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Not sure if this helps, but I received a response back from my hot tub manufacturer about my specific problems with phosphates (I have a salt system): 2) Phosphates: From our previous conversations, I believe you told me, that at the end of the day phosphates don't really matter in a hot tub and I shouldn't worry about it. Every time I go to Leslie's, I get extremely high phosphates readings of 3-4,000+. I've read and researched that high phosphates can affect the efficiency of the salt cell generating the chlorine, so I guess that is the only reason why I care. However, like you said, it is just not practical for my wife and I to completely shower from head to toe to remove lotions, sunscreen, dirt, etc each and every time we use the hot tub. If I had to guess, I imagine a lot of the phosphates come from my wife's skin, she puts lotion on every night and I'm sure that stays on her skin until the next time she showers the next day. I would not worry about the phosphates in the hot tub. It is truly unavoidable. You can use Spa Perfect once a week which will help biodegrade those soaps, oils, lotions, etc. I know that certain types of phosphates can calcify, however, unless you notice a substantial unusual buildup of calcium, I wouldn’t be concerned. As long as you are using your Stain and Scale Control, you should be fine. I did end up using this product called SpaGuard Phosphate Remover just for the heck of it. I've applied multiple doses to the hot tub over a period of time (as per the instructions and cleaning out the filter after each treatment), and nothing seems to lower the amount of phosphates. So, this constant high level of phosphates must be from me and my wife somehow. Here is the product I used with no real success: Remove Phosphate from Spas and Hot Tubs. This is completely up to you. Being in the industry for quite some time, I can tell you that I have yet to see a successful phosphate remover for portable hot tubs. <image001.png> <image004.png> <image007.jpg> Remove Phosphate from Spas and Hot Tubs So my questions that I have now regarding phosphates are: 1) Will phosphates actually affect the efficiency / operating of the salt water system / salt cell? They should not if you are using the Stain and Scale Control. 2) If so, how often should I thoroughly clean the salt cell to retain efficiency and will this basically solve any problems with my high phosphate levels, so that high phosphates don't even matter (as long as the salt cell is clean)? Only clean your cell when it is needed. This is one of the times that you do not want to clean something just as part of a regular maintenance routine. 3) Will high phosphate levels affect any other key water measurements (Alkalinity, PH, Calcium Hardness, Sanitizer levels)? No, they should not. 4) Are there any other concerns to keep in mind with high phosphates? The hot tub is covered 95% of the time, and we typically only use it at night, so it does not receive too much sunlight when uncovered (maybe 1 hour a day or so). Not in a portable hot tub. 5) When does it become that I have added too many chemicals and things to the hot tub to where the total dissolved solids are too high? I feel like all this tinkering with alkalinity, PH, phosphates, etc is over time adding lots of things to the tub and I wonder if I need to drain and refill more often... Total Dissolved solids refers to salts and other minerals in the water. When you have a salt water system we no longer look at TDS because you have physically added salt to the water. TDS is also not something we typically look at in hot tubs unless you are using well water to fill. TDS is the way I would be able to determine age of water in swimming pools. In a hot tub, you would never leave the water in there long enough for this to be a factor.

Tested my tap water and zero phosphates. Only thing I can think of is it is coming from me and my wife. It’s not practical to shower fully head to toe every time we use the hot tub, so I think it’s coming from my wife’s skin and the lotions/moisturizers she uses. Even if she put them on the night before, I’m sure it’s still on her skin? I can’t believe more people don’t have high phosphates in their tubs. They have to but just don’t know about it or test for it. Impossible everyone sterilizes themselves perfectly before getting in. Impossible I tell you! Also I’ve added multiple doses of the SpaGuard phosphate remover, cleaned the filter after each treatment, etc, and I still can’t get levels to 1,000 or less. I must have a TON of phosphates. 1) Will phosphates actually affect the efficiency / operating of the salt water system / salt cell? 2) If so, how often should I thoroughly clean the salt cell to retain efficiency and will this basically solve any problems with my high phosphate levels, so that high phosphates don't even matter (as long as the salt cell is clean)? 3) Will high phosphate levels affect any other key water measurements (Alkalinity, PH, Calcium Hardness, Sanitizer levels)? 4) Are there any other concerns to keep in mind with high phosphates? The hot tub is covered 95% of the time, and we typically only use it at night, so it does not receive too much sunlight when uncovered (maybe 1 hour a day or so). 5) When does it become that I have added too many chemicals and things to the hot tub to where the total dissolved solids are too high? I feel like all this tinkering with alkalinity, PH, phosphates, etc is over time adding lots of things to the tub and I wonder if I need to drain and refill more often...

