Spaman2016

Ok I figured out how to test for combined. I have no idea why I never tested this using my Taylor kit. So does the MPS only effect the combined and not the Free? Do you have guidelines as far as your use? Such as you and your wife soak twice a week for 20 mins, what is your maintenance as far as bleach and MPS?

Hey Chem Geek, thanks for the years of helpful information. I've had a hot tub for 5 years and have read a lot of your posts. I pretty much use Nitros approach to maintaining my spa. Its worked well, but the one thing that I've always been a little fuzzy on was the use of MPS shock. He recommends using MPS sparingly. My routine consists of filling the hot tub with soft water(my hard water is off the charts). Then I add calcium to get it to 200. I add my acid to get the ph right and get the chlorine to 10. I also add a half bottle of Gentile Spa. After a couple of weeks I make the switch to bleach. I try to keep my chlorine levels at 3-6 and once a week I would shock with either bleach or MPS. I used MPS every now and then but really have no idea of what levels to get at or how to even test the levels. I have the standard Taylor kit that doesn't measure MPS so I was kind of guessing. I have a 480 gallon tub so I might add 3 tablespoons of MPS the weeks I used it, if I used the tub a bit. Anyway, I would like to start using MPS more and maybe keep the chlorine down a bit to help with the chlorine smell and vapor barrier of my spa cover lasting longer. I've read this post but I'm still a little confused as to what combined chlorine is. Also, when I add MPS, does this register as free chlorine? I assume FC is what I'm testing with my Taylor kit. How do I test for combined chlorine and what does it tell me? Can you dummy it down a little for me and in detail tell me what I need to do. Such as, get the k-2041 kit and test and keep the mps levels within this range, shock with MPS once a week to this level and add bleach as needed and keep at this level. As I said, my regiment has worked, but I would like to minimize the chlorine smell. Any help is appreciated.