How to Convert a Hot Tub to Salt Water? (Step by Step)

No matter how much you love your hot tub, it might be time to replace it. Luckily, converting a pool or spa is easy and doesn’t require expensive materials like concrete or plumbing. This article will show you step by step on how to convert your existing pool into salt water with the least investment possible!

The “salt water conversion kit for hot tub” is a product that can help you convert your existing hot tub to salt water. The conversion process takes about 4-5 hours and the cost ranges from $500-$2500.

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If you’ve come to this page, you’re probably interested in learning more about saltwater hot tubs. A saltwater hot tub is not the same as a hot tub filled with the equivalent of ocean water, which stings your eyes and leaves a nasty taste in your mouth. People like saltwater hot tubs because the water is more pleasant and mild, and they need less upkeep. 

Don’t worry if you already have a hot tub with a chlorine or bromine sanitization system; you don’t have to replace it with a salt system. Let’s start with the most important question: how can you convert a hot tub to saltwater? 

In order to convert a hot tub to a saltwater sanitization system, you’ll need to do the following.

 

  • Drain your hot tub properly.
  • Your present hot tub should be cleaned and refilled.
  • Install a control panel for the chlorinator.
  • Make that your water’s pH, alkalinity, and calcium levels are all within acceptable limits. 
  • To accurately calculate how much salt to add, test your water. 
  • Toss in the salt.
  • Activate the chlorinator.
  • Relax and unwind in your new saltwater hot tub! 

 

In this post, we’ll go through how to convert a hot tub to salt water and answer some frequently asked concerns. Before you know it, you’ll be relaxing in your low-maintenance, high-quality saltwater hot tub. 

Contents Table of Contents

  • Is it possible to have a saltwater hot tub? 
  • Is it possible to use saltwater in any hot tub?
  • The Origins of Salt as a Therapeutic Agent
  • 4 Advantages of Saltwater Hot Tubs
  • The Drawbacks of Using a Saltwater Hot Tub
  • Convert Your Hot Tub to a Saltwater Sanitation System in 3 Easy Steps
  • Include some entertaining hot tub games! 

Contents

Is it possible to have a saltwater hot tub? 

Saltwater sanitized hot tubs have been more popular during the previous decade. Many people are unaware that a hot tub might include seawater. It takes a lot of effort to sanitize a hot tub that employs chlorine or bromine. Shocking is the technique of sanitizing a hot tub with chlorine or bromine. 

Shocking the water will effectively do the following: 

  • Remove as much organic stuff as possible from your hot tub.
  • Remove any germs from the hot tub.
  • Remove any pollutants such as bromine or chloramine from the hot tub.
  • Maintain the activity of the bromides in your hot tub to keep it clean.

The issue with utilizing chlorine or bromine is that they are both harsh compounds. If the pH levels aren’t right after a shocking, you may have to wait 24 hours before getting into your hot tub. The chemicals in the hot tub water also cause many people to have a burning sensation in their eyes and nose. 

 

 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chlorine levels in hot tubs should be between 1.0 and 3.0ppm.

Is it possible to use saltwater in any hot tub?

Almost every hot tub may utilize saltwater sanitation instead of chlorine or bromine sanitation with a little patience and good supervision. To be sure, you should check with the manufacturer of your hot tub. Although there are certain hot tubs that are incompatible with saltwater systems, they are few and far between. 

When in doubt, always double-check to prevent causing any harm to your present hot tub. 

If you haven’t bought a hot tub yet but want one with a saltwater system, you may have one built with the chlorination system already in place. 

The Origins of Salt as a Therapeutic Agent

Salt has been used for therapeutic reasons for millennia, and it is thought to offer a variety of healing effects. This might be due to the fact that salt includes a variety of minerals that are useful. 

Salt was utilized to prevent illnesses in Ancient Egypt since it was thought to dry up wounds and sterilize them. Laxatives and eye ointments were also made using salt.

The Greeks recognized the advantages of salt on the skin, and they employed salt water to treat skin ailments and eliminate freckles. They also inhaled steam from hot seawater, which is now known to be beneficial in lowering respiratory disease symptoms. 

Around 980-1037 A.D., physicians in Arabian culture started to use salt in their pharmaceutical formulas.

Western Europeans learned from the Arabs and Greeks and began to utilize salt to alleviate pain and inflammation. They also discovered that salt may assist to lower fevers. 

