Ph Too High But We Want To Use The Tub Tonight

[robin4747]

I posted on both sites to get a quick answer. I just added too much ph up so I could adjust my tub for use tonight. I do not have ph down. can anyone tell me what i can do to bring it down. or can we use the tub tonight without any problems even if the ph is too high.

[kateyc61]

I posted on both sites to get a quick answer. I just added too much ph up so I could adjust my tub for use tonight. I do not have ph down. can anyone tell me what i can do to bring it down. or can we use the tub tonight without any problems even if the ph is too high.

Hey Robin,

I found somewhere that you could use 20 mule team Borax in lieu of spa down and Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking soda!!) for "Spa up" (not that you need that.

This was a helpful link to calculate the amount if sodium biicarb I needed (scroll down)

http://www.rhtubs.com/info/water.htm

I did some research and Borax is:

Disodium Tetraborate Decahydrate

or...

Sodium borate decahydrate,

Sodium tetraborate decahydrate,

Sodium biborate,

Sodium pyroborate

Spa Down is: Sodium Bisulfate

So while I'm confident Sodium bicarb is sodium bicarb is plain old baking soda....I'm not confident in what I read about using Borax.

Experts? Your thoughts?

[kateyc61]

I also found this discussion on Boric Acid here in this forum.

Waterbear says its Ok to use.

Man, what a huge savings!!!

http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.ph...p;hl=boric+acid

[dlynn]

You can use the tub with high ph.

Wait a day and check it again, before you try spa down, it may go down a little.

[Roger]

You can use the tub with high ph.

Wait a day and check it again, before you try spa down, it may go down a little.

Yea don't panic, relax....in the tub. Check it tomorrow or the next day.

[kateyc61]

That's good to know about being able to go in for future reference.

What do you guys think abouut the Borax?

[dlynn]

That's good to know about being able to go in for future reference.

What do you guys think abouut the Borax?

I have never needed spa down, so I can't help you.

[waterbear]

I also found this discussion on Boric Acid here in this forum.

Waterbear says its Ok to use.

Man, what a huge savings!!!

http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.ph...p;hl=boric+acid

A bit of misinformation here. You can RAISE the pH with borax, not lower it! It will raise pH with minimal impact on TA. To lower pH you need dry acid (sodium bisulfate) or Muriratic acid, which is very hard to use in a tub because you need to measre it by the teaspoon for the small amount of water in a hot tub! Stick with the dry acid.

Baking soda (soidum bicarbonate) IS the same as Alkalinity increaser (raises BOTH pH and TA so be careful if your TA is where it's supposed to be, if your pH is low and your TA is normal or high you can raise the pH by turning on all the jets and bubblers and forcing the CO2 out of the water without affecting the TA)

Washing soda (sodium carbonate, sal soda, soda ash) IS the same as pH increaser.

Borax (sodium tetraborate) IS the same as such products as Proteam Supreme and Bioguard Optimizer. Proteam Gentle Spa is a mixture of sodium tetraborate and sodium bisulfate.

Hope this clears it up.