Borates... Huh?

[Maxemily]

Do I want them? Need them? Wish I had them? How would I get them if I did? How would I test for them?

[Nitro]

Not sure if you need them, but you may want them.

They act as a pH buffer to reduce pH rise from aeration. One way to get them is by adding Borax to your tub. However, you need to counter it with acid. An easier way is to get this stuff, which is pH nuteral. The recommendation is ~50 ppm. Here are some test strips.

[Maxemily]

Thanks.

The link showed test strip availability in my town, that I like.

I would likely use Borax - I noticed some in the laundry room cabinet - as it would be nearly free and I have lots of acid.

My PH likes to climb so I will give this a go.

[chem geek]

I'd suggest taking a large bucket of spa water and adding the Borax and acid (I'd add the acid first) to that bucket and mix before adding this slowly to the spa. That way, you won't make your spa swing in pH during these additions. You can also test the bucket water's pH to see if it's reasonable before adding it back to the spa, though it doesn't have to be perfect (given it's small volume).

[Nitro]

Max, where's your TA level at?

Also, if you don't already know, The Pool Calculator will calculate how much Borax and Acid to use.

[tony]

Max, where's your TA level at?

Also, if you don't already know, The Pool Calculator will calculate how much Borax and Acid to use.

This is something I haven't done and may try when I drain and fill in the next couple of weeks. I have the borax which I have used in my pool and of course I have acid. It may be helpful for me as I sanitize with bleach.

[Nitro]

This is something I haven't done and may try when I drain and fill in the next couple of weeks. I have the borax which I have used in my pool and of course I have acid. It may be helpful for me as I santize with bleach.

I highly recommend adding Borates to your spa. It cuts down on pH drift via aeration a lot. It also gives the water a silky feel to it.

[tony]

This is something I haven't done and may try when I drain and fill in the next couple of weeks. I have the borax which I have used in my pool and of course I have acid. It may be helpful for me as I santize with bleach.

I highly recommend adding Borates to your spa. It cuts down on pH drift via aeration a lot. It also gives the water a silky feel to it.

Hmmmm. Silky feel. I gotta try this.

[Maxemily]

Last check, which was last night, has my tub looking something like this:

PH 7.6

CH 130

TA 90

CYA 40

100F - we soak for long periods as a cigar and a scotch take time to enjoy

Ozone and N2 - MPS daily, used dichlor to shock, but now use this powdered chlorine stuff I accidentally purchased a while back.

Water is two months old, crystal clear, no odor, and no foam.

I know of and use the pool calculator. With no borate test strips yet, I can't plug that info in. I used Twenty Mule Team Borax at one point to get my TA up and now I gather I have some borates in there.

[chem geek]

I used Twenty Mule Team Borax at one point to get my TA up and now I gather I have some borates in there.

I think you mean you used the Borax to get your pH up, right? And yes, you've added some borates, but probably not very much. If you had a pH of 7.0 with a TA of 80 and added enough Borax to get the pH to 7.5, then that would add about 5 ppm Borates.

[Nitro]

Just a quick reminder, keep track of EVERYTHING you add to your tub, because it will stay with you until your NEXT water change.

The less you put into your tub, the longer the water will last.

[Maxemily]

Yes, that should have read PH up.

Since adding enough Borax to get the ppm to 50 would send my PH through the roof, and I am somewhat against adding mounds of Borax and acid, and I am too cheap to spend $25 on a small bottle of 'borates', I guess I am liking my tub just as she sits.