How to Fix Yellow Hot Tub Water: Restoring Water Clarity

Seeing the light or dark yellowish water in the hot tub is a nightmare for busy folks, especially in the cold seasons. Well, this happens due to chemicals and low pH levels.

To fix yellow hot tub water, you’ll need to test it to understand the level of pH or other contaminants. Then, balance the water based on the chemical readings range. Next, clean the water and filter. Lastly, drain the water and refill it rightly.

Here I’ll explain the causes and then show the above procedure in detail so you can try it at home. Let me lift the veil for you!

5 Causes of Yellow Hot Tub Water!

Most of the time, the chemical in the water is what causes hot tub water to turn yellow. Due to the elements like chlorine, bromine, alkalinity, acidity, hardness, and low pH level, the water turns brownish to yellowish (based on the level). Let me break this down in detail:

1. A low pH level of water can turn the fresh water to yellow. Based on the experts, the recommended range of pH in the water should be around 7.2 – 7.6 (at max). If the pH level reaches below this range, the hot tub’s water will start to go yellowish.
2. Calcium hardness can make the water yellow if it stays in the water for more than 180 – 250 PPM (Parts Per Million).
3. A high level of alkalinity or acidity is another culprit that causes the water to become yellow. It is recommended to have acidity in water no more than 80 – 150 PPM.
4. The high level of chlorine causes the water to go yellowish and leaves grime as well if the level is higher than the recommended range. FYI, it should be around 2 – 4 PPM to call the water balanced.
5. Because of the high presence of bromine, the hot tub can show yellow water. In most pool and spa chemical readings, the recommended range of bromine is no more than 3 – 5 PPM.

Steps to Fix Yellow Hot Tub Water [Deep Cleaning]

Under this segment, I’ll directly share the step-by-step procedure of how you can fix the yellow hot tub water easily. Let’s begin:

Step 1: Test Your Hot Tub’s Water

To confirm the water is yellow due to contaminants you’ll need to check the water’s pH level. And to do that, you have two options which are test strips and testing kits to check the chemical readings. Based on what you have at home, pick one method:

Method 1: Using Test Strips

Start by taking out one stripe from the test stripe. Then, use a glass and fill it with the hot tub’s water. Next, dip the test strip into the glass water for 2 seconds.

After that, take it out and hold the strip in the air for 15 seconds to show the right chemical reading. Then, match the shades of the strip to the bottle (which shows the balanced water range in different categories such as alkalinity, chlorine, bromine, and so on).

Try to use the 5-way test strips which contain complete chemical readings at once instead of salt or phosphate test strips.

Method 2: Using Testing Kit

From a nearby store, get a testing kit for a spa or hot tub. Then, open the kit and you’ll see 2 bottles where yellow (OTO) test Chlorine and red (Phenol) test pH level.

Next, take out the chemical reading scale and dip it inside the hot tub to take some water. Be sure to remove the red and yellow caps.

After that, add 4 drops of yellow (OTO) solution in the yellow scale cup and red (Phenol) solution in the red scale cup.

Then, put on the red and yellow caps and shake them. Now, check the chemical reading and match it along the scale to know the level of bromine, chlorine, and pH in the hot tub water.

Step 2: Fix the Containment Level

If your hot tub shows the presence of minerals, then it’s time to take action. Based on the level of each mineral, you’ll need to try the given cleaning method like this:

For Calcium Hardness

For Alkalinity or Acidity

For High or Low pH Levels

For Chlorine

For Bromine

Step 3: Clean the Water

After balancing the water, you’ll need to clean it using the defoamer or cleaner especially if the filters or scum line seems dirty.

To do that, take out the filters and sink in the footwell and place them in a safe spot. After that, detach the soft pillows (if possible). Next, add 1 teaspoon per 100 gallons of hot tub cleaner (like Ahh-Some) into the hot tub water.

Then, turn on the jets for 30 minutes. During the process, the solution will create foams in the water with yellowish gunk. After the period, turn off the jets and clean the gunk with a mesh skimmer to scoop them up.

Again, run the jets for 20 – 30 minutes and then turn them off. Next, clean the scum line with a sponge or magic eraser. Do the same procedure for around 5 – 6 times until you see no yellow residue around the hot tub’s surface.

Step 4: Clean the Filter

If the filters (that you’ve removed from the hot tub) contain yellowish residue, then flush them with water. Repeat this if the filters seem dirty.

Step 5: Drain and Refill the Water

To drain the hot tub water, turn off the hot tub at the breaker. Then, remove the water using the drain valve if equipped. Ensure to drain the water completely.

Next, fill the hot tub with filtered water using a pre-filter (installed on your garden hose). After that, use 50% of softened water when filling the hot tub and it should be the minimum water level (indicated near the sticker on the filter spot).

Plus, add a sequestering agent to remove any minerals or metals in the water. Then, let the water circulate and filter for at least 30 minutes. After that, test the water (as I’ve mentioned above).

Overall Thoughts

The contaminants in the hot tub are bad for human skin and can cause irritation and burns. Due to this, it gets vital for all to know how to fix yellow hot tub water. All the above processes are easy to do if you contain the right solution to balance and clean the water.

If you are recently faced leakage in the spout, then learn how to fix a leaky tub faucet here. Happy reading!