If you ever owned a hot tub a short amount of time, then you’ve probably experienced this interesting phenomenon. You walk out to your garden, pull the cover off your hot tub, and the water is green!

This can be a shocking turn of events and can be genuinely scary, especially if you’ve never encountered such a problem before. However, you don’t need to worry – while it may look troubling, it is surprisingly easy to fix green hot tub water.

In this guide, we’ll explore the causes of green water in your hot tub, what it means, and how to fix green hot tub water. So, when you’re ready, simply read on for tips on how to get started with cleaning your tub.

Why is my hot tub water green?

Generally speaking, there are two main reasons behind green water developing in your hot tub – algae and minerals. Both play a role in causing this unpleasant problem and can be identified by the following:

Algae

If you’re wondering why there seems to be green water in your hot tub, the most common cause is usually algae in the water, which is itself a symptom of the water not being regularly with chlorine or bromine, allowing the algae to build up and grow exponentially.

Minerals

Minerals, including iron and copper, can also lead to green water. These minerals can get into your hot tub’s water from the pipes or corrosion. And if you live in an area with high levels of minerals in the water, this could also cause green hot tub water.

How to determine the cause of green hot tub water

From algae to minerals such as iron, manganese, and copper, there are a variety of reasons why you might find that you have green hot tub water. But how do you go about determining the exact cause?

1. Check for algae

Algae is the most common cause of green pool water, so it is worth attempting to work on this as your first line of treatment by testing your hot tub’s sanitiser levels and ensuring its pH levels are balanced.

If they’re not and your sanitiser levels aren’t high enough, then algae will grow in your hot tub over time, making it very important to top up your sanitiser when possible to prevent bacterial and algae growth.

2. Check for mineral levels

If your hot tub water is green and your sanitiser levels are fine, then it’s likely that metals are leaching into your hot tub’s water. You need to solve this issue quickly, as it can lead to staining, which will be harder to clean off in the future.

The metals that are responsible for green water tend to be iron, manganese and copper, meaning you need to drain your hot tub and then get cleaning to prevent your tub’s bowl from getting tarnished.

How to treat green hot tub water

If your hot tub water is green, you will either need to use a hot tub shock to kill algae or empty your hot tub and clean it. Here are our top tips below:

1. Shock your hot tub to clear the algae

To take care of the algae, you’ll need to shock your hot tub. Hot tub shock is composed of very strong oxidizing agents that can kill off any algae growth by rapidly increasing chlorine or bromine levels.

To shock your hot tub, take a look at the instructions provided by your chosen product and then wait for around a day after shocking the tub to test the water’s pH levels before using it.

2. Clean your filters

If you’re cleaning your tub’s water, you also need to clean the filters. To clean the filters, you will need to remove them from your hot tub and rinse them to remove larger particles from their filtering system.

You should also use a specialised filter cleaner to ensure that they’re spotless. If it has been three months or more since you last changed your filter, you may wish to remove the filter and replace it, instead.

3. Clean your hot tub

If the algae or mineral staining is particularly bad, then it’s always a good idea to clean your hot tub fully by draining it and wiping down the bowl. You can also take this time to flush the piping clean as well.

Once the hot tub is empty, you will need to wipe any residue off the surface of the hot tub, which you should be able to do with a damp sponge. The more stubborn bits of residue will require a specialist hot tub cleaner product. Ensure that you wipe the entire interior of the hot tub thoroughly to get rid of all residue.

How to stop your hot tub water from turning green

Although finding your hot tub water turning green can catch you off-guard, as you can see, it is easy to fix. However, if you want to avoid green hot tub water in the future, then you need to carry out regular hot tub maintenance.

So, let’s leave you with a few final takeaways on the topic of avoiding green hot tub water:

  1. Regular cleaning is a must: regular cleaning of your filter will ensure it remains free from clogging, something which is key when you’re striving to keep algae to a minimum. You’ll also need to ensure balanced bromine and chlorine levels.
  2. Ensure the tub is covered when not in use: this will keep debris at bay and ensure excessive sunlight isn’t allowing algae to grow freely.
  3. Drain and refill your tub: even with regular cleaning and maintenance, every now and then it’s important to refresh and reset the hot tub by doing a full refill.

Start your hot tub journey with Platinum Spas

We hope that you’ve found these insights on how to fix green hot tub water helpful. And just remember, it’s important to keep on top of hot tub maintenance if you want to ensure clear water all year round.

And, if you’re on the lookout for a new tub, why not browse the Platinum Spa range today? We have premium hot tubs as well as swim spas for you to check out. So, simply get in touch with our team of experts to find out more.

We’ve also got plenty more advice over on our hot tub owners’ hub for once everything is installed.

Green hot tub water FAQs

We strongly recommend that you do not use your hot tub if the water is green. Depending on its cause, it can make you sick, and is, at the very least, not a pleasant experience.

Your hot tub water should only ever be a transparent blue. If it is another colour, there is something wrong and we advise against using it.

Other signs that your hot tub water has issues include a bad smell, mustiness and cloudy water. Keeping on top of hot tub maintenance can help avoid these issues.

Jamie Smith
Latest posts by Jamie Smith (see all)

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