Ep7735

well, we've just drained and cleaned our hot tub, and we were going to switch to the dichlor/bleach method. I ordered the taylor test kit you mentioned a few days ago, so that I would hopefully keep up with the maintenance better than in the past. but, my tub has an ozonator and i read that people have problems with this method if their tub has an ozonator - and I'm about to have surgery away from home and won't be able to check my tub every day - like what it seems is required for this method, especially in the beginning. so we've decided to keep on with bromine - but now i'm wondering if I ordered the wrong test kit or if it will work for both? if it is wrong, is there some cheap component i can buy to make it work and not have wasted that money? thanks for any help!

My hot tub is a 2004 master spa ls700 that I bought used this last summer. I've replaced the ecopur inner filter cartridges with pleatco cartridges but have not replaced the big outer filter cartridges yet. The pleats on the larger cartridges have begun to wear out. Opening up the hot tub filter cover, you see a "skimmer" screen that is held down by little black levers - similar to the little tabs that hold the backing on picture frames Unfortunately, this screen has torn -- the screen material is breaking apart and floating in the hot tub - and I need to buy a replacement - but I have no idea what this thing is called or where to look. After taking out the skimmer screen, you can see the two large filters with two smaller filters (which used to be the ecopur) sitting "inside" them. It is the bigger ones that need replaced but I cannot decide if I need the pleatco pma40-2003 filters or the pma45-2004-r filters...and don't know how to find this information? I was hoping someone may know what I should use or give me instruction on how to figure this out. Appreciate any help,

oddly enough, my husband just came down with a staph infection they think is a result from an ingrown hair . all i know is that the first question the dr asked us was "has anyone entered your hot tub with a staph infection?" ...just be on the look out for any "zits". if you catch them early it can be okay. my husband is in a whole lot of pain right now... i went ahead and drained the hot tub even though i had soaked in it with him while he had staph before we knew it was staph...i just didn't want to take that chance.

i left out that I'm adding Brilliance brand Spa Down.

I had to drain my hot tub because my husband came down with a Staph infection - still up in the air if it was hot tub related. Dr. doesn't think so, but I think probably. Anyway, I'm trying to get the total alkalinity correct - last time I never could. What chemicals can I add to get total alkalinity to lower? my test strips are coming back blue although the strip is supposed to be in the yellow-green range...so I'm assuming its high. I've been adjusting it for the last hour in a half (adding 1.5 tsp every 30 mins like the directions say)....but the test strip still stays blue. Any suggestions on how to get this alkalinity lowered? thanks

all i can offer is that you should refill and start over, and use the metal sequest. on refill. just throwing that out there, may not be good advice.

Alright, here is what just happened... I went out to get in the hot tub before Letterman started... I opened the cover and I heard a trickling...almost like the waterfall was somehow on or that water was falling into the tub somehow. It was dark, so I couldn't tell. Then I turned on the hot tub light and it said "SA". I tested turning the jets on to see if they worked, and they did. I came inside, my manual says that means "Spa is shut down. The sensor that is plugged into the Sensor 'A' jack is not working." What should I do?? It also says - May appear temporarily in an overheat situation and disappear when the heater cools. Possibly related: When I first got my tub, I set the temperature to 100. Then I noticed it was rising to 103 and sometimes 104...So I changed the heat setting down to 82. The temperature of the water, a couple of days later, is fluctuating between 104 and 105. Any insight would be appreciated. Michelle

thank you, you described what i was seeing perfectly. could i ask you which need to be cleaned/hosed out more often - the inner filter or the outer?

I just purchased a pleatco filter for my new, but used, master spa ls700. My intention was to take the eco pur filter out, wash it, and let it dry while I use the pleatco. Then, when the pleatco is ready to be cleaned...switch them again. When I went to take out the ecopur filter, I noticed the spa had two filters. I replaced the one on the left, but I didn't know if they were both ecopur filters or what. I checked the manual and could not find mention that my hot tub had two filters. I guess my concern is whether or not I replaced the correct filter...it seemed to fit.

i'm a newbie too, so keep that in mind...the reason i put #1 on the "do not" list is because air from the outside will get into your spa while the cover is down, this air will mix into your water and cool it, making your spa have to work harder to keep your water heated and raising your energy bill. and my understanding of #2 is that low is okay but no reading is not okay.

sorry, i couldnt wait in the house while my hot tub was outside with water in it. i added the sodium bromide, bromine feeder, and non-chlorine shock...in that order, left the jets on for a lil bit. tomorrow ill check ph and all that. if something i just did was a bad thing to do, please let me know how i can fix it. lol. thanks!