I had a wooden platform built on my sloped concrete patio by a local contractor and it solved my problem. Spent about $800 or so.

If I keep PH low (7.8 or lower), calcium hardness in range (150-250), but phosphates high, will the phosphates effectively not be an issue (regarding scale on surfaces, scale build up on heater and salt water chlorine generator)?

Thanks. I added the 3 oz last night and will test again tonight. I have a Dr. Wellness X-6 and it is 350 gallons. It has a Prozone CSS5 ozone/salt system. For my particular salt system, the only way to reduce the chlorine output is to reduce the salt levels (From manual: "CSS5-1: Chlorine levels are adjusted by increasing or decreasing the salt level in the spa." This model does not have the controls where you can adjust the output, their more expensive model does have this and I don't have that model). Yes, chlorine is at 5ppm but the manual says it should be 0.5 - 1.5ppm (https://www.prozoneint.com/manuals/201987 - CSS 5 Installation Manual 11-10-09.pdf). I personally don't care about the phosphates just as long as everything else is working. A few weeks ago, we did have some scale and floating specs which I think was phosphate calcium scale...

Thank you. I do have a ozone/salt water system. I guess I’ll try to get it down with the spa guard stuff. I can’t imagine how many doses it’s going to take to get it down to less than 125ppb though. also, my chlorine levels have been high lately. Around 5+ppm and the salt water system manual says it should only be 0.5 - 1.5 because the ozone does a lot of the work. I have been running the filtration for about 5-6 hours a day, especially when adding the spa gaurd phosphate remover stuff. If I cut that down to 1-2 hours per day will my chlorine levels go down? Or do I need to remove some water and add fresh to bring the salt levels down? Currently, I’m at the salt water systems recommended 2500ppm or so.

Extremely high phosphates in hot tub. What on earth am I doing wrong? I’ve had this problem ever since I got the tub over 2 months ago and I’ve refilled it 4 times now and the source water is phopsphate free. I try to be careful and shower before getting in (not always though) and we really rinse our swimsuits to get detergents out, or just go without one often. Anyways, I just checked my phosphates and we are at like 3000/4000 ppb. I’ve used spa guards phosphate remover (one dose) but it barely put a dent in it, am I supposed to use this stuff over and over until it’s zero? I also don’t want total dissolves solids to get too high from always adding chemicals. Anyways, is there something that’s obvious that I’m doing wrong? Because I can’t figure it out and have spent probably 20-30 solid hours researching this online. Or does everyone have high phosphates in hot tubs and just lives with it? The manufacturer told me that phosphates in a hot tub don’t really matter, since algae won’t grow in it due to them being covered most of the days and algae need sunlight. Thanks.

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Hi everyone, I am new here. I am having a heck of a time balancing alkalinity and PH in my 350 gallon Dr. Wellness X-6 hot tub. I’ve had the hot tub for about a month now and I’ve drained and refilled it twice already. I just filled it up and I spent all day yesterday getting the PH down from 8 to around 7.2-7.4. I was at alkalinity of about 100 when the PH was 8. I then began the process of adding salt yesterday and today (it has a prozone CSS5 salt system). I just checked PH and it’s now 7.6 and Alkalinity was low at like 60. If I add alkalinity increaser, I know it is going to raise my PH to 7.8 or 8 or higher. How do I get these balanced? I’m just going in circles adding alkalinity increaser and PH decreaser. The hot tub manufacturer (LPI) said to shoot for 100 alkalinity and PH of 7.4-7.5 since I have the salt system and was having a phosphate calcium issue when the PH got too high. Thanks in advance.