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tony

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Everything posted by tony

  1. Could be the auxiliary control pad. Unplug from the control box. If the problem stops, thats the culprit. You can still operate from the main. Faily simple fix but you have to pull a new wire from the front of the spa to the back.
  2. Do not shim that spa. Hotspring spas can be shimmed but Sundance cannot. The very best idea is spa tech's if you need to level it. If it is not too far off and the water level does not bother you, then leave it. The only side you need to worry about is the side the filter weir door is on. You do not want the water level to interfere with filtering.
  3. The slimy feel is most likely due to lack of sanitizer. I personally would never suggest the routine you are using. Use of Nature2 either requires a lot of MPS each time you use the spa and a chlorine shock weekly or a little chlorine after each use and either a chlorine or MPS shock weekly. Nature2 is a very slow bacteriacide and is easily overcome by even just one bather. Chlorine is fast acting but does not last long. MPS along with Nature2 apparently works but you need to add lots of MPS when spa is in use. Chlorine and MPS once per week each is way too little sanitizer, IMO.
  4. I like to use MPS to shock. As a daily user I don't like to wait for my free chlorine level to drop. I use bleach to chlorinate on a daily basis, so the low pH of non buffered MPS tends to keep my water in balance. For instance, since my water change in early April, I have yet to need any acid to lower my pH. This is without the use of borates or any pH balancing product. I shock weekly, though because I add chlorine daily, I most likely don't need to shock at all. MPS is also more fool proof. If you add too little, it oxidizes what it can...if you add too much, it waits for something to oxidize. With a chlorine shock, if you don't add enough to reach breakpoint chlorination...you have not shocked the spa. IMO, MPS works well. Maybe the brand of MPS I grabbed has a lower PH than most, because it really screwed my PH and TA, and I use chlorine everyday. Perhaps when using MPS you need to have a higher TA? I loved what it did for my tub, it was truly "shocked" and very clean but just caused my PH to keep dropping to 7.2 for about 3 days - everytime I'd add acid, it would drop again! I may just learn how much it lowers the TA and PH, and then bring it back up immediately and hope that it returns to balance. If you use dichlor and shock with non buffered MPS, it will drop your pH and thus your TA. Dichlor is slightly acidic and MPS is very acidic, so this would naturally bring your pH down. A higher TA would help with this. I use bleach daily which has a high pH, so the low pH of MPS helps keep me in balance. If you use dichlor and want to shock with MPS, you may be better off with a buffered version such as Leisure Time Renew which is pH neutral. I don't want to discourage others from shocking with chlorine. I was just replying to the question "why would one want to use MPS." Shocking with chlorine has the benefit of a true "super chlorination." I just like MPS for weekly maintenance. When I have a water problem, though, I shock with chlorine.
  5. Though some folks have luck using Natue2 (the Proclear stick IS made by Nature2) with non chlorine shock either before or after use and adding chlorine weekly...this has never worked for me. It also means adding a lot of product just to avoid the use of chlorine. I find Nature2 along with a little chlorine after use and a weekly shock either with chlorine or MPS worked much better.
  6. I like to use MPS to shock. As a daily user I don't like to wait for my free chlorine level to drop. I use bleach to chlorinate on a daily basis, so the low pH of non buffered MPS tends to keep my water in balance. For instance, since my water change in early April, I have yet to need any acid to lower my pH. This is without the use of borates or any pH balancing product. I shock weekly, though because I add chlorine daily, I most likely don't need to shock at all. MPS is also more fool proof. If you add too little, it oxidizes what it can...if you add too much, it waits for something to oxidize. With a chlorine shock, if you don't add enough to reach breakpoint chlorination...you have not shocked the spa. IMO, MPS works well.
  7. I have not personally tried any of the products, but have read of very positive results form Velvet Touch with no negative effects to the water quality.
  8. I would like to clarify what I stated. Ozone will contribute to the deterioration of your cover. It will shorten the life of the cover as well as pillows and other plastics. Your Sundance cover, however, will not be destroyed quickly. I believe the dealer was overstating the effects.
  9. An ozonator will not cause your cover to be destroyed very quickly, but it will bleach the underside and other plastic parts such as handles and the filter wier. It will also contribute to the disintrigation of your pillows. My factory Sundance cover is going on seven years old with Sunzone ozonator for about four of those years. I found that in my situation, ozone was not doing a whole lot for me and removed the unit. I use my spa almost daily and add chlorine each time after use, so my water was getting very regular sanitation and oxidation. Others who may use their spa in a different way or sanitize it differently may find ozone to be a help. The smell should only be an issue when you open the cover because ozone has had a change to accumulate. When the cover is off, any ozone should just disappear into the air. The ozonator will shut off automatically when you turn your jets on. You can try the spa without ozone and add it later if you feel you really need it. Your spa comes ozone ready and it is easy to install. If you decide you want ozone and are worried about the cover, a foam blanket on top of the water will help.
  10. There are many people who have had success with enzymes. The two that seem to be most popular are Eco One and The Natural (which can be purchased as rhtubs.com). They naturally run at a higher pH and you have to rinse your filters often. You also must use it with a low level of chlorine or bromine for proper sanitiation.
  11. I agree, here. My first year with my spa, I expected it to be a nice cooler summer tub. In July I couldn't get it to cool down at all. The next summer I bought a pool. My hot tub stays at 102.
  12. I am curious as to what you paid for the factory light system. Mind sharing? I just bought one of the aftermarket LED system for my Sundance Capri and it's great! Prior to that I NEVER used the light. It does work with a dimmer system (I'll admit I just crossed my fingers and hoped!). What happens is that the setting that previously would have been dimming ones don't do anything at all. So for each time you want to either change the display setting or shut the light off you need to hit the switch 3 times (the first 2 do anything.) It was VERY easy to install ... even I could do it! I didn't end up purchasing one. I like the blue light and decided to just keep what I had. If the light bulb needs changing, I'll consider an LED. It was a while ago, but I thought the factory light was somewhere aroung $125 or $150.
