Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: green1320 on August 02, 2006, 09:48:22 pm
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Just bought a new Tiger River Caspian tub and I am not getting very good instructions from my dealer on how to start the tub up. I will be using the dichlor chemicals. When do I add these chemicals and how. When should I check all the ph and ta and chlorine levels and what should I use to check them with. Any help will be more that the dealer has given me thus far.
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You need something to test the water - some use test strips others use liquid drop kits. The best kit IMO is the Taylor K-2005, it tests for everything and it has a great water balancing and troubleshooting guide. Always test your water with lower chlorine in the water, anything over say 5 PPM will make the readings wrong.
First you need to have your fill water tested to see where that is. Once you know that ...
PH - 7.2 - 7.6 range
Calcium - 150 - 400 PPM
Alkalinity - 80 - 120 PPM
You can add PH down to adjust alk and PH down, baking soda to adjust those up. If Alkalinity is OK and you need to adjust PH up - add soda ash.
Calcium if it's too high may be a problem, maybe someone can address that - I don't have that problem. If you need to add calcium, then get some calcium increaser. You can buy larger lots at a pool store (same as with PH down)
Now for chlorine (dichlor) you want to add enough to get a 2 to 3 PPM reading 20 minutes after you add it. If you go to http://www.rhtubs.com/bbs/FAQ.htm and 1/2 way down is Northman's and Vermonter's guides. Most of us follow these for our tubs.
Adding chlorine may be as simple as adding 1 teaspoon per person depending on the gallons ... the smaller the tub the less you need to add to get to that desired level.
I have a 400 gallon tub and typically use 1 teaspoon per person (1.5 PPM). You also may need to add chlorine when you don't use the tub ... hot water can go bad (cloudy from bacteria) in a day. Continual adding of chlorine (I add every other day) will keep the bacteria in check and the tub safe.
Every so often you need to shock either with dichlor or something called MPS (a long sceintific compound name).
Reading it may seem dificult but it really is EASY!
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There should be directions in your manual.
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Am a newbie also, with now one month of useage. Knew ZERO about tubs and chems before getting our tub.
I think Vinnie is right-on :)
Have found great info on the rhtubs.com message board FAQ site, both Vermonter's and Northman's rec's.
On that site also go to the main ' Dr. Spa's ' message board (upper left box) as there is some great factual info. on chems. i.e. Dichlor, etc.
My limited experience has been to start with just a "tad" less chems. and then "work up" to the correct levels, and don't try to "micro manage". (I mix/dissolve chems into water in a seperate container before adding to tub water)
So far, for our first month have had really good water quality, good success in keeping chems in range (using test strips), and a GREAT introdution to hot tubbing. ::)
Hope you have the same. ;D
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Thans for all the great information. I hope this all goes as easy as it seems.
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if you go overboard on the chemicals (worst case scenario), dump the water and refill. In any case, give the new water a few days to get to the levels you want, it's not something that'll happen in 20 minutes.
If you adjust the levels a little at a time, keep track of how much of what you added to the water to get it "right" for the next time, if you can.
Best of luck!
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Vinny
Great, well thought out post