should I do with my spa while I am away?
- Portable spas may be emptied and left covered. An inground spa should be degreased, dumped and then upon return, follow start up directions. This is to be done if away for a lengthy period of time. If you are only going away for a few days or up to a week, test water to ensure balance is fine and add 500mls/1000litre of Spa Poppit. Retest upon return.
The best solution however is to obtain a "Poppit Auto Doser Unit" which can be programmed to deliver the correct amount of sanitizer even while you are away. Talk to your local Poppit retailer.
Q: I have algae in the spa – how do I get rid of it?
- On occasions a spa will become infected with algae. This is more common with tank water, Should this occur we would recommend the following:
Visit your local Pool Chemical supplier and purchase a packet of Pool Poppit Algicide.
Make a premix with one half of the contents of each colour sachet in some water and when dissolved pour the blend into the spa. Try to have the pH at 6.8 -7 as this will assist the algicide to be more effective.
Circulate and filter for 8-12 hours. (The spa will initially go cloudy however do not let that worry you), turn air jets on and off several times during this time. At the same time, using a damp cloth with pipe degreaser on it, wipe inside of spa and around jets, under head rests and the underside of the spa cover. Rinse off the spa cover and leave exposed to the sun.
(If the infestation is severe and when the water is ready to be dumped, remove the filter cartridges, add Poppit pipe degreaser and circulate for 30 minutes and then dump at this point)
Burn off dead algae with Quick Fix at 60grams/1000 litres and filter for 4 hours, then clean filter cartridges, thoroughly rinse and flush the filter cartridges until water runs clear through the filter cartridges. If required, balance water with Poppit Water Balance (alkalinity 120ppm, pH 7.6.)
Finally, dose the spa with Spa Poppit bactericide / sanitiser at the rate of 1 litre/1000 litres of water.
Q: What could cause my spa to have floating debris in it?
- What we recommend in these cases (when there is something outside the norm) is that we go through a series of checks to try to discover the source of the problem, which could be:
• Detergent being introduced in by the bather
(Creams, oils etc on skin)
• Fragrances or oils added to the water
• pH /Alkalinity imbalance (possibly low alkalinity)
• insufficient filtering (sometimes insufficient filtering struggles to filter heavy loads) Poppits floc will assist in theses cases
• filter cartridges that have not been cleaned regularly enough or rinsed out thoroughly enough
• Insufficient spa Poppits bactericide (if the eye drop test is still going brown, albeit slowly, some people think that all is well. Then all of a sudden the test won't go brown at all and they add but it has already got to a point that is below control levels, ie below 40 PPM and needs to be hit with Quick Fix, filtered for 4 hours and then dosed with a start up dose again with Spa Poppit sanitiser/bactericide at the rate of 1 litre per 1000 litre of water.
• Sometimes you will find that there is a plant like a fern which is dropping fronds in the spa. We recommend cutting back the fern or moving it. Scoop out as much as possible, add Quick Fix, buffer the water and re-dose with filtering time in between of course.
And sometimes the water is simply ready to dump either because of the length of time it has been in, the bather load, the fact that you were away for a few weeks and the spa wasn't dosed and perhaps has some algae in it.
Q: My spa is not crystal clear, is using excessive amounts of Spa Poppit bactericide/sanitiser and occasionally we cough when near the spa. What should we do?
- These symptoms would indicate that somehow algae has invaded your spa.
Treating a spa infested with Algae
On occasions a spa will become infected with algae. This is more common with tank water, however also happens with other spas because the algae are both airborne and carried in with the spa users. Should this occur we would recommend the following:
- Visit your local Pool Chemical supplier and purchase a packet of Pool Poppit 3 monthly Algicide.
- Make a premix with one half of the contents of each colour sachet in some water and when dissolved pour the blend into the spa. Try to have the pH at 6.8 -7 as this will assist the algicide to be more effective.
- Circulate and filter for 8-12 hours. (The spa will initially go cloudy however do not let that worry you), turn air jets on and off several times during this time.
- At the same time, using a damp cloth with pipe degreaser on it, wipe inside of spa and around jets, under head rests and the underside of the spa cover. Rinse off the spa cover and leave exposed to the sun.
*
- Burn off dead algae with Quick Fix at 60grams/1000 litres and filter for four (4) hours,
- Clean filter cartridges, thoroughly rinse and flush the filter cartridges until water runs clear through the filter cartridges.
