EZ SPA® Technical Assistance
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General Questions
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What is EZ SPA®?
EZ SPA® is a proprietary, multi-function granular compound for spa water care. It combines a clarifying agent, stable oxidizer, scale inhibitor, water conditioner and balancers (pH, TA and CH) – all in the same bottle! Spa water treated with EZ SPA® remains scale and foam free. The convenient, once-a-week application allows spa owners to spend more time enjoying the spa and less time troubleshooting and maintaining it. EZ SPA® is compatible with ozone and mineral purifiers as well as balancers and traditional sanitizers (chlorine and bromine).
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How does EZ SPA® work?
EZ SPA® is simple to use. Its concentrated formula oxidizes contaminants, conditions and clarifies, inhibits scale and foam, and maintains water balance. After the initial water balance, add EZ SPA® just once-a-week with E-Z SPA BOOST for clean, clear spa water.
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Why is EZ SPA® better than other products?
Other spa chemical lines are based on reactive science: wait until you have a problem, attempt to diagnose with complicated testing, and then treat by adding a multitude of chemicals that might fix the problem. EZ SPA® works on PROACTIVE science: you actually prevent water problems (foaming, odors, pH imbalance, cloudiness) rather than adding more chemicals to treat them after they occur.
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I am using EZ SPA®. Do I need to add a stain and scale inhibitor and a metal protector or does your product contain this? We use well water with a softener.
Part of the EZ SPA® program is using EZ START upon filling the spa; this will remove most metals and minerals. EZ SPA® does contain an effective maintenance dose of stain and scale. Under normal circumstances this stain and scale is strong enough to inhibit any staining or scaling that may develop. In certain situations, like using well water, the amount of metals and minerals may overwhelm the inhibitor, depending on how many are present in the fill water. To contain this, use EZ SPA® as normal and if you see scale or stain start to develop use EZ START to clean the remaining metals and minerals out the water.
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How can I tell the expiration dates on EZ CAL, EZ UP, EZ DOWN, EZ SPA®?
There’s isn’t an expiration date, however, EZ SPA®’s effectiveness start to diminish after 2 years. The other products remain stable if stored in dry environment.
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What is included in the EZ SPA® CARE KIT?
The spa care kit includes: EZ SPA® (1 lb.), EZ SPA® START (8 fl oz.), EZ SPA® BOOST (1 lb.), EZ SPA® CAL (1 lb.), EZ SPA® UP (1 lb.), EZ SPA® DOWN (1.5 lb.), test strips and a measuring scoop.
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What is EZ SPA®?
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Usage Questions
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I currently have a spa with an ozonator and I use dichlor and a silver ion cartridge filter – can I switch to EZ SPA® without draining my spa? Can I leave the ion filter in?
EZ SPA® is compatible with the silver ion product. It is ok to start using EZ SPA® without draining, however we do recommend draining the current water to eliminate all the chemicals your are currently using and to take full advantage of the pristine water quality that EZ SPA®. Please make sure that your water is balanced according to the directions for use on the bottle. Consult your retail supplier or APi if you have any additional questions.
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I recently purchased a new spa and it came with the EZ SPA® Care Kit. I’ve had no problems but I am confused about E-Z BOOST addition. The spa manual states to add chlorine after each use and daily to maintain 3-5ppm. EZ SPA® directions are to add EZ BOOST weekly. Chlorine will measure zero after about 24 hours, please help me understand the difference in recommendations between EZ SPA® and the spa manufacturer.
The EZ SPA® system is an alternative to traditional chlorine-based systems. The EZ SPA® Total Care replaces the need for chlorine additions after every use. TThis cuts chlorine usage by approximately 90%. Total Care and Boost together replace the need to maintain chlorine at 3-5ppm, thus creating a less harsh and more enjoyable spa experience.
