gary3029

This Is defiantly a white powder. It look like flour on the floor of the tub and the water is cloudy. It has clogged up the filters. I add the bromine starter and bleach as soon as the ph and Ta were brought down to an acceptable level then turned the heat on and add the bromine floater. At this point water clear. It was next day the water was white. Bromine was at 6 and I fine tuned the TA and PH, but with this white water and clogged filter. As the filter catches the particles water clearing slightly. The only chemical I added of any quantity was PH minus as I reduced the TA, using the bubbles to raise the PH. Other chemicals in the tub at emptying is pipe cleaner prior to emptying. Stain and scale inhibitor on filling. PH minus, sodium bromide and bleach.

Hi been tubbing for many years and have got into a system now where I have few problems if any. I use the bromine 3 stage and as the sticky says very forgiving. I use the tub, 1000 litres, most nights and empty every 3 months. Emptied on Saturday and followed routine setup. Refill and ch 171. Then reduce alkalinity from 200+ down to around 85 using PH Minus and using bubbles to increase ph. This usually takes about 4-6 hours and I stabilise at about ph 7.5. Once that is done I then follow the 3 stage bromine and turn on the heat. Over next couple of days I fine tune. I follow this setup each time and no problems and no problems over next 3 months, just normal checks. This time a problem. Did the above and next day when I checked the tub it was very cloudy with evidence of a powder residue. Filter was clogged with this residue. Changed filters and did checks. Ph 6.9 and Alkalinity 20. Added some ph plus and air on and those 2 have now stabilised at 86 and 7.6. Changed filter daily and clogged up with white stuff. Water starting to clear slightly. Not sure what as happened...any ideas? Thanks

Hi waterbear Have just got my color q pro7 and my readings were not that far off. Tap water CH was 440 and pool CH was 272. Is using the Eco filter causing me any long term problems? Thanks. Gary

Many thanks for such an in-depth answer and the research you have done. Thought I was doing right by putting my tap water through a filter. Have been through to Lamotte and ordered a new test kit. Hopefully this sort out what I really have. Thanks

Thanks for such a quick reply. I told you I know nothing. You think you are getting the hang of it and your not! Ok have repeated this test 3 times to make sure of my findings. Using my test kit I filled the tube upto the 400 mark with tap water and added the tablet. It remained pink 3 times which the kit says is over 400. Have no way of testing how much over 400 it is, but we get through a kettle on a yearly basis Then did the pool water 3 times and it turned purple. I then added water until it went pink which was at 300. The hose filter I used was the Eco one filter. Not sure what it did, but it did something!!! My numbers are Ph 7.5 TA 60. CH is 300 temp 40c I wish I had the drop test kit as I am sure it is more precise than what I currently have , but the Lamotte has to be better than test strips. The company who produce the Taylor kit could make a killing if they would sell it in Europe. Thanks.

Hi Well up and running with the new tub. Using the bromine system and it seems ok at present. Just want to check if my numbers are ok given I am dictated by my CH. We have very hard water here so tap water was well over the 400 Mark. Used a filter on the hose to fill the tub and my CH is now 300. My TA is 60 and my PH is settling at 7.5. Temp is 40c and size is 1022 litres. I know nothing but it would appear by working to my CH because I cannot lower this my SI appears balanced. Would I be correct in assuming this? Also I use the Lamotte tablet test kit as cannot get Taylor in the uk. When looking for colour change in the CH and TA test am I taking the reading as soon as there is a slight change or a definite change? Thanks Gary

Hi Have just tested my tap water and the CH is well over 400 which is no surprise given the state of the kettle and shower heads. How do I manage this from the start and reduce it as I am just in the decontamination stage of my brand new tub. Will be using filter stick for next fill and then the 3 stage bromine system. Thanks.

Hi Does anyone know where I can buy borax from here in the UK where it is cost effective to use. I suspect it is still on our shelves, but under another name because they are looking at banning it's sale. Thanks

Hi. I am based in the uk and have had a tub for a number of years and will take delivery of a new one shortly. Have followed the forums for a while now and an important peice information I have taken on board was to get a good test kit. Sadly in the uk we are limited and cannot get hold of the Taylor kit you across the pond swear by. I use the Lamotte test kit model pm 51 3368. In the past I have used bleach to run the tub, but have decided with the new tub to do bromine 3 stage process. This is where confusion sets in. The test kit is based on chlorine and not bromine. It does say if using bromine multiply results by 2.25. Do I still do both tests for bromine with DPD r1 and DPD r3 and then multiply by 2.25? If I understand correctly there is not a specific test for bromine using the tablets? Also do I have to use replacement test tablets from Lamotte or will others be the same under another name? Hopefully the experts on here can clear this up for me as I want to use bromine and not buy another test kit. Thanks.

