Keeping Chlorine Up...

[discoian]

We have a 220 gallon tub, chlorine is always low - about 0.2 ppm. I add around 12mg a day to take it up to about 5ppm but a few hours later it's back down to 0. What sort of problem do you think this is?

We have only just taken delivery of the tub and we need a few other things I think. We have a foam problem which we also need to deal with and the water is slightly cloudy also - is it all linked maybe???

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

We have a 220 gallon tub, chlorine is always low - about 0.2 ppm. I add around 12mg a day to take it up to about 5ppm but a few hours later it's back down to 0. What sort of problem do you think this is?

We have only just taken delivery of the tub and we need a few other things I think. We have a foam problem which we also need to deal with and the water is slightly cloudy also - is it all linked maybe???

Contaniments in the water cause the chlorine level to go down. You have a brand new tub, the acrylic, lines, pillows ect all have oils on them. Most new tub owners have to dump their tub after the first month to get rid of this. If you use swimsuits, have deaoderant on or lotions ect it will cause foaming, cloudy water and chew up chlorine. Don't wash swimsuits after every use and rinse them an extra time. Woolite used for washing them helps also. Make sure you are clean when you use the tub, I don't mean dirty as in dirt, but wash off deaderant perfume ect.

I would suggest to bring your chlorine up to about 10 (shocking) and use more MPS. MPS is a great oxidizer. If you follow the N2 recipe included in the box, you would have a low risidual of chlorine (.5), and be oxidizing the wastes with MPS. Nature 2 and the low risidual of chlorine sanitizes the wate If you are going to keep the chlorine levels up higher, the N2 is a waste of $$ IMO.

To use N2 the way people want, with the low chlorine there are a few conditions you have, like spa tech said in the other posts, his people have issues unles they keep the chlorine on the heavy side.

1. the filter cycle has to be set for 4 hours 2 times per day minimum. If you have a 24 hour circ pump, your all set.

2. You must be clean when you use the tub. No swimsuits is best, but if you wear them follow the above suggestions.

3. You must rinse your filters out weekly, and clean them monthly.

4. A clarifier on a weekly basis even if the water is clear. We suggest Sea Klear natural clarifier because most our people want as close to an all natural systm as possible, and it works great!

5. If you want the low chlorine recipe, you must use MPS at each spa use, MPS readings must be good befor use and add a bit after use. You are relying on this to oxidize your waste, the low chlorine and nature2 will not oxidize enough. if you have ozone this will also help to oxidize.

6. Do not use household bleach with your tub. being that it is a new tub there are probably 2 many features that introduce air into it making PH a nightmare. Nature 2 tendt to run a bit higher PH and Alk anyway.

To clear up cloudy water you may have to turn up the filter cycle for a couple of days, then turn it back down.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

We have a 220 gallon tub, chlorine is always low - about 0.2 ppm. I add around 12mg a day to take it up to about 5ppm but a few hours later it's back down to 0. What sort of problem do you think this is?

We have only just taken delivery of the tub and we need a few other things I think. We have a foam problem which we also need to deal with and the water is slightly cloudy also - is it all linked maybe???

Your situation is very normal. You will not be able to keep the chlorine at a constant level.

I personally do not recommend the MPS/use method because I've found it to not be very effective (even with N2, a good CD ozonator and average spa use). What I've always told people is to add 1 generous teaspoon of dichlor per person after each use (maybe more if you aren't using a good CD ozonator in the spa). You'll be able to get a chlorine reading shortly after the add but as you noted it's gone by the next day but that's fine because you sanitized after use. Simply repeat this every time you use your spa. If you go 4 days or so without use then you might want to add in between but otherwise just add after each use. Shock once per week with MPS and all will be fine. If at any time the water gets cloudy just give it an extra shock with dichlor.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

We have a 220 gallon tub, chlorine is always low - about 0.2 ppm. I add around 12mg a day to take it up to about 5ppm but a few hours later it's back down to 0. What sort of problem do you think this is?

We have only just taken delivery of the tub and we need a few other things I think. We have a foam problem which we also need to deal with and the water is slightly cloudy also - is it all linked maybe???

Your situation is very normal. You will not be able to keep the chlorine at a constant level.