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I purchased EZ SPA® Total Care and E-Z BOOST. My question is on the E-Z BOOST product, should I be seeing a chlorine residual on my test strips? I was using brominating tablets but we hated the smell and its seemed to make us break out so I was excited to try the E-Z BOOST instead. However, I am nervous because I was told I should always have either a bromine or chlorine residual in the tub for disinfection purposes. I was instructed to use a scoop of the TOTAL CARE weekly and a capful of the E-Z BOOST every other week. I have a small 2 seat hot tub, 175 gallons.
The directions you were instructed by your dealer are correct and you will see a low Free Chlorine reading (1-2ppm) for a day or two after the addition of E-Z BOOST. You will see a Total Chlorine reading of approximately 1ppm the rest of the time.
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When on EZ SPA® how often should I clean my filter? And how long should my filter last?
You should clean your filter, at the very least, one time per month depending on use, if you use it every day you should clean it probably every two weeks. Filters should be replaced every 12 to 18 months. You do not need to chemically clean the filter because E-Z SPA does not leave a gunky residual. If for some reason the filter is very clogged and dirty, then you can chemically clean it, but for the most part, hose-spraying the filter will clean it nicely.
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I have the hot spring’s Sumatran spa. Its 310 gallons, and I and one other person are the only people who use it. We shower before each use and my question is this: since EZ SPA® is fairly pricey, can we get away with using less than 1oz per 100 gallons?
We recommend the weekly dosage amount of 1oz per 100 gallons, so for your tub you will use approximately 3 oz. weekly. You can lower that to 2oz weekly with weekly filter cleaning with a garden hose. A 2 lb bottle of EZ SPA® will last 16 weeks. Whenever you have a heavy bather load you can add a couple of extra scoops.
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I need to add dry EZ SPA® to my hot tub. It says to use 1/8 once per 100 gallons. My spa is 310 gallons. How does this relate to teaspoons or Tablespoons?
1/8 oz = 1/4 tablespoon, so you need 3/8 oz = 3/4 tablespoon a 300 gallon spa.
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What size is the measuring scoop that comes with EZ SPA®?
It is a 1oz scoop.
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I currently have a spa with an ozonator and I use dichlor and a silver ion cartridge filter – can I switch to EZ SPA® without draining my spa? Can I leave the ion filter in?
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Testing Questions
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What test strips do you recommend for EZ Spa® products?
The test strips in our EZ SPA® Kits are Insta-TEST 5 Plus by Lamotte but any strip that measures pH, total alkalinity, total hardness and total chlorine will do.
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I have just started using the EZ SPA® chemicals and was wondering what I need to be testing for on the test strips. I need to buy some new ones and not sure what all I need to be testing for.
You can test for EZ SPA® with any standard 5-way test strip. EZ SPA® will show up as the Total Chlorine/Total Oxidizer of .5ppm or higher will indicate sufficient EZ SPA® in the water. You should have no problems with EZ SPA® as long as you add the recommend weekly dosage. We do recommend that you bring a water sample monthly into your local EZ SPA® dealer for testing.
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Customer added 3 times as much EZ SPA® Start than what is recommended and wants to know if it’s still safe for the customer to use the spa.
The customer is able to use the hot tub with any amount of EZ SPA® START. It will not harm the skin and the customer will need to rinse the filter once a day for three days in order to remove the START.
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What test strips do you recommend for EZ Spa® products?
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Balancing Questions
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I have been using E-Z Spa for about 8 years and have been very pleased. I was told to use E-Z Spa and; Oxy Brite, plus the + and – additives to get proper ph. That supplier went out of business, and my current supplier was shocked that I wasn’t using chlorine with it and sold me Leisure Time Spa 56, Chlorinating Granules and was told that it wouldn’t smell the day after treating. Well, I put the chlorine in on Tuesday, and it still smelled, and I had to take a shower to get rid of the chlorine smell. We have liked EZ Spa® because it didn’t smell, but it surely does with chlorine added. What chemicals are needed in addition to E-Z Spa, and PLUS and MINUS?