Ok a little more complicated than the title would suggest. Because of work I have had to move away from main home and can only get back at weekends. Can't take hottub with me so I have a problem. Do I leave tub on all the time and waste electric for most of the week or could I switch the tub off sunday evening and have it come on automatically thursday so I can use it at the weekend? Would there be a problem with the water going cool through the week the heating up again for a few days. I use bleach in the tub and it works ok. Regards gary

Hi With testing my pool twice a day and following the advice of the computer programme I use I have been able to get my readings into normal parameters: Tc 4ppm Fc 4ppm Ta 90ppm............. from over 200ppm!! Ph 7.2 Ch 120 Temp 76f cyanuric acid 40 saturation index on last nights test was -0.4. Now I found in my programme I can mess with the key varibles for saturation index and on the readings above if I increased ph to 7.6 I could get the saturation index to 0.0. This was even the case when I increased the TA, taking into acount the rise in PH. My point is given I have got my readings in their normal parameters should I now fine tune each day to get as near to a saturation index of 0.0 as I can or is that going to far?? Thanks

I have bitten the bullet and bought a test kit here in the uk. it is the one made by LaMotte and tests the following: PH, Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Free Chlorine so combined Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid. Was using the test strips which I have now found out were out on every test, even though they gave readings I was in normal parameters. It is the test strips or my new test kit which is wrong so I will go with the test kit. The problem I have encountered is the LaMotte kit says the Total hardness for the pool should be 200-400ppm. A computer programme where I can log all my data etc, called 'PoolMagic' is saying my reading of 100ppm is ok. The pool is vinyl above ground and the other readings are as follows: PH 7.6 Alkalinity 200...I am working on getting this down Total Hardness 100 free Chlorine 3 cyanuric acid 30 Temp 85 Saturation index is 0.6 I use bleach and test daily. So is my total hardness way out or correct. Thanks

Hi I will try and answer each point. It would for starters appear from your reply I have got something wrong. I assumed that if I had gone down the bleach road and checked everyday and after each use I would not have to top up with CYA. As I change 50 % of the hottub water each month and also back wash the pool on a regular basis I would say there is little ot no CYA the pool or hottub. I have used up my test for CYA. Is it essential to have CYA in a pool if it is covered when not in use. I don't have a problem with losing my bleach. The pool has a heat blanket on it plus a thicker cover which covers the pool so as to keep out any leaves etc. The hottub is of course covered. Up untill using bleach my TA was around 80-120 but my PH was for ever falling and I had to add chemicals most days to keep it up. Since using bleach my PH is stable and the only chemical I add is to try and reduce the TA. The hottub and pool do not share the same water. Yes the pool is vinyl. Pool chemicals are as follows total hardness = 50 TC = 1 FC =3 TA = 180+ PH 7.4 I am not connecting the heat pump untill I can sort out why the TA is so high or that it will not damage the unit Thanks gary

I have a hottub, 1000 litres and an exercise pool of 11000 litres. A couple of months ago I switched to using bleach in both and my life has been a lot easier. I check everyday so my bleach is always correct. My ph in both the pool is now between 7.2 and 7.6 and I don't have to add anything to maintain this, unike before I used bleach. My problem is a very high TA, in the region of 180 plus and this is the same for the pool and hotub. Now what I know about water chemistry you could write on a postage stamp. However I have learned that correct levels of TA helps keep PH stable, yet I don't have an issue with my PH. My water is not cloudy, in fact since switching to bleach both have looked the best they ever have been. Could it be possible to have a very high TA and a stable PH? I have tried to lower the TA down to 80-120 but cannot do it. If the PH is stable what damage to equipment will a high TA do? My reason for concern is I have just invested in a heat pump for the pool and it states TA should be 80-120. Do I need to be concerned or is it just one of those things???? Thanks

I have an exercise pool, about 11000 litres which is heatd by two solar water heaters which combined are 4 metres long and 2 metres wide. These do an excellent job of heating the pool on sunny days, but not so good otherwise!! I have looked at a heat pump and was wondering what experience people had of them. What size pump would people recommend, I have been told a 4.5kw would be fine for this pool I have. Thanks