Decontaminated Spa,still Getting Itchy Bumps

[kittkatt62]

I am a new member on your site,although I have been using it for awhile now to get info.I wanted to thank everyone for the useful info I have found here.Now ,my problem:We purchased a 2013 Hot Springs Flair in Dec 2012.Since then,I have decontaminated it once according to the steps I have found on this site,then started following your dichlor/bleach method.I now realize that we have had a bad case of that nasty little bacteria due to not using enough sanitizer.They told us that all we needed was 1/2 tsp.of dichlor before a soak and we were "good to go",found out the hard way that was not the case,hence the decontamination.My water now is crystal clear,everything is where it should be,according to my Taylor k-2006 test kit,but I am still getting patches of little bumps that show up the next morning after a soak,even though I shower after getting out of the spa.The bumps appear on the back of my calves and sometimes around my elbows and under my forearms.They are extremely itchy,but not a rash.I am the only one affected by this, no one else is having any problems.Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what could be causing this?We soak for 30 minutes,water temp is 100, PH=7.8, TA=60ppm, CH=120ppm, CYA=25ppm, Borate=50ppm, FC=3ppm, CC=.5ppm. Any suggestions would help,as I am at my wits end and don't know what to try anymore.

[Roger]

Go see the doctor. Could be eczema or any number of skin conditions and not your tub at all.

[Apollo217]

Allergic to chlorine?

[kittkatt62]

I don't think I'm allergic to chlorine,as we have had a pool and I was in a hot tub last year with no reaction,unless I developed an allergy since last year.Either way,I have a Dr. appointment with a dermatologist on April 10,and I plan to get in every night for the 3 days before so I'm really broke out and maybe he can tell me what it is.In the meantime, we have a 4 day weekend coming up,so we are going to decontaminate and flush the system again...it can't hurt.We are also going to leave the stain and scale preventer out, as this is the only chemical that I never used in our pool,maybe that is the cause of this breakout I'm getting.Thanks for your suggestions.

[Dr. Spa]

Here's a test you can. Do the decontamination. Drain the spa and rinse it out VERY well. Fill and heat. Add NO CHEMICALS. Once it's hot, shower extremely well and use the spa (just you, no one else). Next morning, again shower extremely well and use the spa (just you, no one else). And again that evening. IF by the next morning you have no rash, bumps or break out, it's probably a chemical allergy/sensitivity.

You can then start adding one chemical at a time (chlorine first), 2 to 3 days apart, and continue with the same testing....rather important, no one else should use the spa during this time.

[kittkatt62]

Ok,will try that,one question though,our water ph out of the well is 7.5,TA is 160,do I adjust it or leave it alone? will I recontaminate it if there is no chlorine in it?

[Dr. Spa]

DO NOT PUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN WATER IN FOR THE FEW DAYS OF THE TEST. You're trying to find out is you're allergic to any of the chemicals added.

[chem geek]

will I recontaminate it if there is no chlorine in it?

If you decontaminated the spa and fill it only with tap water, then it shouldn't recontaminate because tap water wouldn't have sufficient nutrients to support a lot of bacterial growth. It's the same as having bottled water. Now after you've used the spa, you introduce organics as well as bacteria, but you are only doing this during the first day and in limited amounts. The first chemical you will add after that first day is chlorine so it is unlikely for very much to happen during the first day in a "clean" spa only used by you once for that first day's test.

Also note http://richardfalk.home.comcast.net/~richardfalk/pool/rashes.htm'>this chart that distinguishes between a chemical reaction vs. a bacterial infection.

[kittkatt62]

Thanks again,I read that chart and it's looking more and more like a chemical reaction.....we have the sea klear in it now,will superchlorinate and change the water tomorrow....thanks!

[kittkatt62]

Just a quick update...found out that I am sensitive to the stain and scale preventer,no more break outs since we left it out of this new fill.Thanks to Dr. Spa and chem geek for all your help!

[chem geek]

Can you let us know what the ingredients are on the stain and scale preventer you are using? What does it say on the bottle? And what is the brand and exact name so I can try looking up an MSDS for it?

[kittkatt62]

I was using the Hot Springs Fresh Water stain and scale defense.It does not have a list of ingredients on the bottle,which is really strange.What it does have is a warning on the front which says:May be irritating to eyes,skin,and respiratory system...obviously,it's very irritating to MY skin.Hopefully,this is one thing that I don't need to use in the spa.Right now,the only thing that is in there is bromates,dichlor, muriatic acid,and bleach.Everything is fine now as long as I keep it to no more than 45 minutes of exposure to these chemicals.If I'm in there for more than that,I do still get a few little bumps here and there,but nothing like I had when I was adding the stain and scale stuff and only getting in there for 25 mins. max.We keep our temp at 99,that's how we can stay in there for longer amounts of time.

[chem geek]

Thanks. I couldn't find an MSDS for it.

[kittkatt62]

On my post,I meant to write borate, not bromates,but you probably figured that out. Anyways, thanks for looking for an msds on that stuff, it would have been nice to know what is in it that's so irritating.