Easy Hot Tub Water Care with Dover Pools: Less Time Maintaining, More Time Relaxing

• Steve Jost August 25, 2026

One of the questions we hear a lot from new hot tub shoppers is, “How difficult is it to take care of the water?”

The good news? It doesn’t have to be difficult at all.

At Dover Pools, we believe owning a hot tub should be about relaxing, not constantly measuring, adjusting and adding chemicals. That’s why we recommend a simple, layered approach to hot tub water care using UV& Ozone technology, FROG @ease low chlorine mineral system and O-Care. This is approach is simple to understand, saves time, and cost effective compared to other maintenance systems.

Start With Technology Working Behind the Scenes, Inside your Hot Tub

Many of our made in America MAAX hot tubs we offer come equipped with their Clean Zone Ultra water-care system featuring UV and ozone. These systems work as the water circulates through the tub, providing an additional layer of water treatment behind the scenes.

The advantage is simple: instead of asking your sanitizer to do all the work by itself, you’re using multiple technologies together as part of your overall water-care routine. The Clean Zone Ultra system uses the power of UVC light, the same technology that is used to purify drinking water. Clean Zone Ultra kills 99.9% of bacteria, creating the perfect blend of hygiene, purity and technology for your hot tub water.

FROG @ease: Low-Chlorine Water Care Made Easy

The next layer is one of our favorites: FROG @ease with SmartChlor Technology.

Unlike manually adding traditional chlorine and experiencing sanitizer levels that rise and fall, SmartChlor is designed to self-regulate and maintain a consistently low chlorine level of approximately 0.5–1.0 ppm when the water is properly balanced. FROG says its mineral and SmartChlor system can reduce chlorine use by up to 75% compared with traditional hot tub chlorine systems, including salt-water chlorine generators.

The SmartChlor cartridge typically lasts about three to four weeks, while the mineral cartridge lasts approximately four months, depending on use. The cartridge flips over when it is ready to be changed, making this system very easy to maintain.

That means less time worrying about daily chlorine additions and more time enjoying your spa.

Add O-Care to Your Weekly Routine

Finally, we recommend O-Care, a simple two-part weekly water-care treatment.

Once a week, add the appropriate amount of O-Care directly to your hot tub. O-Care is simple to use, and maintains soft and safe crystal-clear water, to simplify water balancing. There are many benefits of O-Care to not only your water clarity, but to the overall health of your hot tub.  O-Care reduces biofilm and sediment building up inside of your hot tub’s lines. Reducing sediment will help extend your heater element’s life span.

Do You Need a Saltwater Hot Tub for Easy Water Care?

Not necessarily.

Some hot tubs use salt and a chlorine generator to produce sanitizer. While that can be an effective approach, easy water care doesn’t require a salt chlorine generator. Chlorine generator salt systems require more steps to set up and initially balance your hot tub. They also are always making chlorine. Chlorine levels are maintained between 1.0 to 5.0 ppm, much higher than the @Ease systems SmartChlor technology.

Our preferred approach combines supplemental UV/ozone treatment, the automatic low-chlorine convenience of FROG @ease, and a straightforward weekly O-Care routine.

The result is a system designed around what most hot tub owners really want:

Less chlorine. Less hands-on maintenance. Simple weekly care. And more time enjoying their hot tub.

If you’re considering a new hot tub, stop by your nearest Dover Pools location. Our team can show you how today’s water care technology can make owning and maintaining a hot tub easier than you might think.

Dover Pools — Let Us Show You How.

About Dover Pools

Since 1976, Dover Pools has been Delmarva’s largest pool, hot tub, and swim spa dealer. Dover Pools has five locations conveniently serving Delmarva from Salisbury Maryland, Seaford, Milford and two locations in Dover. Dover Pools offers exceptional customer service, expert advice, free water testing, and quality chemicals, supplies, accessories, games, and toys for your backyard pool and hot tub. Whether you already have your own backyard oasis of are looking for a new above ground pools, hot tubs, or power pool swims spas; Dover Pools is here to help.