“It’s easy to keep your hot tub water clean and clear with the FreshWater™ Salt System!”
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One of the primary concerns about owning a spa is water care. Click the link below and watch the video to learn how the FreshWater Salt System lets you spend more time relaxing in your hot tub and almost no time maintaining it.
Test your water using a FreshWater 5-Way Test Strip.
With jets running add 2⅓ cups salt per 380 liters of water to the filter compartment,
Add concentrated chlorinating granules or liquid chlorine as directed on the bottle
Access the water care menu on your control panel and set the desired level.
Available on all Highlife® Collection and Limelight® Collection spas, this easy-to-use salt water system eliminates the worry of keeping spa water clean, clear and sanitised for a full year.*
Unique, patent-pending technology makes FreshWater Salt System the best salt water system for hot tubs. The titanium cartridge creates chlorine from salt to sanitise the spa water.
Use the control panel to set the system level needed to clean the water based on your usage needs.
The control panel prompts you to check the water with a test strip every 10 days and adjust the system if needed. It also indicates when the system needs attention and instructs you on what steps to take. It’s that easy. The disposable cartridge never needs any maintenance and lasts for four months. With only three cartridge changes, the water stays fresh for a full year, giving you the best spa water possible.
With fewer additives and less chemicals, the spa water stays cleaner longer. Spa water lasts 12 months before it needs a drain and refill. FreshWater Salt System saves on maintenance time, conserves water and saves money.
The disposable and maintenance-free titanium cartridge, hidden away in the spa, is easy to replace in just a few seconds, without tools.
The FreshWater® Salt System removes the day-to-day hassle of keeping spa water clean, clear and sanitised. This is an affordable, simple, and easy to use system that addresses the water care roadblock for most consumers.
These systems have been around over 40 years. However, the FreshWater® Salt System is unique and the first of its kind with an in-line and disposable design that is easily accessible from the top of the spa. Cartridges can be changed without having to drain the spa or call a service technician.
The design of the FreshWater® Salt System is patent-pending which means other spa manufacturers or third-party vendors will not be able to offer this product.
The salt system has been in development and lab testing for over three (3) years while internal and field beta testing has been in progress for the last two (2) years.
The results from the beta were very helpful in refining the installation and operation of the system and the feedback was very positive with users indicating that their spa water was much softer (less irritating) and the system was easy to use which resulted in them using their spa even more than with their previous water care system.
Like bottled chlorine, the chlorine generated by the FreshWater Salt System is sodium hypochlorite. However, bottled (dry) chlorine contains stabilisers like Cyanuric acid.
When stabilised chlorine is repeatedly added to spa water, the Cyanuric acid can accumulate over time and cause the irritation to the skin and eyes typically associated with traditional chlorine water care.
With the FreshWater® Salt System there are no stabilising acids added to the water – so the water is softer and more enjoyable.
The FreshWater® Salt System cleans the water without creating chlorinated or brominated byproducts. It is these byproducts that ultimately lead to the strong chlorine or bromine smell often associated with traditional spa water care.
So, it is less likely you will experience any strong chlorine odour when using the FreshWater® Salt System.
The titanium cartridge is designed to last four months.
Cartridge life is dependent upon use and on the water being properly balanced and maintained.
Detailed instructions on how to replace a salt system cartridge can be found on the spa’s control panel or in the FreshWater® Salt System owner’s manual.
Typically, the salt system cartridge should not require cleaning before it needs to be replaced. However, this is dependent upon spa usage and on the water being properly balanced and maintained. The cartridge can be cleaned if scaling is found on the electrodes with pH down or diluted vinegar.
The amount of salt added to the water is based on the spa size (5-10 cups depending on spa model). This is less than human tears and 10x less than sea water.
Unlike pool systems which require high levels of salt (5,000 ppm), the FreshWater® Salt System operates with a minimal amount of salt (1,500-2,000 ppm), which is non-corrosive when the water is balanced to the specified parameters.
Table salt is not recommended for use with the FreshWater® Salt System because it contains iodine and anti-caking agents that will interfere with the systems operation and may cause staining of the spa shell.
No – the target salt level for spa water when using the FreshWater® Salt System is 1,750 ppm – which is virtually undetectable by taste or smell.