The EZ SPA® program can be used with EZ SPA® BOOST which is a chlorine-based sanitizer. You do not need to use EZ SPA® with Oxy Brite. If it smells like chlorine, there’s a chance that too much chlorine was added to your spa. I’ve included our EZ SPA® Start-up Program below.
IMPORTANT: Circulate the spa water with the jets on whenever adding chemicals to the water. For best results, circulate and filter the water at least 8 hours each day. Always start with fresh water (drain and refill) and a clean filter when converting to EZ SPA®.
1) Add EZ SPA® START to remove metals, phosphates, scaling carbonates and organic debris.
2) Balance your spa water by using EZ SPA® UP and EZ SPA® DOWN to adjust total alkalinity and pH and EZ SPA® CAL to adjust calcium hardness.
Total Alkalinity 80-120 ppm
pH 7.2-7.6
Calcium Hardness 300-400 ppm
EZ SPA® will help manage water balance but we do suggest testing weekly (always test before adding EZ SPA®). When adding chemicals, allow sufficient time for the water to circulate (at least 10 minutes) before testing again.
3) Add EZ SPA® BOOST- Initiate startup with 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) per 200 gallons. Weekly thereafter, add a 1/2 ounce per 400 gallons, slightly more for heavy bather use, to maintain proper sanitizer levels
4) Add EZ SPA® – Initially, and once-a-week thereafter, add 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) per 100 gallons. For spas using ozone or mineral purifiers, add just 1/2 ounce per 100 gallons. It is not unusual for pH to drop slightly after adding EZ SPA®. The buffers in EZ SPA® will typically adjust and raise pH levels within 24-48 hours.
5) After 12 hours, rinse the filter cartridge. Then rinse once-a-week to maintain water quality. It is not necessary to chemically clean or soak your cartridge when using EZ SPA®. -
Which do you use to adjust total chlorine levels, e-z boost or-e-z spa om, or do they both effect it? Mine is high and I don’t know which I may be overdosing.
The total chlorine is a combination of EZ Spa®, EZ Boost and ozone. You can extend your weekly application of our products to every ten days until your total chlorine reading is 5ppm. However, a high reading is not a problem when you have a lot of spa activity. The water clarity should not be affected by a high reading either.
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Our levels are all good except for the total chlorine. It is very low, and it seems the water has a little green hue? Can you tell me what to do?
Bring in a water sample and check pH,TA and CH , if the TC is low, then you need more EZ SPA® and some EZ BOOST, We also recommend to rinse filters really good with garden hose.
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Just got your product, fresh fill on spa, everything is adjusted (pH, etc), but I have no chlorine reading, will use boost, goes up for few hours, and is back down again, do I still have to use tablets with this system.
All you need to do is add the recommended amount of EZ Spa® and EZ Boost weekly and rinse your filter. You do not need to run tablets with our program. Also, please consult with your local authorized dealer for additional information.
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I have been using E-Z Spa for about 8 years and have been very pleased. I was told to use E-Z Spa and; Oxy Brite, plus the + and – additives to get proper ph. That supplier went out of business, and my current supplier was shocked that I wasn’t using chlorine with it and sold me Leisure Time Spa 56, Chlorinating Granules and was told that it wouldn’t smell the day after treating. Well, I put the chlorine in on Tuesday, and it still smelled, and I had to take a shower to get rid of the chlorine smell. We have liked EZ Spa® because it didn’t smell, but it surely does with chlorine added. What chemicals are needed in addition to E-Z Spa, and PLUS and MINUS?
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Bromine Questions
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When using EZ SPA®, sometimes the bromine level is high, how should we handle this high level of bromine when it occurs? Why is the bromine sometimes high but not always?
High bromine occurs in an EZ SPA® spa due to mainly two reasons: lack of spa use or putting in too much product. The EZ SPA® procedure calls for the use of EZ BOOST on a weekly basis instead of bromine. With only 1oz per week per 400 gallons, the chances of having a high sanitizer level drop dramatically.