Scientists started to explore salt and its beneficial benefits in the nineteenth century, with a surge in the 1950s. This is where we witness the birth of many of its frequent usage today, such as bathing, drinking, having homeopathic properties, and breathing. 

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4 Advantages of Saltwater Hot Tubs

Before we go into how to convert your hot tub to salt water, let’s have a look at some of the advantages of saltwater hot tubs so you can make an educated decision. 

  1. Chlorine is your adversary, but salt is your buddy. When people use chlorine-based pools and hot tubs often, they often complain about dry, itchy, and damaged skin. People who have allergies or eczema are particularly susceptible to the effects of chlorine. 

So, what exactly is it about chlorine that causes all of these problems? 

Some people simply do not monitor the chlorine levels in their hot tubs or pools on a regular basis. Chlorine forms an excess of chloramines in your hot tub when it reacts with ammonia, perspiration, oils, and urine. Anyone who uses the hot tub will be irritated by these chloramines, which will cause a burning sensation in the skin and eyes. 

Chlorine is also incredibly drying to skin, which is why many people have dry skin after utilizing a chlorine-treated pool or hot tub. Chlorine bonds to the hair and skin, stripping them of their natural oils in the process. As a result, you’ll notice brittle hair and dry skin right away. This is also why many people with color-treated hair observe the appearance of green colors.

In an interview with Live Science last summer, Dr. Ana Duarte, the head of dermatology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, said, “Excess chlorine in the pool may sometimes also cause tiny quantities of mist to flow out of the water, which “might trigger [a person’s] asthma.” It’s essential to shower and moisturize right afterward, according to Duarte, to decrease the effects of chlorine. 

What role does salt play in your life? 

Saltwater has been shown to treat acne, open pores, and remove excess oil from the skin. It will aid in the reduction of any skin infections since it is naturally antimicrobial. It acts as an antidote to chlorine, assisting your skin in maintaining moisture and removing dead skin cells to prevent irritation. 

  1. You’re going to make your bank account very happy. The upfront price of a saltwater treated hot tub, according to Consumer Affairs, will send you fleeing for the hills. However, it is just the initial expense that may be a concern. The initial investment might range between $500 and $5,000. The salt cell will need to be updated every 5 years at the absolute least. 

With a chlorine or bromine-based sanitation system, you may expect to spend around $100 per month on test strips and chemicals. That works up to $1,200 each year! The cost difference is easily understood by anybody with a basic understanding of maths. 

  1. You’re contributing to environmental protection. Chlorine may turn into a vapor-like gas in the air under specific circumstances. When animals and people are exposed to this vapor on a regular basis, it may be dangerous. It has the potential to cause injury to the immune system, blood, heart, and lungs. 

Here is a link to a research produced by the Environmental Protection Agency on the Environmental Effects of Chlorine. 

Take into account that if you don’t empty your hot tub correctly using these chemicals, you might end up endangering animals and other sources of life. 

  1. It’s simply a lot more convenient for you. With hot tubs, saltwater generators are meant to give a maintenance-free experience. They’ll maintain releasing the proper quantity of salt on a regular basis to keep your hot tub clean. The only thing you have to do is ensure that your hot tub has the proper quantity of salt on a regular basis. 

The Drawbacks of Using a Saltwater Hot Tub

We wouldn’t be giving an unbiased view if we didn’t include some of the disadvantages of having a saltwater hot tub. 

  1. Corrosion will be more likely if you use saltwater. With saltwater systems, pipes, fittings, and even the tubs themselves have been known to corrode. This is unsurprising given that salt is corrosive to metals by nature. 

Heaters, liners, and lighting elements in hot tubs have been found to deteriorate first when exposed to seawater. According to experts, as long as your salt levels stay between 2,000 and 3,000 ppm, you shouldn’t have any corrosion problems. Make sure to keep an eye on the saltiness of your hot tub at all times. 

  1. Saltwater hot tubs struggle in cold weather because their chlorination systems aren’t meant to perform below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Aside from the higher power costs associated with maintaining a warmer temperature year-round, this doesn’t seem to be a major concern for most people. 
  1.  The cost of replacing the salt cell is high, and it is normally done every two to five years. A salt cell, on the other hand, has been claimed to have a one-and-a-half-year average life span. 
  1. Despite the lack of evidence, some have maintained that salt is really better at sanitizing than chlorine. Because hot tubs are moist and heated, germs thrive in them like nobody’s business. Because having the most effective sanitation approach is always important, some people may be hesitant to convert to salt if it isn’t as effective.

