I am a new hot tub owner and have a few questions. It's a Vita Spa.
1) I'm using Spa Essentials brominating concentrate which I'm being told is really the only chemical I need as long as my PH is good. I just changed the water and cleaned the filters and checked the PH and alkalinity and both look good. I followed the directions by adding a few teaspoons of sanitizer and then checked the levels. It wasn't registering any bromine so I added more. I've now added about two cap fulls from a two pound container and it still shows no bromine. I'm also getting a lot of bubbles when turning the jets on. What am I doing wrong? The hardness is a little low, would that make a difference? Also, do I need to use an oxidizer since this is a one step product that already includes it? I can definitely smell the sanitizer but obviously something is wrong.
2) The waterfall isn't flowing very well. Any tips on how to fix it?
3) It sounds like there is a small rock or something stuck in the top of the air vent. Is there a way to get in there to remove whatever is stuck?
4) The filters are in good shape and I've just cleaned them. I was going to replace them because I don't know when they were replaced last if ever but the guy at the hot tub store said it wasn't necessary unless they are torn or broken. Things I read online said to replace them every 12-24 months. Is there any reason to change them if they're not damaged?
Thanks for any help of suggestions!