CalderaSpas PALATINO, Owner'S Manual

27

PERFORMING SUPER CHLORINATION/

NON-CHLORINE SHOCK TREATMENT

A weekly or monthly super chlorination (1.5 tsp dichlor/950 liters) or shock 

(4tbs mps/950 liters) may be required of your chosen sanitation program.  

Increasing chlorine to 5 ppm for 24-48 hours removes excess waste and 

chloramines from the water.  Sodium dichlor is 6x stronger than MPS 

and may be a more appropriate for those users that experience heavy 

bather load conditions.  Operate all jets and leave the cover open for 

a minimum of 20 minutes to allow the oxidizer gas to vent to prevent  

damage and discoloration to the cover and pillows after administering 

a super chlorination or shock to your spa.  This type of damage is 

considered chemical abuse and is not covered under the terms of the 

limited warranty.

IMPORTANT: 

Always allow the Free Available Chlorine to fall below 5 

ppm before using your spa.

DANGER: 

Never leave an open spa unattended, especially if there 

are children present! 

MANUAL CHLORINE (SODIUM DICHLOR) 

Watkins Manufacturing Corporation recommends the use of 

MONARCH

Concentrated Chlorinating Granules (sodium dichlor) for sanitizing the 

water. Sodium dichlor is preferred because it is totally soluble, dissolves 

quickly, and is nearly pH neutral.   The recommended Free Available 

Chlorine (FAC), the amount of available chlorine sanitize the spa, 3.0-5.0 ppm. 

If the FAC is too low:

  Increase the FAC by adding granulated sodium 

dichlor.

If the FAC is too high:

Allow time to pass and the FAC level will 

naturally drop over time.

If the spa smells of chlorine: 

super chlorinate or shock the spa FAC 

chlorine does not have an odor whereas combined spent chlorine 

(chloramines) has a strong chlorine odor that can be eliminated by 

shocking the water. 

IMPORTANT:

 There are several forms of stabilized chlorine available for 

use in spas and swimming pools. It is extremely important to choose one 

specifically designed for spas. Use of an incorrect product such as tri-

chlor which has a very low pH (2.6) and dissolves too quickly in hot water, 

results in extremely high levels of chlorine that 

WILL 

cause damage to 

your spa. Use of a liquid or compressed bromine/chlorine or unapproved 

sanitizer  

WILL 

damage your spa and is specifically not covered under 

the terms of the limited warranty.

MONARCH

 OZONE MAINTENANCE

If Reduced or no ozone bubbles are coming from the heater return 

(clogged ozone injector) or no ozone, clean the injector: 
1.  Place 0.5 liter of white vinegar into a cup or bucket.
2.  Carefully loosen the long tubing attached to the bottom of the 

ozonator, located in the equipment compartment.

DANGER: Place the end of the tubing into the vinegar, making 

certain that the end of the tubing sits at the bottom of the container.

3.  Run the spa until all of the 0.5 liter of vinegar is gone. This should 

allow an ample flow of vinegar to be run through the injector and clear 

the blockage.

4.  Reinstall the tubing to the bottom of the ozonator.
Water chemistry damage is not covered by the warranty.  The chemical 

levels and water quality in the spa are under your direct control. With 

proper basic care, the spa will provide many years of hot water relaxation. 

If you are unsure about any chemical or its usage in the spa, contact your 

Authorized Dealer, or Watkins Manufacturing Corporation.

DO:

Add all chemicals slowly into the filter compartment with the jet 

pump operating for ten minutes.

Use special care if using baking soda to clean either the interior or 

exterior plastic surfaces.

IMPORTANT:

 Watkins Manufacturing Corporation DOES NOT 

recommend the use of any floating chemical dispenser. Damage to 

the spa shell or components caused by a floating chemical dispenser 

is specifically not covered under the terms of the limited warranty.  

Floating dispensers can become trapped in one area and cause an 

over-sanitization or release large chunks of sanitizer that very quickly 

chemically burn the shell and cover.  

DON'T:

Use compressed sanitizers.

Use a floater type sanitization system as a low or no maintenance 

solution to your spa maintenance program.

Use a sanitizer which is not designed for spas.

Use swimming pool (muriatic) acid to lower pH.

Use household bleach (liquid sodium hypochlorite).

Broadcast or sprinkle the chemicals onto the water surface. This 

method may cause chemically-induced spa surface blistering 

(chemical abuse).

VACATION WATER CARE 

INSTRUCTIONS

If you plan to be away from home, follow these instructions to ensure that 

the water quality of your spa is maintained:

SHORT TIME PERIODS (3-5 DAYS):

1.  Adjust the pH by following the instructions outlined in the Water 

Quality and Maintenance section.

2.  Sanitize the water by following the shock procedures also listed in the 

Water Quality and Maintenance section.

3.  Lock your cover in place using the coverlocks.
4.  Upon your return, sanitize the water by following the shock 

procedures, and balance the pH.

LONG TIME PERIODS (5-14 DAYS):

Prior to leaving:

1.  At least one day before you leave, set the temperature to its lowest 

level. This setting should represent an approximate water temperature 

of 80°F (27°C)

IMPORTANT: 

Spa water oxidizers such as sodium dichlor (chlorine) 

maintain their level of effectiveness substantially longer in warm water 

80°F 

(27°C)

 than in hot water 101°F to 104°F (38°C - 40°C).

2.  Adjust the pH as required. Sanitize the water by following the shock 

procedures.

Upon your return: 

3.  Sanitize the water by following the shock procedures. Return the set 

temperature to its original setting. The spa water will be safe for you 

to use once the Free Available Chlorine residual level has dropped 

below 5.0 ppm.

Water Quality and Maintenance