  13. Thanks for your post. I have made note of it for future reference. I recently had this issue with my used Capri. When I noticed it, I went to the control panel and re-set the Circ pump to start at whatever was the closest time to NOW. (Even though it was set for 24/7) It did come on then. I had to do this several times (each time I noticed pump not on) ... but now it has been running fine (the last week or so). I'm guess that it is likely the sensor it is going. Thanks for this info Hot Tub Guy. I'll now be prepared when the resets cease to work. Crossing my fingers that it won't be for quite awhile! Is that an expensive fix? The behavior of your spa is what happens if power to the spa is cut or turned off. The circ pump does not restart until the set start time which by default is midnight. When you reprogram the circ pump start time to the closest time to NOW, it starts its progarm or if you just leave it, it should restart at whatever time it was programmed to start (midnight). Hopefully, you just shut the power to the spa.
  14. You are correct. Sundance pillows start to disintigrate at the top "layer". The integrity of the pillow is still there. Covering them may very well work. My original pillows lasted about two years. My second set is still there almost five years later, though there are signs of them starting to fail. I believe the reason for the second set lasting so much longer is partly due to removing my ozonator and partly to the use of a blanket for the past couple of years.
  15. Rather than new or used, I would call it a demo. Technically, though, it must be new because as Doc stated, it comes with a full new spa warranty.
  16. LeisureTime Enzyme will not cause foaming and should help, though I find it is better as a weekly maintenance product than a problem fixer. It does break down oils, soaps, etc. Bright and Clear is a clarifier that will clump particles too small for a filter to catch and thus help the filtering process. Overuse of a clarifier will contribute to foaming. Clairifers are, IMO, a better problem solver and not needed as a regular maintenance product. In seven years, I've used maybe a bottle and a half of Bright and Clear. I works great when your water has a slight haze that just won't go away. I've found the best way to get rid of foam is to run all the jets on high with air applied. This should create a lot of foam. Scoop out the foam with a net, clean dust pan, anything that you have that will work. Do this until the foam no longer appears, then shock.
  17. Sundance and Jacuzzi are the same company. The SD Cameo is a higher end spa than the Jacuzzi 375 and is more like the 400 series. Sundance/Jacuzzi is a major manufacturer and IMO a notch above Coast. Their warranty is solid. Your friends analogy is pretty much correct. Spas are small bodies of water and are more prone to water maintenance issues than pools. With a little knowlege, however, you can keep a very santiary spa. Most spas don't get used by five people at a time. Most use is with one or two with the occasional group soak. Educate yourself on water maintenance as much as possible and get a good test kit. You will be fine.
  18. www.spaandpoolsource.com www.shepnell.com You can expect to spend abour $200 for a full set including inserts.
  19. I agree here. I don't think there is enough sanitation for your spa. With a good simple routine, an Optima should be very easy to maintain. I do believe, though, that the 08 Optima uses a throw away filter and should not be cleaned. Please check your owners manual for proper filter maintenance.
  20. I feel that 1/3 of the new price is reasonable for a fairly recent model that is in good shape and verifiably working. That would put the Optima in the $3500 - $3700 dollar range in my area (with stereo option). New headrests are going to cost you about $200.00. IMO, you are right on the cusp as far as new vs used.
  21. Just what I want, to use rumors to guide my use of chemicals. Biguanides can damage some plastics, though it seems to be less of an issue with newer model spas.
  22. Different metal removers work in different ways. Leisure Time Metal Gon has a great track record. I suggest trying that. It is made for spas and readily available.
  23. A floating blanket not only prolongs the life of your cover, but also your headrests and diverter/air handles, especially if you use ozone. I did not use a blanket for the first five years with my spa because I felt it would be inconveneint to use. I have now used one for the past year and a half and have found it not to be a problem. I also recommend the 1/4 inch foam blanket from rhtubs.
  24. I've been using using bleach as a chlorine source for over a year and and a half now. I do not use borates. I shock weekly with non buffered MPS. I test my water weekly. I rarely need to adjust my pH/TA until my water gets beyond four months old. My TA naturally stays around 80 which works perfectly for me. My spa gets used just about daily and when the teens are around, it gets heavy use (abuse), so lots of sanitation. I know there is a lot of talk about borates, but I wonder if everybody needs them. Maybe try without for a bit and if pH is bouncing around, then add.
  25. After you switch to bleach there's no reason to shock with Liesure Time. Just use bleach. You need to add bleach after every use. You need to add enough bleach so FC NEVER drops below 1 ppm. That means you should check your FC every time before you use the tub. If it's ever below 1 ppm, that means you didn't add enough the time before. The the rule of thumb is, you'll use approximately 7 ppm FC per person per hour. If you have a hot tub party, you may need to add bleach during the soak to keep up. You should check FC everyday until you get the hang of it, at least for the first month. Keep FC between 3-6ppm normally, min of 1ppm and you can shock once a week to 12ppm if needed. As Chem Geek says, once you get the hang of this, it becomes real easy. Best of all, you won't have any water problems you can't handle. Shocking is a process to eliminate combined chlorine. Combined chlorine is the difference between total chlorine and free chlorine. Shocking is achieved by either superchlorinating or by using non chlorine shock such as LT Renew. IMO, if you prefer to shock as a weekly maintenance, non chlorine shock is the better alternative. If you shock only when needed and not on a weekly basis, chlorine is the better choice. I have done it both ways over the years and now prefer to shock weekly with non chlorine shock. There are advantages and disadvantages to each way but both do the job.
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