I personally do not recommend the MPS/use method because I've found it to not be very effective (even with N2, a good CD ozonator and average spa use). What I've always told people is to add 1 generous teaspoon of dichlor per person after each use (maybe more if you aren't using a good CD ozonator in the spa). You'll be able to get a chlorine reading shortly after the add but as you noted it's gone by the next day but that's fine because you sanitized after use. Simply repeat this every time you use your spa. If you go 4 days or so without use then you might want to add in between but otherwise just add after each use. Shock once per week with MPS and all will be fine. If at any time the water gets cloudy just give it an extra shock with dichlor.

I think Spa tech and I are in a bit of a bind to what we think about N2. Before you get confused, as I staed, the recipe that comes with N2 is for people who want very low levels of chlorine and no bromine, a more natural system.

I agree, if you do not follow the directions fully you may fight with cloudy water ect. and at times you will need an extra dose of dichlor to clear up the water.

If you want to keep the chlrine levels up and add after each use, I feel the N2 is a waste of money, just use the chlorine since this is what you would do with a strct dichlor system.

It depends what you are trying to accomplish with this system. i was under the impression that you wanted to limit the chlorine and keep things as close to natural as possible because you were getting itchy. Sorry if I misunderstood you.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

We have a 220 gallon tub, chlorine is always low - about 0.2 ppm. I add around 12mg a day to take it up to about 5ppm but a few hours later it's back down to 0. What sort of problem do you think this is?

We have only just taken delivery of the tub and we need a few other things I think. We have a foam problem which we also need to deal with and the water is slightly cloudy also - is it all linked maybe???

Your situation is very normal. You will not be able to keep the chlorine at a constant level.

I personally do not recommend the MPS/use method because I've found it to not be very effective (even with N2, a good CD ozonator and average spa use). What I've always told people is to add 1 generous teaspoon of dichlor per person after each use (maybe more if you aren't using a good CD ozonator in the spa). You'll be able to get a chlorine reading shortly after the add but as you noted it's gone by the next day but that's fine because you sanitized after use. Simply repeat this every time you use your spa. If you go 4 days or so without use then you might want to add in between but otherwise just add after each use. Shock once per week with MPS and all will be fine. If at any time the water gets cloudy just give it an extra shock with dichlor.

I think Spa tech and I are in a bit of a bind to what we think about N2. Before you get confused, as I staed, the recipe that comes with N2 is for people who want very low levels of chlorine and no bromine, a more natural system.

I agree, if you do not follow the directions fully you may fight with cloudy water ect. and at times you will need an extra dose of dichlor to clear up the water.

If you want to keep the chlrine levels up and add after each use, I feel the N2 is a waste of money, just use the chlorine since this is what you would do with a strct dichlor system.

It depends what you are trying to accomplish with this system. i was under the impression that you wanted to limit the chlorine and keep things as close to natural as possible because you were getting itchy. Sorry if I misunderstood you.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I think Spa tech and I are in a bit of a bind to what we think about N2. Before you get confused, as I staed, the recipe that comes with N2 is for people who want very low levels of chlorine and no bromine, a more natural system.

And I’ve seen that low chlorine method fail miserably too many times. That is their message/method because the "low chlorine" talk appeases people and sells well but I just thinks it does not work well.

I agree, if you do not follow the directions fully you may fight with cloudy water ect. and at times you will need an extra dose of dichlor to clear up the water.

If you want to keep the chlrine levels up and add after each use, I feel the N2 is a waste of money, just use the chlorine since this is what you would do with a strct dichlor system.

I've seen that argument and can't completely disagree. I think dichlor per use is the way to go and by doing so N2 definitely isn’t needed as much but it still helps IMO but whether its worth the extra $$ is up to each individual. For many they are happy to add it if is helps avoid water care issues which can drive people batty.

It depends what you are trying to accomplish with this system. i was under the impression that you wanted to limit the chlorine and keep things as close to natural as possible because you were getting itchy. Sorry if I misunderstood you.

Limiting chlorine is usually just short sighted IMO. It is usually brought about by experiences with pools or commercial hot tubs where the chlorine level is kept high. the dichlor per use method eliminates that constant chlorine level and should eliminate the desire to avoid chlorine. I've seen sooo many people say that and after putting them on the dichlor per use method they quickly see that their fears were unfounded. The funnies thing is when they use bromine because they want to avoid chlorine only to be told that 25% of the bromine tabs are chlorine.