Free And Total Chlorine

[styro]

Hi,

I'm on the bleach method for over 9 months.

Recently I change my water about month ago.

The first to weeks the water was superbly clear and my measure numbers where in good range.

After my daughter use the spa with girlfriend my water become foaming.The walls of my spa on the edge with water become dirty.

I try to use Defoamer but is 't helps for a day.

Since then my measure numbers are not perfect:

PH =7.5

TA = 52

Temp=96

F.ch = 4.38

T.ch = 5.10

CYA = 28

Calcium Hard = 99

I use digital meter.

I do not like rising every day difference between F.ch and T. ch.

Also my Calcium Hardness is on Low.

My question is :can my C.H stays around 100?

How to prevent from rising deference between F.ch and T.ch?

Should I remove some water to get no bubbles or I have to change the water completely?

I think the cause of foaming is a swimming suit was with some detergent or maybe to much makeup was inserted in to the water.

Please advise me what to do.

Thanks

[chem geek]

Raising the CH to 120-150 ppm can help reduce foaming, though as you point out it was probably introduced from detergents in the swimsuits. You can scoop the foam off the surface to remove it.

As for the increasing CC, unless you have a high bather load that continues, it should drop over time. You could try shocking to a higher FC level to see if that helps -- if it does, then it just means you got a little behind relative to the high bather load. Make sure the hot tub is hot because if the water gets too cool (much below 100ºF) then you might not get rid of the bather waste before the next soak.

I'm assuming, of course, that your measurements are accurate. Also, if you don't notice any bad chlorine smell, then I wouldn't worry about CC unless it got above 1 ppm. Though it normally stays at or below 0.5 ppm in a residential spa, there could be some slow-to-oxidize organics in lotions or other things the kids had but they may not be irritating.

[styro]

Raising the CH to 120-150 ppm can help reduce foaming, though as you point out it was probably introduced from detergents in the swimsuits. You can scoop the foam off the surface to remove it.

As for the increasing CC, unless you have a high bather load that continues, it should drop over time. You could try shocking to a higher FC level to see if that helps -- if it does, then it just means you got a little behind relative to the high bather load. Make sure the hot tub is hot because if the water gets too cool (much below 100ºF) then you might not get rid of the bather waste before the next soak.

I'm assuming, of course, that your measurements are accurate. Also, if you don't notice any bad chlorine smell, then I wouldn't worry about CC unless it got above 1 ppm. Though it normally stays at or below 0.5 ppm in a residential spa, there could be some slow-to-oxidize organics in lotions or other things the kids had but they may not be irritating.

This is my second refill with bleach method and my TA is a little higher with good PH level.

TA now is 52+ and PH is stays sharp at 75.

At the first refill with bleach method the TA I have to keep at 40's in order to ph to stay at around 75.

My hardens previously was 170.I do not now if Hardness have any effect for TA and PH levels, but in my case looks like.

[styro]

Raising the CH to 120-150 ppm can help reduce foaming, though as you point out it was probably introduced from detergents in the swimsuits. You can scoop the foam off the surface to remove it.

As for the increasing CC, unless you have a high bather load that continues, it should drop over time. You could try shocking to a higher FC level to see if that helps -- if it does, then it just means you got a little behind relative to the high bather load. Make sure the hot tub is hot because if the water gets too cool (much below 100ºF) then you might not get rid of the bather waste before the next soak.

I'm assuming, of course, that your measurements are accurate. Also, if you don't notice any bad chlorine smell, then I wouldn't worry about CC unless it got above 1 ppm. Though it normally stays at or below 0.5 ppm in a residential spa, there could be some slow-to-oxidize organics in lotions or other things the kids had but they may not be irritating.

This is my second refill with bleach method and my TA is a little higher with good PH level.

TA now is 52+ and PH is stays sharp at 75.

At the first refill with bleach method the TA I have to keep at 40's in order to ph to stay at around 75.

My hardens previously was 170.I do not now if Hardness have any effect for TA and PH levels, but in my case looks like.

Please coment if hardness can have any effect for TA and PH

Thanks

Adam

[chem geek]

Calcium Hardness (CH) does not affect the Total Alkalinity (TA) nor the pH. However, together, along with temperature (and TDS), they affect the saturation index, but for spas that's only a problem if these parameters are high as that can cause scaling. You can use The Pool Calculator to calculate the saturation index -- so long as its at least a little negative, you shouldn't get scaling.

The difference between 40 and 50 ppm TA isn't huge so it just happens to be that 50 is now working for you. That's fine -- whatever works on each refill letting the TA get low enough to have fairly stable pH. I usually say to have at least 50 ppm TA just to have some decent pH buffering, but if one is using 50 ppm Borates then that provides additional buffering.