Brand Specific Forums > Hot Spring Spas
Why is there no chlorine reading in my salt tub?
Repulsive_scallion:
Same issues here with no / low free chlorine reading on test strips. The person I spoke to at the dealer said 'Salt chlorine is different than chemical chlorine, so don't be worried if your test strip shows no FCL'. However, this is in direct conflict with the manual which says I should be looking for a FCL of '3' on my test strips.
I just got the tub a week ago, so trying to figure out my routine. Right now I plan to use liquid chlorine (bleach) to shock once per week (bring FCL up to 16) but not sure if I should be adding liquid chlorine during / after use, or look at the mineral stick etc.
Further details:
System:
* Flash 360 Gal w/ Salt Water.
Salt is a little high between ~1750 - 2000 ppm per test strip but salt system on tub is dead center green.
No ozone, mineral stick etc.
Calcium hardness is right about 75ppm
New tub so CYA should be minimal and I moved to liquid chlorine in first week
PH and Alk being managed effectively.
*
Usage is daily multiple times (two adults and kids) right now, will probably settle down once it isn't so new ;)
Hottubguy:
--- Quote from: Repulsive_scallion on June 08, 2021, 11:17:08 am ---
Same issues here with no / low free chlorine reading on test strips. The person I spoke to at the dealer said 'Salt chlorine is different than chemical chlorine, so don't be worried if your test strip shows no FCL'. However, this is in direct conflict with the manual which says I should be looking for a FCL of '3' on my test strips.
I just got the tub a week ago, so trying to figure out my routine. Right now I plan to use liquid chlorine (bleach) to shock once per week (bring FCL up to 16) but not sure if I should be adding liquid chlorine during / after use, or look at the mineral stick etc.
Further details:
System:
* Flash 360 Gal w/ Salt Water.
Salt is a little high between ~1750 - 2000 ppm per test strip but salt system on tub is dead center green.
No ozone, mineral stick etc.
Calcium hardness is right about 75ppm
New tub so CYA should be minimal and I moved to liquid chlorine in first week
PH and Alk being managed effectively.
*
Usage is daily multiple times (two adults and kids) right now, will probably settle down once it isn't so new ;)
--- End quote ---
What do you have your output level set too? I have had better luck keeping hardness level closer to 25 PPM. Will be tough for salt system to keep up without that much usage. I would use a mineral stick with it
Sammi:
After my struggling quite a bit after my first complete water change my system has worked as advertised and I really enjoy the system now. I'm of the belief that whatever yuckies were in the spa on first fill were cleared up after I super-chlorinated the water and drained after 4 months. Had I known that I would have drained and refilled after the first couple weeks.
Repulsive_scallion:
--- Quote from: Hottubguy on June 08, 2021, 10:03:32 pm ---
--- Quote from: Repulsive_scallion on June 08, 2021, 11:17:08 am ---
Same issues here with no / low free chlorine reading on test strips. The person I spoke to at the dealer said 'Salt chlorine is different than chemical chlorine, so don't be worried if your test strip shows no FCL'. However, this is in direct conflict with the manual which says I should be looking for a FCL of '3' on my test strips.
I just got the tub a week ago, so trying to figure out my routine. Right now I plan to use liquid chlorine (bleach) to shock once per week (bring FCL up to 16) but not sure if I should be adding liquid chlorine during / after use, or look at the mineral stick etc.
Further details:
System:
* Flash 360 Gal w/ Salt Water.
Salt is a little high between ~1750 - 2000 ppm per test strip but salt system on tub is dead center green.
No ozone, mineral stick etc.
Calcium hardness is right about 75ppm
New tub so CYA should be minimal and I moved to liquid chlorine in first week
PH and Alk being managed effectively.
*
Usage is daily multiple times (two adults and kids) right now, will probably settle down once it isn't so new ;)
--- End quote ---
What do you have your output level set too? I have had better luck keeping hardness level closer to 25 PPM. Will be tough for salt system to keep up without that much usage. I would use a mineral stick with it
--- End quote ---
Thanks for the reply.. I have it at 10, and have used boost ETC.
I agree that calcium hardness is high at 75 based on manual, the San Diego 2020 water report shows that total hardness averages at 200 ppm so the single resin pillow that came with the tub wasn’t enough. I may head to dealer and get another “Vanishing Act” pillow (unless this forum has a more cost effective suggestion!!)
Also I am going to test for phosphates tomorrow to - the watershed here has a lot of runoff and other posts have indicated that high phosphate levels also keep chlorine too busy.
So... two questions!
1 any suggestions on ways to drop calcium hardness in the salt system besides getting another pillow?
2 is there any validity to the dealer’s statement of “chlorine from a salt system is different than chemical chlorine and salt system free chlorine won’t register on the test strip”??
Thanks all
Richie_NY:
Hotsprings flash owner here. We had some issues initially with the tub producing chlorine. 9ne I changed the initial salt cartridge and start adding phosphate remover every once in a while, my tub produces it's own chlorine. I haven't added in a few weeks and I'm still reading 3 ppm. I keep the salt setting on 8.
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