If you own an Arctic Spa and have Spa Boy installed, look to see where the Probe Cap is located. The probe cap most likely won’t be in there if the water is already filled so you will see the blue electrode that is located in there instead. Before you start draining your spa, we want that probe cap on there for the probe to read and work efficiently. Directions on the Spa Boy probe can be found here: Spa Boy Probe Plug Directions ; Spa Boy Probe Installation Directions. 

Your spa has been enjoyed for months now, but for some reason your water is eating up chemicals and has become harder to balance. Most likely you’re due to drain the tub and start over!  

Step 1 - Flush out the plumbing: Locate or purchase a spa flush such as SeaKlear Flush, Ahh! Some Flush or Hot Tub Serum then remove your filters and anything else floating in the spa from the spa. Once your filters are removed, add the appropriate amount of Spa Flush and run the tub for 30 minutes to an hour. 

The spa flush will loosen up any biofilm debris in the plumbing.  Biofilm can affect chlorine levels negatively when trying to balance water. Biofilm builds up whenever you are using the tub; this film comes from oils and other organic materials bathers bring into the water. 

Step 2 – Drain the Old Water: Before removing water from the tub, make sure the power to the tub is turned off. Once turned off, use a submersible pump to remove water or use the drain built into the tub. Using a submersible pump will speed up the process.  

Step 3 – Wipe Down the Shell: The system flush products are meant to get the biofilm debris out of the plumbing.  When the debris detaches, it will re-collect on the shell surface. To remove it, blend a mixture of 25% vinegar and 75% water in a spray bottle. Spray the shell down and wipe mixture and debris away with a microfiber cloth. You can rinse the shell off with water from your hose, but this is not entirely necessary 

Step 4 – Fill tub with Water: Before filling, check your drain valve and make sure it is closed if you opened it to drain the spa.  Failing to do so could cause you to lose water while filling. Fill the spa through the area where the filter(s) install. We recommend using a pre-filter to remove metals from your water while filling. Once you have filled the tub, you can reinstall the filter(s), switch the power to the spa back on and begin to heat to your desired temperature. Occasionally you may encounter an air lock on your spa pump, every spa is susceptible to this, but it is generally easy to fix by following the directions in this video: https://youtu.be/iVJdPVViM3o?si=G0x89DIYZQ7QNqYI