Hot Tub Forum

Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: 39lasalle on October 04, 2016, 09:29:46 pm

Title: Chemicals?
Post by: 39lasalle on October 04, 2016, 09:29:46 pm

Is there a forum section for chemical questions?

I am asking this here as it is the active spot on the forum.

Just got our A7L this afternoon and dealer got us squared away with the water, going with chlorine.    Our old tub from 7 years ago was bromine.    I am sure in the future I will have questions about water balance, where would be the best place to go for answers?


Thanks

39

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: Hottubguy on October 04, 2016, 09:44:17 pm

Ask away. Chem geek is the go to guy on here but I think most of us can answer most questions. Pics of the tub yet?

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: Tman122 on October 04, 2016, 11:12:38 pm

Chemicals sounds so harsh, how about balance adjustment products (backing soda, lemon juice) and sanitizer.

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: 39lasalle on October 05, 2016, 05:11:36 pm

Ok...delivery guy said we were good yesterday


Got homs and put a test strip in...

Looking like there is no alkalinity in water and the free chlorine and total chlorine are high...

Any suggestions...it does not look like i have any chemicals to up the alkalinity

Thanks

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: Tman122 on October 05, 2016, 06:44:22 pm

Baking soda will increase your alkalitity. But it will also raise your PH. What are your current readings for both PH and Alk?

If the smell of chlorine is bothering you stop adding so much and slowly watch it drift down to where your comfortable. 3-5 PPM each week with heavy use at least once. But try and get the chlorine level lower when you soak and higher after your soak. I had success with .5PPM or less during a soak and 2-3PPM after. But my use was a lot lighter than yours will be on your tub honeymoon. A shock can bring your chlorine PPM up to 10 if necessary to burn off chloramines and nastys. Research diclor plus bleach.

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: Hottubguy on October 05, 2016, 07:26:25 pm

A lot of times with test strips high chlorine will bleach out the other readings on the strip as well. Before you add anything I would check it again tomorrow with strip

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: 39lasalle on October 05, 2016, 08:29:35 pm

Added some baking soda, appears to raise the alkalinity some.  No chlorine smell.  Will check tomorrow.

Ordered a better taylor Test kit

Thanks

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: The Wizard of Spas on October 06, 2016, 12:00:57 pm

Tip:  When adding chlorine leave the cover off for 15 mins or so.  This will let the chlorine burn off and will reduce the initial chlorine smell.  It also reduces the proximity of your cover to the chemical reaction, allowing the integrity of your cover to stay intact longer, reducing the damage and accompanying water it will take on. 

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: mpkelley20 on October 06, 2016, 05:52:09 pm

Ditch the test strips and get a decent test kit.  This is probably the bets one you can get.  They make smaller versions of this as well.  I bough the big one because I have a pool as well and need to test a few other items.

http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: 39lasalle on October 06, 2016, 07:22:11 pm

Ordered the k2006 test kit

Checked today everything looked good , now chlorine looked a little low.   

Learning curve ...will get there

Thanks

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: darin.brown on October 08, 2016, 12:22:26 pm

filling up the standalone tub (Bullfrog A8 with ozone) as we wait for our pool to be finished.

initial test for my Taylor K-2005:

ph > 8.0
TA 130
CH 110
CYA < 30

I know the pH needs to come down to between 7.4-7.6 but the Bullfrog manual says not to use MA as it can damage the spa shell. any recommended pH decreaser apart from MA? does that TA need to come down some in order to make the pH level more stable once I get it in the 7.4-7.6 range?

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: Hottubguy on October 08, 2016, 12:24:48 pm

Sodium bisulfite or ph down as it's called in pool/spa stores

Title: Re: Chemicals?
Post by: Tman122 on October 08, 2016, 06:51:35 pm

Or scoop a 5 gallon bucket from the tub. Put your MA in there and dump it back in.