Jbuck Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Bought my tub used, a couple of little test kits came with it along with a bunch of different chemicals. I hadn't really planed on buying a hot tub but it was at public auction and no one else was bidding. I had done no research prior to purchase. Brought it home, wired it up, filled from the garden hose turned it on and everything worked. Got one of the test kits out and checked the PH the color indicated 8.2, one of the chems. that came with the tub indicated it was PH reducer, put a little in gave it time to ciruclate checked again and got a 7.6 which if I am reading right is OK. However when I added the prescribed five drops from the test kit to check for chlorine it didn't cause the water to change colors any. I emptied, cleaned, and refilled the test kit several times with the same results. Drove the 40 miles one way to a hot tub dealer today for advise only to find a sign indicating he would be back right after Christmas. I have really been enjoying this tub but do want to get the chlorine level to where it should be. so when people talk about adding Clorox are they talking about the bleach that my wife uses in the whites when she does laundry? If so how much should I start off adding? If I done the math right my tub should be about 250 gal. Thanks for any advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart6453 Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Bought my tub used, a couple of little test kits came with it along with a bunch of different chemicals. I hadn't really planed on buying a hot tub but it was at public auction and no one else was bidding. I had done no research prior to purchase. Brought it home, wired it up, filled from the garden hose turned it on and everything worked. Got one of the test kits out and checked the PH the color indicated 8.2, one of the chems. that came with the tub indicated it was PH reducer, put a little in gave it time to ciruclate checked again and got a 7.6 which if I am reading right is OK. However when I added the prescribed five drops from the test kit to check for chlorine it didn't cause the water to change colors any. I emptied, cleaned, and refilled the test kit several times with the same results. Drove the 40 miles one way to a hot tub dealer today for advise only to find a sign indicating he would be back right after Christmas. I have really been enjoying this tub but do want to get the chlorine level to where it should be. so when people talk about adding Clorox are they talking about the bleach that my wife uses in the whites when she does laundry? If so how much should I start off adding? If I done the math right my tub should be about 250 gal. Thanks for any advise. Well....did you put any chlorine in your tub? A very typical source is Dichlor. If you do not have any, get some at the spa store or online. As to Clorox, yes it is the same. However, you cannot just add it to your tub. You need some type of stabilizer, the typical source of stabilizer is Dichlor. You use Dichlor at the beginning to develop a residual of 20-30ppm stabilizer(CYA). After that point you can add clorox as a source of chlorine. Please read Nitro's approach to water maintenance on this forum. It has much more detail and will allow you to safely and easily enjoy your tub. here is the link to Nitro's approach to water maintenance: http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13634 As to the question of how much clorox to add, I suggest using www.thepoolcalculator.com and using their app on your ipod or iphone if you have one. (allows wonderful poolside chemical calculations) Another thing to keep in mind is that your test kits do expire, typically the reagents only last one year. So make sure they are not too old. If they are go ahead and get different reagents as age degrades their ability to read properly. Also, A good decontamination procedure wouldnt hurt as you have a used tub. Again, the best source of information would be Nitro's decontamination post. Here is the link to Nitro's decontamination procedures: http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19115 Good luck, I hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jbuck Posted December 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Bought my tub used, a couple of little test kits came with it along with a bunch of different chemicals. I hadn't really planed on buying a hot tub but it was at public auction and no one else was bidding. I had done no research prior to purchase. Brought it home, wired it up, filled from the garden hose turned it on and everything worked. Got one of the test kits out and checked the PH the color indicated 8.2, one of the chems. that came with the tub indicated it was PH reducer, put a little in gave it time to ciruclate checked again and got a 7.6 which if I am reading right is OK. However when I added the prescribed five drops from the test kit to check for chlorine it didn't cause the water to change colors any. I emptied, cleaned, and refilled the test kit several times with the same results. Drove the 40 miles one way to a hot tub dealer today for advise only to find a sign indicating he would be back right after Christmas. I have really been enjoying this tub but do want to get the chlorine level to where it should be. so when people talk about adding Clorox are they talking about the bleach that my wife uses in the whites when she does laundry? If so how much should I start off adding? If I done the math right my tub