A hot tub shock, booster or shock dosing a hot tub means adding a high concentration of chlorine. This process is also known as superchlorination or hyperchlorination.
The reason why it is important to "shock" a hot tub is to break down any organic matter, bacteria and any other contaminants to make the water safe to use or to help restore the quality
When should you shock-dose a hot tub?
- When you first set up and fill up with fresh water
- After heavy use
- After not being used for a long period of time
- After a loss of water clarity or quality
- After refilling with fresh water
How to shock dose a hot tub
A hot tub shock can only be done with chlorine granules and not chlorine tablets, as these are designed to be slow-releasing and will not work in the same way.
Step 1
Measure the correct quantity of chlorine granules for the water capacity of your hot tub.
- 12 grams (2 teaspoons) for a hot tub of 600 litres
- 16 grams (3 teaspoons) for a hot tub of 800 litres
- 20 grams (4 teaspoons) for a hot tub of 1,000 litres
- 24 grams (5 teaspoons) for a hot tub of 1,200 litres
Step 2
Dissolve the Chlorine Granules in a jug of warm water and pour directly into your hot tub with the filter on so that it can disperse around the whole body of water. We recommended turning the massage jets on for a few minutes too.
Step 3
After shocking a hot tub, you need to wait a minimum of 24 hours. This is to give time for the chlorine to disinfect the water and to balance itself.
After 24H, test the chlorine level with the dip test strips and make sure levels are 3-5ppm. Add more Chlorine if necessary, but balance the Total Alkalinity and pH first.
