TBD Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 My TA is about 90, PH 7.4-.5 ish.. CH 250.. but... I feel like Im adding alot of chlorine. Id like to use Nitro's approach and as of now Ive added 44ppm total since fill of sea klear chlorine granules. Ive also shocked with oxyspa mps once, adding 1 oz (2.5 Tbs) because we went to get in and there was 0 FC Usually when I add chlorine, Im adding ATLEAST 6ppm. Sometimes up at 10. I added 10 ppm before anyone ever got in the tub, prefiltered the water through the prefresh filter... and it was back down to O FC in 5 hours. Even if I add 10ppm, by the morning, it's back down to 0. I'm going to start using the non stabilized chlorine (Clorox), but Im just confused why my chlorine is getting consumed so quickly. We shower before entering, no fancy products or anything, no suits.. just two adults and a toddler sometimes. We've used it 2 times a day since we got it. We do have well water, is it just oxidizing all those organic wastes that come along with it being well water even though I ran it through the prefresh filter? Or are we just way more filthy then I thought ? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 The sea klear granules are dichlor so it sounds like the right procedure. Basically there are two things that consume chlorine: sunlight, and organics. It's possible something came along with the well water that you haven't killed yet; also possible that it's just the bather load. Can you just not use the tub for a couple days to see if the chlorine demand settles down? If it does, and it goes back up when you start using the tub again, then it's just the bather load causing the demand. --paulr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 You might also check out Nitro's decontamination procedure. --paulr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric W. Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 I have a similar situation with my month old Sundance Optima. I chlorinate it after every use, and I was chlorinating it every day around noon. I have my CYA up to 30 so I'm using 12.5% chlorine (liquid shock). I have the Ozone generator and the Nature 2 cartridge in the weir. I can chlorinate and 12 hours or less later I have no FC or CC. My water is crystal clear and smells good. It's new, and I assume the ozonator is using up the chlorine. My bather load is usually me for 1/2 to 1 hour every night, although the teens have used it a couple times, as has my wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chem geek Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 You should be using around 2.5 fluid ounces of 12.5% chlorinating liquid after a one person-hour soak. So more is needed when your wife also soaks with you or if multiple kid soak. If you are using that much or a little more and finding the chlorine isn't holding, then yes the ozonator could be getting rid of the chlorine faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 If your FC is zero after day one, DOUBLE the amount of chlorine you're using! Don't be afraid to add TWICE as much chlorine as you're adding now. The more the better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric W. Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 If your FC is zero after day one, DOUBLE the amount of chlorine you're using! Don't be afraid to add TWICE as much chlorine as you're adding now. The more the better! I can and have shocked my tub to 30+ppm, and in 4 hours I'm down to 5-10ppm (leaving the cover off in the sun). I can put in 1/2 cup at midnight after a personal soak, and at noon the next day (with the cover on), there's 0 FC, 0 CC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 I can and have shocked my tub to 30+ppm, and in 4 hours I'm down to 5-10ppm (leaving the cover off in the sun). I can put in 1/2 cup at midnight after a personal soak, and at noon the next day (with the cover on), there's 0 FC, 0 CC. You have two choices: 1. Keep shocking! Add 2-4 cups bleach, and 2-4 oz MPS everyday until your Chlorine Demand (CD) is under 50%. 2. Decontaminate and start over. Questions: How old is this water? Was your CD this high when you first filled it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBD Posted July 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Well, To update, the same night I wrote this the FC started holding. I switched to clorox and after using alot of test strips am eye balling it pretty accurately these last few days. Im maintaining about a 1ppm from soak to soak with alot of dilligence. I think that Ill probably just up the amount of product Im using and ppm so I can pay a bit less attention to it. Now Im ordering the Gentle spa, Id really like softer water. I loved that about the Artic Onzen system.. and I was also actually about to do a search to see if anyone had any opinions on Spa Perfect by Natural chemistry to see if I could get my "toxic" product load even less. Thanks for posting your system, Nitro. So far, so good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric W. Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 I can and have shocked my tub to 30+ppm, and in 4 hours I'm down to 5-10ppm (leaving the cover off in the sun). I can put in 1/2 cup at midnight after a personal soak, and at noon the next day (with the cover on), there's 0 FC, 0 CC. You have two choices: 1. Keep shocking! Add 2-4 cups bleach, and 2-4 oz MPS everyday until your Chlorine Demand (CD) is under 50%. 2. Decontaminate and start over. Questions: How old is this water? Was your CD this high when you first filled it? The tub was installed new on June 25. I changed the water a week after installation due to foaming from the new plumbing, and I followed the original kit's instructions and added all the chemicals it came with according to their instructions, and after I found this forum I found I didn't need most of it. The tub was new in it's original packaging. Once the ozonator was installed, the CD became very high. I do maintain it very carefully. Also, this is municipal water, not well water. I live in the Chicago area. Do you think all that bleach and MPS will reduce my CD? Note that my CC is also 0, so there's no spent chlorine remaining either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 The tub was installed new on June 25. I changed the water a week after installation due to foaming from the new plumbing, and I followed the original kit's instructions and added all the chemicals it came with according to their instructions, and after I found this forum I found I didn't need most of it. The tub was new in it's original packaging. Once the ozonator was installed, the CD became very high. I do maintain it very carefully. Also, this is municipal water, not well water. I live in the Chicago area. Do you think all that bleach and MPS will reduce my CD? Note that my CC is also 0, so there's no spent chlorine remaining either. Sorry a got you confused with TBD. That's why you should start your own thread to keep things straight. It sounds like you got behind in adding Chlorine. In other words, you weren't using enough. ALSO, if you've been using Dichlor (Granulated Chlorine), you have been adding CYA. CYA (over 100 ppm) will decrease the effectiveness of the Chlorine. Lastly, an ozonator will increase CD, but shouldn't be over 50%. The two options are still valid, Shock or Decontaminate. If it were me, I'd do a Decon and start over. Check your CD after your fresh fill, and before you use it to get a Baseline. Read my links below. They should have all the info you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_a Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 The two options are still valid, Shock or Decontaminate. If it were me, I'd do a Decon and start over. Check your CD after your fresh fill, and before you use it to get a Baseline. Read my links below. They should have all the info you need. Nitro - we're having a similar issue with out chlorine dropping to zero overnight. Our water (and hot tub) are only 3 weeks old - if I do a decon can I still use the (three week old) Nature 2 cartridge? I just got a TDS meter and our TDS is around 950ppm if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Nitro - we're having a similar issue with out chlorine dropping to zero overnight. Our water (and hot tub) are only 3 weeks old - if I do a decon can I still use the (three week old) Nature 2 cartridge? I just got a TDS meter and our TDS is around 950ppm if that helps. If your tub is only 3 weeks old, changing the water may be all you need to do. New tubs secrete oils etc. from the plastics. A fresh fill may solve the problem. After you refill, shock to 10 ppm FC, don't use the tub, wait 24 hours and check FC again. If your FC is at least 5 ppm or over, you're good. If it's 1-4 ppm, shock again and repeat CD test. If it's 0, do a Decon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_a Posted August 6, 2009 Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 If your tub is only 3 weeks old, changing the water may be all you need to do. New tubs secrete oils etc. from the plastics. A fresh fill may solve the problem. After you refill, shock to 10 ppm FC, don't use the tub, wait 24 hours and check FC again. If your FC is at least 5 ppm or over, you're good. If it's 1-4 ppm, shock again and repeat CD test. If it's 0, do a Decon. Thanks Nitro. What about the Nature 2 cartridge? Do I have to junk it and use a new one? I'm using the dichlor to bleach method, so the mineral cartridge is a backup sanitizer, not primary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted August 6, 2009 Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 Thanks Nitro. What about the Nature 2 cartridge? Do I have to junk it and use a new one? I'm using the dichlor to bleach method, so the mineral cartridge is a backup sanitizer, not primary. I'd say leave it in until depleted, then forget about it. Without MPS N2 doesn't do much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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