Is it safe to use tap water with high iron when filling a new hot tub?

syedsam

syedsam

Member
I filled my hot tub straight from the hose but later noticed orange staining around the seats. My water has high iron so maybe that’s the problem. Should I be using a filter on the hose when I refill?
 
Yes, definitely use a hose filter if your tap water has iron. The stains are from the metals oxidizing, and once they’re there it’s a pain to clean. The filter is cheap compared to dealing with stains.
 
I ran into the same issue since my well water has a lot of iron too. What helped me was adding a metal sequestrant right after filling, basically it binds the iron so it doesn’t settle on the shell and stain. It’s not a one-time fix though; you usually need to add a little more whenever you top off the tub. If you combine that with a hose filter on the next refill, you’ll save yourself a lot of scrubbing later on.
 
I’ve dealt with that before and learned the hard way that iron-rich water and hot tubs don’t mix well. Even if you filter and add sequestrant, you’ll still want to keep a close eye on your water chemistry because iron can throw off the sanitizer balance over time. Some people I know actually truck in softened water for the initial fill just to avoid the constant fight with stains and discoloration. It’s not always practical, but if your water has really high iron, it might be worth looking into.
 
In my opinion, if your water has a lot of iron, adding a little metal sequester when refilling makes things a lot easier. It’s a small step but helps avoid stains.
 
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