should be about 250 gal. Thanks for any advise. Well....did you put any chlorine in your tub? A very typical source is Dichlor. If you do not have any, get some at the spa store or online. As to Clorox, yes it is the same. However, you cannot just add it to your tub. You need some type of stabilizer, the typical source of stabilizer is Dichlor. You use Dichlor at the beginning to develop a residual of 20-30ppm stabilizer(CYA). After that point you can add clorox as a source of chlorine. Please read Nitro's approach to water maintenance on this forum. It has much more detail and will allow you to safely and easily enjoy your tub. here is the link to Nitro's approach to water maintenance: http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13634 As to the question of how much clorox to add, I suggest using www.thepoolcalculator.com and using their app on your ipod or iphone if you have one. (allows wonderful poolside chemical calculations) Another thing to keep in mind is that your test kits do expire, typically the reagents only last one year. So make sure they are not too old. If they are go ahead and get different reagents as age degrades their ability to read properly. Also, A good decontamination procedure wouldnt hurt as you have a used tub. Again, the best source of information would be Nitro's decontamination post. Here is the link to Nitro's decontamination procedures: http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19115 Good luck, I hope this helps! Thanks, I am beginning to think I'm not smart enough to have a hot tub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart6453 Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Don't think that for a second. Just takes Nitro's instructions, and print them off. Read them a few times, then start doing it with your tub. Pretty soon you will have it pretty well figured out. My suggestion would be to get yourself a notebook, and write down your water balance goals, and then write down the actual numbers. Keep all the details of what you put in, the amount, when you did it, your hypothesis of the results, and your actual results. This will let you know where you are going, where you want to be, and where you are at. From there you can make more finite adjustments and get your tub right on course. The actual education will only take a day or two, and from there it will just be reference. The best part is that if you have a desperate question, or need an answer quickly that you cannot figure out.....you can just post it on here and have an answer in hours....Nitro, Chem Geek, and Quatroaudikwantomphysicaldynamics(or something like that :-)) will have you a very technical answer with very simple instructions on how to cure what ales your tub. One caveat, Nitro's and Chem Geeks instructions are absolutely better than any I have received at any spa store. In no time flat you will find yourself doubting and then educating your spa store on the proper use of their chemicals. Also, my sum total of time spent on my tub is about 5 minutes per week....it truly is simple. Enjoy your tub! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Hot Tub Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 If you continue to use the tub with no sanitizer, you will really hate it because of the bugs you will get! When you add the chlorine, you may have to add extra to kill all the germs you brought in and are growing and multipling. Supershock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart6453 Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 If you continue to use the tub with no sanitizer, you will really hate it because of the bugs you will get! When you add the chlorine, you may have to add extra to kill all the germs you brought in and are growing and multipling. Supershock! +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wave1 Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 If you continue to use the tub with no sanitizer, you will really hate it because of the bugs you will get! When you add the chlorine, you may have to add extra to kill all the germs you brought in and are growing and multipling. Supershock! +1 Speaking from experience...I would highly suggest using the super decontamination method listed in this forumon your/any used hot tub. I bought a used hot tub last March and fought with chemicals on a daily basis for over 4 months, I had a green film grow on the cover, green water, had foamy water etc etc and I even had one friend get a hot tub rash. I did not want to do the decontamination because I was completely new to this and once I did discover the decon. I didn't want to do it because I am on a well and knew it would cost me for 2 loads of water, one for the decon. the other for the refill, but I bit the bullet. I felt like you at that time that "I wasn't smart enough to have a hot tub" and I was ready to sell the tub because it was becoming too much work...but once the decontamination was done, chemical balancing is a breeze, I have only minor issues with levels but nothing major with the water or cover...and the water is as clear as the day I filled it... now I am only checking and balancing only every 3 to 4 days... Don't mess around with a used hot tub, decontaminate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Don't mess around with a used hot tub, decontaminate! I totally agree! You have nothing to lose, and I nice clean, safe tub to gain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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