For comparison, the salt level of tap water is around 500 ppm, and sea water is around 35,000 ppm.
The FreshWater® Salt System will continually generate chlorine from the salt added to the water at start-up. The hot tub owner only needs to add more salt when they drain and refill the hot tub, or after topping off the water from a significant splash out.
Keeping calcium hardness levels at the 50 ppm target will help reduce water lines and salt/scale formation. You may occasionally need to run a damp cloth around the bartop to keep it clean.
Periodically hose off your spa exterior, spa steps, and the deck or concrete surrounding your spa after use to prevent salt buildup that can occur from splash-out.
It is recommended to regularly hose down decks and nearby plants since salt can accumulate to levels that can damage and discolour decking as well as kill plants. When draining the spa, follow all local codes and guidelines.
Many factors impact the life of hot tub water, such as bather load and water chemistry. When these factors are accounted for and the spa is properly maintained, the FreshWater Salt® System will keep water clean and clear for a full year.
It is recommended to test and balance your spa water before each use and weekly when not in use. The FreshWater® Salt System will remind owners via the control panel every 10-days to check and balance the spa water and confirm the Output Level.
Following are the recommended optimal targets and ranges for your spa water.
| System Parameter | Target | Min | Max |
| Salt | 1,750 ppm | 1,500 ppm | 2,000 ppm |
| Calcium Hardness | 50 ppm | 25 ppm | 120 ppm |
| Alkalinity | 80 ppm | 40 ppm | 120 ppm |
| pH | 7.4 | 7.2 | 7.8 |
| Chlorine | 3 ppm | 1 ppm | 5 ppm |
It is recommended to test and balance your spa water before each use and weekly when not in use. The FreshWater® Salt System will remind owners, via the control panel, every 10-days to check and balance the spa water and confirm the Output Level.
Depending on the make-up of the spa water, other water chemicals may be needed.
Hydrogen peroxide can be used to reduce the chlorine level in the spa water. For more information refer to the FreshWater® Salt System the Owner’s Manual.
Yes – Silver is highly recommended to use in conjunction with the FreshWater® Salt System to inhibit bacteria growth, minimise chlorine demand, and extend the life of the water.
Since the salt system cartridge has its own housing in the bar top, the silver cartridge can be used per the instructions on the box, adapters are not needed.
Cyanuric acid found in granulated dichlor can bind chlorine in the water and make it inactive. Depending on the chemistry of your fill water the introduction of cyanuric acid may not allow the spa to maintain a chlorine residual even though the water appears to be clean and clear.
If this is experienced, drain and refill your spa.
There are several reasons why your spa water may be cloudy:
If your spa water has a high metal content, you must treat your water prior to using the FreshWater Salt System:
The Output Level determines how long the salt system will run each day.
Output Levels can be adjusted up or down to increase or decrease the generation of chlorine based on spa usage. Output Levels should be kept as low as possible while maintaining a chlorine level of 1-5 ppm.
Output Level
0 – No output/System off
1 – Vacation/low output mode
2 to 7 – Normal use (recommended)
8 to 9 – High use
10 Maximum output (system runs constantly)
The Boost feature overrides the current Output Level and activates the cartridge to run at the equivalent of a 10 output level for 24 hours.
The system returns to its previous Output Level once the Boost cycle is over.
Boost should be used before and/or after heavy usage and when the chlorine level is very low from irregular usage schedule.
No – the spa will “remember” the time that has elapsed and resume the 4-month timer once power is restored to the spa.
When the Summer time is active, the FreshWater® Salt System is disabled for eight (8) hours each day. If the chlorine level of the spa falls below 1 ppm, increase the Output Level by one each day until 1-5 ppm can be maintained.
The warranty only covers the controller for one year (may vary from country to country).
The cartridge is a consumable item and is not covered under warranty.
The entire warranty can be found on page 11 of the FreshWater® Salt System the Owner’s Manual.
All 2019+ Hot Spring Highlife® and Limelight® Collection models are compatible with the FreshWater® Salt system. The system is not backwards compatible.
No – all 2019+ Hot Spot models are compatible with the very effective in-line FROG bromine system
DO NOT use bromine or other floater systems with the FreshWater® Salt System.
No – Connextion is not currently compatible with the salt system.