Should I Have To Tinker With My Chemicals This Much?

[Nuggett]

Question 1 # Why won't my PH settle into the 7.2-7.6 range?

Question 2# Why does a light film build up at the water level?

Question 3# Are the above questions the reallity of owning an acrilic tub, the Muni Water or bad readings?

North Texas Municipal Water stats

Treated mg/L

TA = 100

Tot Hardness 152

Non-carbonite hardness 51.8

PH 7.84

Chlorine Residual 2.94

I have had my 380 gallon J-335, with Proclear inline mineral cartridge for three weeks. I find that my consumption of test strips, PH decreaser and wiping the shell at the water level is more than I expected. My water is clean, has a neutral smell, no foam and skin dryness is not too bad. I toss a little MPS in after a soak and the ozonator seems to be doing it's job. The test strips that the dealer gave me are good quality and I know this because I bought a different brand and they are simply cheap.

I probably need a Taylor test kit but wanted to get some input from the GEEK.

Does the original water from the hose only affect the initial setup of the chemicals. If I add a few inches of water should I expect the city water to adjust the balance by a little or a lot? Will bathers increase PH? Should I expect to wipe down the spa everytime I get in? Based on the first three weeks should I expect to use acid every 7-10 days?

I plan on cleaning the filters this weekend since we used it a lot in the last three weeks. We are in the habit of showering before we get in the Jacuzzi. This is only a small challenge in a long road of ownership. We love our tub and expect the workload to settle down as time goes on.

Thanks,

Nug.

[chem geek]

Your pH keeps rising because your Total Alkalinity (TA) is probably too high. TA is a SOURCE of rising pH. Yes, everyone talks about it being a pH buffer to stabilize pH, but the carbonates part of TA (which is almost all of TA if there are no borates or CYA in the water) makes the pH rise, especially when there is aeration of the water, because carbon dioxide outgasses from the spa. It's just like a carbonated beverage. If you are adding acid, then that would normally lower the TA so the only way the TA is staying high is that you are raising it (or perhaps it started out very high from the initial fill water) -- so stop doing raising the TA and let it get as low as 50 ppm if necessary. You could use 50 ppm Borates as well, after you get your TA lower.

The light film above the water line is probably a combination of oils and bacteria in biofilm. You should really get a Taylor K-2006 kit so that you can really know what is going on with your water. You mentioned an ozonator, adding MPS, and a mineral system, but did not mention using any chlorine. I suspect you aren't using enough oxidizer after your soak and that is what is allowing for bacteria to grow -- that and the fact that you aren't using any chlorine. The ProClear™ Mineral Cartridge claims to use silver ions, but I don't know if its as good as Nature². You might try using at least some chlorine, perhaps once a week, assuming you are using enough MPS. The ozonator will NOT be enough to prevent bacteria from growing in your water. You really need either sufficient silver ions with sufficient MPS or you need chlorine.

[Nuggett]

Geek,

I went to the dealer this weekend, with my tub water and a break down of my muni water stats. The guy there has 20 years of experience but when I left it was information overload and didn't buy anything. "you could buy this....tetra-something or a carbonate-yada yada could help with this" The TA to PH ratio is a head scratcher to me. The readings in my tub based on the chemicals I add are not adding up. My PH was 8.4 and the TA was 122. I placed some dry acid in the tub and tested the next day. The acid only temporarily lowered the PH. It was back up again. He also suggested I toss a dose of chlorine in as a shock and let it sit for a day or two. The chemical guy said I could use my tub with the stats as they are now and it won't hurt the shell, pumps or heater. When I got back from the store I cleaned out my 3 week old filters which I should have done after the first week. The biofilm line was lessened after the cleaning.

The water is clear, non irritating and has a neutral smell.

Since my muni water has enough calcium in it, the TA is with in range and the PH is 7.8 could the initial setup cause the lingering issue of a high PH? Could they have put to much calcium and Alk up during the initial setup three weeks ago and this is driving my PH up? I added dry acid / ph decreaser and the tub reacts immediately but days later it creeps back up. I don't think I will ever use the ALK up because the muni water is already in range.

He was really pushing an enzyme called spa balance. If it doesn't include acid what will that do for my PH?

[chem geek]

Your TA is not within range -- who's range? Someone that does not know that TA causes the pH to rise, that's who! Get your TA lower -- a LOT lower. You do that by adding acid and aerating. As the TA gets lower, even as low as 50 ppm (though get it to 70-80 first and see how things go), the pH won't rise so much and for additional pH stability you can use 50 ppm Borates in the spa.

[Nuggett]

Today I bought a Taylor OTO test kit.

My PH was off the charts at 8.2+ I then added some dry acid and tested 30 minutes later. My PH came down to 7.5 and my TA was 110-120.

Bottom line.....the test strips are garbage no matter what quality I bought.

Question for the Geek. When I test TA using the kit and it turns green first. I then proceed to change it Red; how red should it get?

10 drops it was a light red = 100ppm TA

12 drops it was a darker red = 120ppm TA

Does this mean I am between 100-120 on my TA?

[chem geek]

See the appropriate video "To Test Total Alkalinity" by clicking on the "Pool / Spa" category link in this Taylor page of videos. You add drops until it doesn't change color anymore and you don't count the last drop if that drop did not make any change. It generally goes from green to something in between to a fairly constant red when I do the test. In your case, the light red is probably not the true reading and you've got something more like 110 ppm. That's certainly close enough accuracy. Your TA is still too high if your pH still tends to rise, which it most likely will unless you use acidic sources of disinfectant or oxidizer. So keep adding acid to lower it or until the pH is more stable.