Just filled up the spa with water, and it is warming up right now. My question - add the sodium bromide, bromine feeder, and non-chlorine shock now or wait 12 hrs and then add? Also, do I check the pH, alk, calcium before or after I add the bromine chemicals. Thanks, Michelle

I'd go to a local shop the first time you buy chemicals, this will give you a chance to scope out prices. You also can have a real person there to answer any questions you may have. Then, when you're ready to buy again, you have something to compare the online prices with. This way you really know whether or not the prices are a deal. As for a good site to buy chemicals via internet. I don't really have much experience, but rhtubs.com seems to be a good place.

the hot tub came today :) i'm waiting for my husband to get home so he can plug her up and fill her up. just wanted to say thanks to everyone and to spatech for the help in making my decision. i know you don't like master spas, but you gave sound advice. reading up on the possible poor insulation (and ways to fix it) and the ecopur filters vs cheaper-in-price filters was very educational. this message board has definitely educated me. i feel as though i made an informed purchase. too bad i couldn't have found this board sooner. thanks again. michelle

only because i don't know what it is . I'll check it out.

i'm getting a used master spa sometime this week and have began brainstorming ideas to add insulation, that may be removed if needed. If you can't tell, I do not know a lot about spas nor do I really know about anything that someone who would be described as a do-it-yourself person knows about. here's my idea...let me know about its plausibility. could I obtain pieces of a thin insulation wrap (the kind that looks like tin foil), lay it on the ground, and spray it with the insulation foam. Let it dry, and then stuff the pieces of the foam covered insulation paper into the void corners of the spa? i didn't know if someone knew anything about these materials enough to say if it would or wouldn't work. or maybe i have the wrong idea about what the inside of a spa looks like. just an idea, thanks, michelle

okay, before other people start reading this list of what i have written. I have never owned a hot tub or a pool before. I don't even own one now, it's arriving soon though. i'm a high school chemistry teacher, so hopefully i'll pick up on the water chemistry quickly, although please be forgiving, i'm only a freshly graduated first-year chem teacher. i hate being confused about things i should understand. and this hot tub chemistry is on my list of things that frustrate me. i realize that perhaps things will be easier when i have a hot tub, have the owner's manual, and have chemical bottles/test strips in front of me. but i like to be prepared. i've read this forum, and have put together a list of things i have learned - OR think that i have learned. some of it is me filling in the blanks from posts that don't specifically say what i've said. i'm wondering if those who know things could read over my list of do's and don'ts and make adjustments to any misconceptions i may have. i'm intending to use bromine because it's a used spa that is coming with all the owners old stuff and he used bromine. some things on my list may be true for bromine but not chlorine, or vice-versa. i appreciate all of your help, i realize this post is long. DO NOT: - leave control for air jets in open position while spa is not in use - use bleach if there is no CYA in water, otherwise it is fine - dump chemicals in one area, make sure they are spread out in the water - make fun of someone else for using chlorine or bromine, whichever one you don’t use. Some people think chlorine smells, some think bromine does, but if you are using correctly there should not really be a smell from either. They both are carcinogens, bromine more so, but in the concentrations used in a properly cared for hot tub – probably not a big deal. Studies show men who use hot tubs w/bromine have lower sperm count, but when out of hot tub for a month, sperm count raises. Bromine is known to be less demanding, although using chlorine isn’t really demanding either. You just have to find what works for you. - Use tub if there is no chlorine or bromine reading - Shock the hot tub only and expect it to be healthy. - Use trichlor, or any other made-for-pool chemical, in a hot tub - Expect all brands of test strips to be the same - Expect an ozonator, ecopur, or other mineral system to work as a sanitizer. - Ask questions about spa chemicals on here w/o mentioning how many gallons your spa holds and how often/how many people use it - Switch from bromine to chlorine without draining the spa DO: (im not so sure about these)..they’re more like questions? - check chemical levels (chlorine/bromine, CYA, total alkalinity, pH) weekly? - Shock the spa after each heavy use and once a week..you can use a non-chlorine shock as long as you have a chlorine/bromine sanitizing system, but don’t just depend on the mps to do the sanitizing. (perhaps you need to shock more often, when using chlorine?) - Have other chemicals on hand such as defoamer, and a clarifier, enzyme product, calcium up, phosphate remover all of which will not get used as often as the ones cited above. - Rinse the filter out monthly or more often if heavy use – in some cases by hosing off, in some cases by rinsing in a filter cleanser. - Invest in a taylor k-2006 test kit or tf100 from tftestkits? These are often more accurate than test strips - Drain tub every 4 months, or 3 months if heavy user. - Circulate water when adding chemicals (jets on) - If you get a rash or have itchy nipples, let chemgeek know because he has some sort of list going. - Switch from chlorine to bromine without draining the spa For a 350-450 gallon tub (does this matter?) keep chemicals at the following levels: pH should be 7.2-7.8 alkalinity should be between 60 – 180 chlorine/bromine should be 3-5 ppm calcium hardness should be 200-400 ppm pH should be adjusted last, because the above chemicals all shift ph. If adjusted first, then after all others are fixed, then ph will be off. . (is this true, or did I make it up?) ------------------ again, none of what i said above is fact to my knowledge, i'm just writing all of my (mis)conceptions down in a list so that it can be corrected/amended by those who understand water chemistry -which i feel clueless about. i would hate to be responsible for giving some false information. thank you!

