countrygal

Thats great, just what I was looking for! I need to get more tomarrow and I will test it. Last year I bought my bleach from the Dollar store and I really got some strange readings so this year I switched to Walmart and got concerned when I saw a 68% loss in FC after 2 hours, most likely I just had a lot of stuff in the pool but it will be nice to be able to double check the bleach. Again thank you.

I just purchased 10 large jugs of 6% bleach from walmart and poured enough in(5 jugs) to raise the FC to 18 based on the Pool Calculator's estimate. After 2 hours I tested the water and the FC level was 7 with 0 CC, I got the same results after the third hour. I just opened the pool and it was rather clean so I did not expect to loose FC that fast and its a cloudy, rainy day so the sun could not play a factor. I am thinking that I got a bad batch of Bleach from Walmart or that the powder in my Taylor Test Kit T-100 could be bad, its about 3 years old. Has anyone heard of the quality of Walmarts Bleach or how long the life expectancy of the test kit chemicals is? In any case, I just added the other 5 jugs (before I thought about the test kit being the problem) I am either going to be ok or I just made a very bad mistake.

Yes, they do have different scents, I forgot which one I got but it smells really nice. I put it in about 20 min. before I get in and it still smells nice for at least the time I'm in. The smell is not over powering and its gone by the next day.

This year I bought a product by Zodiac called Cense Quiet Escape. It has MPS + Aromatherapy. If you add it to the spa before going in the aroma will last for over an hour.

No, I don't have a pillow, but we do drain the water from the top of the cover often, though the water level in the pool has gone down since I winterized it, which happens every year. This year I raised the water level high then tried to put the cover on it to try to get a tighter fit but it still did not reach over the sides in all places. I can see how the pillow may help with the cover and also help roll rain water off the cover, I may try it next year. My main concern is the ice on the pool water rubbing against the vinyl liner, I had thought the cover should rest on top of the water in all places even around the edges preventing the water from freezing, it seems that the pillow would raise the cover and allow freezing. If ice is not a problem then I guess I am ok as it is. Thanks for your input.

I agree, the best time to soak is when it is snowing. Its so quite but for the little tinkling of the snow flakes. Thats when you realize life is great.

Very good idea! Nice job.

Wow, I was told that if it bubbles it is working, when it stops bubbling call them. Looks like I will be opening up my spa to.

I have a large above ground pool and the cover must have shrunk, it no longer covers the pool and drapes over the sides. Now there are some open gaps around the rim. Last winter and then again this year I have noticed that the water has froze around the edges. I could not tell in prior years if water froze because the cover completely covered the pool. I have a vinyl linner will the ice rip the linner? Is it normal for the water to freeze?

Chas, good luck on Dec. 4th. I hope your surgery goes well. The spa doesn't help much with my back pain but it does wonders for my mental wellbeing.

When I first get in I like to turn the pumps up high and lay in the lounge seat, I stay there for about 15 min. then I move to a chair with major neck and back jets, this only lasts about 5 min. then I turn the pumps down to low and sit in the next seat while the bubbles float up my back. Thats when I am ready to watch the stars and forget the day.

Thanks for the information Richard. I need to drain the spa in about 2 weeks anyway so I think I will try adding some Epsom Salt in small amounts about 2 cups per day, not to exceed a total of 14 cups. I will "test" each night to see how much it takes to get any noticeable results. If nothing happens or if the water gets a bad reaction I'll drain (have to anyway) and scratch this idea. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

I know that using epson salt in bath water is very soothing and leaves your skin soft. Does anyone know if it can be safely added to the spa?

You can use Baking Soda to increase the TA without increasing the pH. Then use Muriatic Acid or Dry Acid to bring both the TA and pH down. See my prior topic titled: Using Muriatic Acid to bring down pH. Chem Geek has explained this process very well and he included another post which further explains it. I am in the process of doing just that and it is working out fine. Good Luck.

As I understand it from reading another post, if the CYA gets to high it make the chlorine ineffective. I don't know at what level this will happen and I don't know what can be done to bring it down, I hope someone responds to this post as I also think my CYA may be to high.