Convert Your Hot Tub to a Saltwater Sanitation System in 3 Easy Steps

We’ll guide you through the process step by step now that we’ve covered the advantages and reasons why you may want to convert your hot tub to a salt water system. 

  • First, properly drain, Your present hot tub should be cleaned and refilled.

When emptying the hot tub, you’ll need to determine whether to utilize the spigot or a submersible pump. People utilize their drained hot tub water in a variety of inventive ways. To prevent waste, consider watering your plants, cleaning your vehicle, or emptying the water into a pet’s pool. 

Check your local restrictions on dumping hot tub water to make sure you’re in compliance; some locations don’t allow hot tub water, commonly known as “gray water,” to be disposed of on the ground or in the sewage system. 

You’ll need a specific plumbing cleaning if your hot tub has a thick coating of biofilm, which is made up of bacteria and fungus. Oh Yuk Jetted Tub System Cleaner is a popular one with excellent ratings on Amazon. Your hot tub’s filters will also need to be cleaned and replaced.

Check out this useful guide on cleaning a hot tub.

  • Purchase a chlorinator control panel and system and follow the accompanying instructions for installation.

On Amazon, the ControlOMatic MegaChlor DO Saltwater Chlorine Generation System has excellent ratings and is far less expensive than rivals.

Multiple power levels are available, as well as a self-cleaning system that does not need external timers, no plumbing or mechanical modifications, and the ability to create up to 100 grams of pure chlorine every day. The beauty of this system is that it can be used for pools as well as hot tubs.

  • Make that your water’s pH, alkalinity, and calcium levels are all within acceptable limits. 

Specific instructions on the present water chemistry of your hot tub will be required by your chlorinating system. Before you turn it on, make sure you follow these instructions. If you’re upgrading your hot tub to a saltwater system, chances are you already have a chemical test kit on hand, but if not, Amazon has the following: 

5-Way Swimming Pool or Spa Water Chemistry Test Kit with Case (Pool Master 22260)

 

  • Test the salinity levels and then Toss in the salt.

You may not be aware that tap water contains some salt. As a result, you should test the salinity levels before adding salt to ensure that you know how much to apply. When it’s all said and done, your hot tub will have a salinity level of about 2,500 ppm. 

For every 100 gallons of water, 2 pounds of salt is usually added. To be confident of this number, consult the instructions that came with your salt chlorination system, since not all systems are created equal. 

In your hot tub, you may use any kind of pool salt. AQUASALT is the most popular brand, which you can get on Amazon here. Many individuals recommend incorporating Dead Sea Salt if you’re seeking for something more therapeutic with skin advantages. This salt is available on Amazon, but it will set you back a large amount of money. 

Skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema, and acne may benefit from the use of Dead Sea Salt. After using it in their spa, many people say that their skin feels softer and cleaner. Minerals found in Dead Sea Salt include:

  • Potassium
  • Sulfur
  • Calcium
  • Sodium
  • Zinc
  • Magnesium
  • Bromide
  • Turn on the chlorinator and relax in your new saltwater spa.

As soon as your chlorination system is turned on, you should be able to use your new hot tub. Another advantage of a saltwater hot tub is the ability to relax. No longer must you wait for powerful chemicals to work their magic before entering your hot tub. 

Friends and family will be dying to come over and enjoy your saltwater hot tub spa in no time. After that, they’ll be raving about how soft their skin and hair are, and you’ll be looking for methods to evict them from your house for some much-needed solitude. 

Include some entertaining hot tub games! 

You should play some of these great hot tub activities with your friends and family now that your hot tub is ready for leisure and socialization. 

Hot Tub Hockey: You just need two players for this game, but you may use more if you like. You’ll need some kind of floating item, the most frequent of which being floating rubber duckies. 

The basic aim is to get the floating item to contact the hot tub side of the opposite team. All you have to do is blow on it or make waves in the hot tub. 

Pass the Bottle: You must pass a bottle filled with any solution around the hot tub using any part of your body other than your hands. If they’re using the same body part as you, you can’t pass the bottle to them. They’ll have to use a different body part to get the bottle. The one who drops the bottle first loses. To avoid spilling into the hot tub, make sure any containers you use are well closed. 

 

If you want to convert your hot tub into a salt water system, the first thing that you will need is a pump. The next step is to add salt to the water and then use it for cleaning. Reference: how much salt to add to hot tub.

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