read my post about 'truly awful experience' . I know you probably don't want to believe it, but i doubt you found a 'really good deal' like you may thinking. stick with a hot tub that people around you can service and one that you have confidence would be not likely need repairing. i realize that not all experiences will be like mine, but when i heard hot tub horror stories i didn't think they'd happen to me either. also, i think its best to find reviews from people who've owned their hot tub for at least two years. that way time has gone by and you can begin to see if there are any common problems among the models you're looking at. this is obviously just my advice, as there isn't really a lot of information on the brand to base anything i've said on. feel free to totally disregard it. i hope that whatever you end up on works out for you! but please notice that while aqua oasis has 100% feedback, none is related to the actual spas that he is selling. this is a very bad sign. good luck!

Update #2 we've looked at lots of other hot tubs and have not found one we liked better than the used master spa. the owners just accepted our offer of $4250 and agreed to call the dealer and arrange for the spa to be moved to our house. It isn't completely official yet, because they told us the news on our answering machine and we've been playing phone tag. i feel as though we're making the right decision.

just an update.. today i checked out both the master spa and the hot spring. i loved the master spa. the guy said he bought it in 2004 and has rarely used it. i had just came from the dealer, the same one guy said he got it from, and the dealer looked it up for me and said that the spa was originally placed in a sunroom and that it has never had any warrantee work. looking at the thing, it was beautiful. we played with the jets for a while and the light...and it really looked like it was brand new. we went home, and wanted to call him and buy it for the offered 4400 including the price for the dealer to get it out of the sunroom and take it to my house. then we got a call back from the hot springs guy - we went over and looked at it...it definitely was not in the "excellent condition" as described. its shell had stains on it, and it stunk really badly. it looked like it was from the late 90s, although he claimed it was a 2004. as of right now, i really want to call and buy the master spa - it was really what i consider 'new' condition. however, there is now a "marquis destiny splash" tub listed in the paper for $3,000. I called and left a message. I can find the "marquis destiny" but am unsure what the 'splash' part of the model name is. i'll probably go look at it tomorrow before we call back master spa guy. very exciting times, i really don't want this to turn out like my last spa experience. michelle

great ideas. thanks...stuff like that seems like common sense, but it really isn't to people like me. i called the master spas dealer and he said that once i get the name of the person who owns the master spa, he can look up how often it has been serviced for me. i've tried calling a few of the spa repair services here, and they're closed - but i will definitely call them tomorrow. appreciate it, michelle

thank you for the quick reply. they both are within 10 minutes of my house, and the pictures show them with water in them ...I will call and set a time to go look at each. if there is anything else you think I need to know or ask, I welcome all comments. thanks,

okay, i've been looking for a few days and think that going with a used hot tub from a reputable brand may be the best bet for my budget. in my area...there is a MASTER SPA LS-700 from 2004 for 4400 (kept in a sunroom) and there is a hot spring sovereign for 4995. "excellent condition" Which do you think I'd have less problems with, and would be cheaper to get repair if I did have problems with them?

i don't know if this would help you out any but if you get on their website and talk to someone online, they will give you a $500 coupon off of an 'elite' level spa. I don't know what an 'elite' level spa is. but thought i'd let you know just in case. also, does the warrantee for royal spa cover labor, do you know?