Any sanitizer that is fed on a continuous basis is always dissolving, then looking for contaminants to kill. If you aren’t using the spa very often, or if you have the cover on continuously (or both), contaminants aren’t getting in the water to be killed so the sanitizer builds and builds. If on the other hand, you use the spa a little more frequently or use less of the sanitizer, levels will be lower and more consistent. EZ SPA® does not rely on constant bromine or chlorine to work. A small weekly dose will do. The next time you drain your spa, try using EZ BOOST instead of bromine. The water will feel nicer, smell fresher, and is healthier in the long run. -
Can EZ Up/Down be used with spa that has brominate tablets as sanitizer? Or only with chlorine?
Yes, EZ Up/Down can be used with any sanitizing system including bromine tablets.
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I have a customer inquiring if they should still use bromine in their spa. The spa they use EZ SPA® in is equipped with an Ozinator.
Your customer does not need to use bromine in their spa. They should use 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of E-Z BOOST per week along with the correct amount of EZ SPA® (1 ounce per 100 gallons).
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How to convert spa from Bromine to EZ SPA®?
If the spa water has had bromine in it for the past 6 weeks/2 months, then drain it and refill before starting EZ SPA®. Otherwise, just balance water and start EZ SPA®.
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When using EZ SPA®, sometimes the bromine level is high, how should we handle this high level of bromine when it occurs? Why is the bromine sometimes high but not always?
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Troubleshooting Questions
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We started using EZ SPA® in one of our condominiums spas we maintain and all of a sudden my technician said today that it was foaming up. Not sure what or why it would do this after a week and a half of use with no issues.
EZ SPA® has no foaming properties. The foam is likely due to bather load, bather residue, or vandalism. Use a defoamer to remove the foam and an enzyme to mop up any residue that could cause foam again. The defoamer should have the spa looking great in minutes and the enzyme will work throughout the weekend breaking down the foam causing residue.
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Green tint to spa. We have used EZ SPA® product only on this spa. Spa water is new. No metals. Alk=100ish, Calcium 170. E-Z BOOST and EZ SPA® on higher ends. We have never had this issue in this customers spa with lower calcium levels. It is not algae. So what’s up?
A green-tined spa is caused by one or a combination of three things in order of likelihood (generally, not specific to the spa):
1) Oxidized copper; either from source water or a deteriorating heater.
2) Calcium hardness is too low; this allows the active ingredient in EZ SPA® to come out of solution more rapidly.
3) Too much EZ SPA® in the spa; this happens when the spa is not being used as frequently but the same amount of product is being used each week (the same would happen with chlorine or bromine spas, the less you use the spa the less product you need to sanitize, especially covered spas that are protected from dirt, dust, and debris, with a very minimal bather load, no contaminants get in the spa so EZ SPA® is not being used to kill them which results in a higher amount of EZ SPA® each week because of no introduction of significant contaminants.). -
I have used your E-Z SPA (old bottle style). It gives me a severe rash and causes severe itchiness. I have been treated by a Doctor. I did not use your product for the longest time, tried it again and boom same problem.
EZ SPA® utilizes oxygen to keep spa water clear and clean; it does not normally irritate skin unless there is some problem with oxygen to the user. More likely, there was an issue with low pH. Spa water must be balanced prior to use. When a spa is covered and not used for multiple EZ SPA® treatments the pH may move down on the scale and cause the rash. Use your spa more or uncover it periodically between treatments.
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I just became acquainted with your EZ SPA® product and its great. We were previously using the Soft Soak chems and experienced musty smells after only a couple weeks of use. Our Spa Store suggested the use of EZ SPA® and Spa Guard chlorinating concentrate. The result was that the spa is great but I’ve turned out to have a severe reaction to the chlorine…major rash and itching.
Approximately 1 person in 1,000 has a sulfate allergen which can be exacerbated with too much Total Care residual in the spa water. This may be the issue but it can usually be averted by cutting the dosage.
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We started using EZ SPA® in one of our condominiums spas we maintain and all of a sudden my technician said today that it was foaming up. Not sure what or why it would do this after a week and a half of use with no issues.
- Safety Questions