HTChris

You're going to have a problem overriding the temperature. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and other agencies helped our industry in setting into place "high limits" (therefore the use of high limit switches). It's my understanding according to several doctors that water temperatures over 107 F are dangerous for soaking. You can become so relaxed that your body's core temperature rises! Hyper-thermia is just as dangerous as hypothermia. Our advice to our customers over the years has been, if the water feels even a little hot (not warm), don't go in. We want our customers to have a safe, long life with their hot tub! Enjoy it safely! Chris

As long as the water is in balance & the sanitizer level is good, the steam shouldn't bother you. Is the spa inside or outside? Good ventilation is a key to hot tub health. There's some good information about "hot tub lung" at our website, cheaphottubchemicals.com. Enjoy your spa!

First question: when are you checking the pH? If you're checking the pH right after you've used the tub or have had the bubbles or high speed jets on (up to about 1 hr. BEFORE testing), you're not getting an accurate reading. The bubbles & turbulence in the water release carbon dioxide into the water. The carbon dioxide then drives the pH up, artificially. Bad reading. We always tell our customers to test the water BEFORE turning on the jets. Water imbalance will almost always cause extra skin irritation. I've got a bit of psoriasis on my legs & I can always tell when a spa is out of balance. Plus, the hot water doesn't aid the "drying" out of your skin either. Good luck.

Get your total alkalinity up to 125 ppm. That will buffer the pH & help prevent it from slipping down. One thing to remember is that granular chlorine (dichlor 56 or 62) has a naturally "low" pH which will put a drag on the pH. Since you're at the point of changing the water anyway, change it & get the water rebalanced. Adjust the Total Alkalinity monthly. Another balancing point is the Calcium Hardness. Maintain that level between 150 - 200 ppm; this will also help to control foaming. When you've got everything in balance, it all works together. Have fun!

The price appears to be very reasonable, especially with the extra goodies added in. Enjoy your spa!

Hi Rika, Many of our customers ask the same question. So, to answer your question quickly, DON'T USE POOL CHEMICALS IN SPAS OR SPA CHEMICALS IN POOLS! To be perfectly honest, the chemicals themselves may indeed be the identical product, but it's the labeling. And the labeling makes it a question of legality. The question of legality makes it a discussion of whether YOU want to be sued if another friend of yours gets a rash or "illness" because of using YOUR spa. I'll be as brief as possible. Here's the scenario: you need to add "shock" to your water. You're out of it. The weather's bad so you go to your local pool discount store (you normally don't shop there, but it's convenient), go to the pool chemical isle (they don't carry spa chemicals & the store person is not knowledgeable) & pick up a bottle of pool shock; shock is shock (NOT). You bring the shock home & use it according to YOUR dosage of what you remember. A couple of days later a friend comes over for a soak. A couple of days later your friend calls to tell you about a rash that she's got under her arms, across her chest & back. She goes to the doctor, doctor tells her it's a good (bad) case of psuedomonas (PA). She spends lots in medical bills & presciptions. She wants to be reimbursed. An investigation finds that you are treating the spa with pool chemicals. The labeling says NOTHING about spas or hot tubs. YOU are negligible and therfore liable. You can also bring the store into this be casting some blame on them (not knowing better, should have told you, etc). You've lost a friend. BUT, you saved a couple of bucks on the shock! That's why. Pool dosages & spa dosages are significantly different for obvious reasons. Another thing to keep in mind is that the way they are used is also much different. If you want some honest answers, you can visit our site at cheaphottubchemicals.com . BUT PLEASE, only use spa chemicals in your spa; NEVER use pool chemicals. In the long run it's not cheaper. Enjoy your spa! Chris

Over the years our customers have found that the hot tub may have to be drained a couple of times in the first several months to get the tea out. Make sure that you're balancing the pH, Total Alkalinity, & water hardness. Whether you use chlorine or bromine doesn't make a difference. Water balance does. The tea effect is normal & natural....eventhough it doesn't look good. Good luck!