“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” – in this case, Shakespeare was NOT referring to hot tub chlorine! A very common assumption from many owners of a spa is that chlorine is all the same, whether it is in tablet form or whether it is granular form - This is very much incorrect, as the chemical compound of chlorine will change depending on its form.
Overall we recommend that you stick to chlorine granules over tablets (or pucks) when sanitizing your tub. The choice of sanitizer, particularly its form designed for dilution or dissolution in water, can significantly affect any spa due to the composition of its compounds and could lead to unexpected damages and cost of repairs, see the criteria below:
Chlorine Tablets (Trichloroisocyanuric acid)
Chlorine tablets (or trichlor for short) are small pucks of chlorine that are used to sanitize the spa water. They are administered through the use of a floating dispenser, and the idea is that they slowly add chlorine to the tub automatically for the user.
- Regrettably, this doesn't always bring positive results, as it might excessively chlorinate the tub by introducing chlorine unnecessarily, and managing the quantity becomes quite challenging.
- Trichlor is notably more corrosive on the acrylic material and the plastic components within the spa.
Chlorine Granules (Sodium DiChloro, Trichloro-S-Triazinetrione)
Chlorine granules (dichlor) on the other hand come in a granular form and are added by a measuring cup and spread out within the water. It sanitizes the water at the same time, but as it comes in a much smaller form than the tablets, it dissolves much faster and reacts quicker. The user also has complete control over how much is added as the quantity is controlled and it won’t continue to release chlorine when not needed.
- The most important advantage is the fact that dichlor is pH neutral, meaning that adding it to the tub won’t affect the pH level, thus ensuring that your spa equipment's longevity is maintained.
- While they don’t get added to the hot tub automatically, this minor inconvenience drastically outweighs the thousands of dollars that can occur from service calls due to damaged components from tablets.
Lucite Acrylic, alongside other reputable names in the industry, and a leading supplier of acrylic material, has scrutinized the consequences of trichlor in a hot tub - Their analysis provides additional insights and confirmation of the findings of this study.
For additional resources and assistance regarding chemical application and maintenance, please refer to the dedicated articles provided directly below:
Article: Chemical FAQ - Troubleshooting and Maintenance Chemical Questions
Article: How do I maintain my spa chemistry?