Does this hot tub require chemicals of any kind to keep the water clean. And with or without chemicals, how often does the water need to be changed?

Hello and than you for your question. All hot tubs require some type of chemical treatment to keep the water clean. If you did not use water treatment, you would change the water every time you used the hot tub, just like a bathtub. With proper water treatment, you may go two or three months between water changes.