- If required, balance water with Poppit Water Balance (alkalinity 120ppm, pH 7.6.)
- Finally, dose the spa with Spa Poppit bactericide / sanitiser at the rate of 1 litre/1000 litres of water.
*If the infestation is severe and when the water is ready to be dumped, remove the filter cartridges, add Poppit pipe degreaser and circulate for 30 minutes and then dump the water. After refilling and going through normal start up procedure, add the other half of each sachet of Pool Poppits algicide as above.
If in doubt please call the Poppits help line: Australia 1800 648 959
Q: Is there a link between phosphate levels and algae management?
- Last year, all we seemed to talk about was water restrictions; this year the biggest single issue is Phosphate!
The association between phosphate and algae is that phosphate (together with Nitrate and Sulphate) is the staple diet for algae. Both phosphate and algae are airborne, microscopic, invasive and everywhere.
The major concern for pool & spa owners is that when phosphate is present two things are certain to follow:
- Sanitiser use (chlorine, bromine or Poppits) will noticeably increase in usage.
- The algae will bloom like never before in all varieties. In some parts, we are seeing increased mustard algae, in others green, black, and even pink algae are thriving.
It is well documented in the industry that increased phosphate levels lead to more excessive consumption of sanitizer and increased difficulty controlling and eliminating algae.
Phosphate enters pools and spas from a variety of sources including dust, rain and run off from lawns and gardens. The water source almost certainly contains phosphate from leaves, grass and in chemicals that some companies supply!
Small amounts of algae (that cannot be seen by the naked eye), constantly enter the pool attached to dust, leaves and grass, both on our bodies and bathers.
Once in the pool or spa, they have everything they need - phosphate, sulphate and nitrate as nutrients, sunlight or heat and moisture. This allows them to multiply like rabbits, and become a threat to sanitizers like chlorine, bromine and even Poppits sanitizer. They rapidly destruct chlorine just as they do any other sanitizer.
The tiny spores of algae will amaze you at how fast they spread. In spas, the "tell tale sign" - even before you can see the algae, is that your sanitizer use will increase dramatically and often, fumes will be noticeable that tickle the throat and occasionally cause coughing.
One of the traditional ways to treat visible algae has been to "shock" the pool with massive doses of lithium or chlorine. This is not only harmful to the environment, spa headrests and jets, but is also potentially a health hazard. Besides, the effects are very short lived as these products are not true algaecides. If algae is present, even when you "shock" treat with Poppit Quick Fix the same thing occurs. These methods tend to oxidize the algae but in doing so, a portion of the phosphate contained in the "dead" algae is released back into the water as the algae die in the filter.
In mild cases, using Poppit Liquid Floc may assist followed by thorough and frequent cleaning of the filter cartridges with Poppit (phosphate free) Filter Cartridge Cleaner.
It is recommended that pool & spa owners (and service people) tackle this growing problem with a three-pronged attack.
- First, treat with an algaecide that is powerful enough to control all strains of algae! Poppits brand "Pool Poppits 3 month algaecide" is considered by most professionals to be the strongest.
- Second, use a phosphate remover over a period of 2 weeks. An initial dose followed by half that amount every second day for 10 days.
- Third, Clean the filter cartridges thoroughly. In fact take a look at this EXTRACT from U.S. Pool & Spa News
"A high level of phosphates can make pool service a nightmare, helping spawn algae blooms at a breakneck pace. The pools on your route may be at risk because many water treatment centers add phosphate to reduce friction and preserve plumbing lines.
With high-phosphate water coming out of the tap, pool service people should take a proactive approach by using phosphate removers to prevent algae buildup.
Do remember: (Phosphate removers do not actually remove the phosphates. Instead, they form an insoluble molecule that becomes trapped in the filter. Thus, make sure to clean your filter after using these products)."
May we add - use a Filter Cartridge cleaner that does not contain phosphate, sulphate or nitrate. The only cartridge cleaner that can make that claim is Poppit Filter Cartridge Cleaner; make sure that you have some on hand at all times and step up the cleaning of your filters to weekly.
IMPORTANT NOTES TO REMEMBER
- Oxidise weekly with Poppit Quick Fix
- Test balance of water regularly
- Clean filters regularly
- Test Spa Poppit levels before use or at least every 4 days
- Keep filter running while using spa
- After heavy usage, oxidise with Quick Fix
- Use Poppit Pipe Degreaser prior to dumping water
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