avoozl
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Posts posted by avoozl
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Hello,
I am a new owner of a Hot Tub, and I am trying to nail-down the water balance and sanitation.
I read an re-read, an re-read again Nitro's Approach to water maintenance, and I am beginning to understand it.
I received my Taylor K-2006 in the mail this week, and decided to test my water.
I live in Portland, Oregon, and filled my tub from my hose on city water. Here is what I have measured:
CH = 0 (the color change happens when I put my first drop of reagent, so it means that the CH is somewhere between 0 and 10, correct?)
pH = 7.0
TA = 20
CYA = 0 (No matter how much I swirl the tube, the water remains clear)
FC = 0
Do these numbers appear correct? When I put them into the circular slide rule that came with the test kit, I get a saturation index of less than -2.0, which I'm not sure what to make of.
I have ordered the recommended chemicals from Nitro's thread, but they haven't arrived yet.
Does the fact that I have an ozonator change any of my goal levels of any of the above-listed parameters?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
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I would build a box/frame out of PT 2x4s (or 2x6s) painted black and rip the bottom to match the contour of the slope. I would then fill that box with pea gravel (about 1" below the top of the frame, set the spa on that and call it a day).
This sounds like the type of box I would have to use for either of the Spa Pad options. If I were to build a Box and put in pea gravel, is there any benefit of adding the spa pads?
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avoozi,
I have considerably carpentry experience so, if I were in your situation, my first thought would be to build my own custom-made leveling "shims" out of treated 2" x 4"s. I would measure and shape them accordingly to create the level surface you are looking for. I would double them up, i.e., side by side, every 12" on center for the width/length of your tub. I would also router or drill spaced drainage slots along the across bottom of doubled-up 2" x 4"s to shims to allow any water to run through and not gather under the tub.
However, you never mentioned whether your patio is sealed or painted to prevent the concrete from holding moisture. If the patio is not sealed, then I would be reluctant to put any shims under the tub. Even with drainage slots, the concrete will retain water and the shims will eventually rot. If your patio is not sealed or painted to keep water out, then I would probably go with the Spa leveler. This would keep your tub off the concrete slab and water and drainage will not be an issue.
gman
My patio is about 4 years old, and it is sealed, so that is not a problem. I have moderate carpentry experience, and I would be able to build my own custom-made leveling "shims" without great difficulty. I like the idea of drilling drainage slots in the wood to prevent water from pooling under the tub.
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I have a concrete slab for a patio. It is pretty good size at 16 x 20 feet, and it is about 12" thick. It is a good slab and is the perfect place to put a spa. But when the prior owner of the home had the slab poured, he had the concrete contractors put in a nice slope for drainage purposes. The slab is a compound slope, with a v-shape, draining towards the middle, and I will have to span the low part with the hot tub.
(Slope exaggerated in diagram to leave room for text.)
I have been doing a lot of research on this topic, and here are the options I have found:
What would you do in this situation? The easiest solution seems to be to build a slab platform, but I live in Portland, OR with plenty of rain, and I really don't want to have to worry about rot.
The Spa Level-R looks pretty slick, but it's very expensive and also made out of wood.
The pads look OK, but I don't think their intended purpose is for placement on top of sloping concrete.
What would you do? Any options I have missed? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Water Balance After Fresh Fill, New Owner
in Hot Tub Water Chemistry
Posted
I guess because I didn't know any better. Last time I went into a spa supply store, the salesman made me very uncomfortable, so I knew I didn't want to go back there. I found some reasonable prices online (with free shipping too), so I decided to go that route. I will check out Home Depot for my future needs.