New Hot Tub Owner

[jcn92]

I have purchased a Coleman Lazy Spa, an inflatable hot tub, and am overwhelmed trying to learn how to maintain it. I have purchased a few items to help me maintain it, but am not sure if I'm using these items correctly. The items I've purchased are the following; Leisure Time A Spa Bright and Clear, Litmus pH Test Strips, and Clorox Pool & Spa 60001CLX Small Pool 1-Inch Chlorinating Floater Tablets. 

I have a lot of general questions, so I'll just list them below and hopefully somebody can help me learn about this. I would appreciate it greatly. 
 

• What temperature should I keep the spa at when I'm not using it?
   
• Is it okay for the water if I leave the heat off for extended periods of time?
   
• How important it is to check alkalinity in addition to pH?
   
• How often should I add chemicals to the spa?
  • When adding chemicals what chemicals should I add? Is the Leisure Time Spa Bright and Clear I purchased adequate?
     
• How often should I refill the chlorine dispenser with chlorine tablets?
   
• The hot tub has a filter setting. How often should I run the filter setting on the hot tub?
   
• Should I invest in a more sophisticated water testing kit like a Poolmaster 22260 5-Way Test Kit?
   
• What basic tasks should I do weekly to make sure that my spa operates smoothly?

If you have any tips or other comments that you think would be helpful I would be grateful.

[MPurcell]

I own a Coleman lazy-spa by Bestway. I use bromine as a sanitizer, but chlorine will work as well.

I suggest that you do some reading and research so that you will understand how to care for your tub. You can start with the sticky threads in the Hot Tub Water Chemistry category, especially the topic "Dichlor/bleach Method In A Nutshell" if you want to use chlorine. You can also find additional information here.

Leisure Time A Spa Bright and Clear is a sequesterant. It causes very small particles to clump up so that they can be caught by the filter. It is not normally needed unless there is a particular problem that needs to be solved. I would never put that product, or any sequesterant in my spa.

Clorox Pool & Spa 60001CLX Small Pool 1-Inch Chlorinating Floater Tablets are Trichlor, which is a combination of chlorine and cyanuric acid (CYA). You can use it instead of Dichlor in the Dichlor/bleach Method. But you only use it until the CYA is up to about 30 ppm, then you use bleach after that until the next time you refill the pool.

There are two things you need to do to manage your tub chemistry, balance and sanitation. Balance means keeping the  pH in the appropriate range, usually between 7.2 and 7.8, with outside limits of 7.0 and 8.0. Also, keeping the total alkalinity at an appropriate level, and making sure you have enough calcium hardness. Sanitation means always keeping the chlorine level above a certain minimum, depending on the amount of CYA. For a CYA of 30 ppm, minimum free chlorine of 2 ppm and target free chlorine of 4-6 ppm.

You need a good test kit. What you have now is not sufficient, and strips in general are not very reliable. The best recommended test kit is the Taylor K-2006-A. It is somewhat expensive, $50.00 to $75.00 or more depending on where you get it, and the best online price I have found is at Amato Industries.

My wife and I use the spa every day, sometimes twice a day, so we keep the temperature up all the time. In my tub, I set the thermostat at 99 deg F and it fluctuates between 101 on the high side, and 96 on the low side. We soak in the evening at 100 or 101, and my wife uses it for under water exercises in the morning at 96 or 97. If you are going to go long periods between use, then letting the water cool down will not be a problem, as long as you keep the sanitizer level up at all times.

 

[jcn92]

Thank you so much. This was very helpful!

[jcn92]

On 6/14/2017 at 3:06 PM, MPurcell said:

I own a Coleman lazy-spa by Bestway. I use bromine as a sanitizer, but chlorine will work as well.

I suggest that you do some reading and research so that you will understand how to care for your tub. You can start with the sticky threads in the Hot Tub Water Chemistry category, especially the topic "Dichlor/bleach Method In A Nutshell" if you want to use chlorine. You can also find additional information here.

Leisure Time A Spa Bright and Clear is a sequesterant. It causes very small particles to clump up so that they can be caught by the filter. It is not normally needed unless there is a particular problem that needs to be solved. I would never put that product, or any sequesterant in my spa.

Clorox Pool & Spa 60001CLX Small Pool 1-Inch Chlorinating Floater Tablets are Trichlor, which is a combination of chlorine and cyanuric acid (CYA). You can use it instead of Dichlor in the Dichlor/bleach Method. But you only use it until the CYA is up to about 30 ppm, then you use bleach after that until the next time you refill the pool.

There are two things you need to do to manage your tub chemistry, balance and sanitation. Balance means keeping the  pH in the appropriate range, usually between 7.2 and 7.8, with outside limits of 7.0 and 8.0. Also, keeping the total alkalinity at an appropriate level, and making sure you have enough calcium hardness. Sanitation means always keeping the chlorine level above a certain minimum, depending on the amount of CYA. For a CYA of 30 ppm, minimum free chlorine of 2 ppm and target free chlorine of 4-6 ppm.

You need a good test kit. What you have now is not sufficient, and strips in general are not very reliable. The best recommended test kit is the Taylor K-2006-A. It is somewhat expensive, $50.00 to $75.00 or more depending on where you get it, and the best online price I have found is at Amato Industries.

My wife and I use the spa every day, sometimes twice a day, so we keep the temperature up all the time. In my tub, I set the thermostat at 99 deg F and it fluctuates between 101 on the high side, and 96 on the low side. We soak in the evening at 100 or 101, and my wife uses it for under water exercises in the morning at 96 or 97. If you are going to go long periods between use, then letting the water cool down will not be a problem, as long as you keep the sanitizer level up at all times.

 

Hey thanks again for answering my previous questions. I think I'm going to go with bromine tablets and a bromine booster because that seems to be the simplest route.

I'm wondering if you or anyone reading this could help me understand what chemicals I need to buy. I have purchased a new and better test kit, but reading online am overwhelmed at the number of different types of chemicals. This link lists balancers, clarifiers, shocks, cleaners, and sanitizers among the different types of chemicals. My questions are

•  Are bromine tablets and booster what I would use to control the PH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness? 
   
• Are any of those types of chemicals I listed above from the link necessary in addition to bromine tablets and booster?

[MPurcell]

Bromine method

Chlorine method

I use bromine with the three step method. This consists of 1) add sodium bromide to build up a bromide bank of at least 50 ppm 2) add bleach (or another oxidizer, but bleach is preferred) to convert the sodium bromide into active bromine. (This is the same as booster.) 3) use a floater with bromine tabs to gradually add more bromine to the water to keep the level up over time while the tub is not in use.

Needed for bromine three step method:

Sodium Bromide - added once at each fill

Bromine tabs - BCDMH (bromochloro 5,5 dimethylhydantoin)

Bleach

You need to balance the water chemistry. For this you may need one or more of baking soda, washing soda or borax to increase pH and TA, muriatic acid to decrease pH and TA, calcium chloride to increase calcium hardness (if your fill water is low). Some people also add borates to the water to help buffer the pH. The best product for this is granular boric acid which you can get online at Duda Diesel, and other places.

With Chlorine, the pH tends to rise, so muriatic acid is frequently needed. However, with bromine, BCDMH tabs are rather acidic, and with a floater in the tub all the time, the pH tends to go down, so muriatic acid may not be needed at all. I never need muriatic acid or any form of pH down in my tub.

From the pool store or online you need to get sodium bromide, bromine tabs, muriatic acid and calcium chloride. Everything else can be obtained at the grocery store.

For managing pH and TA:

Baking soda raises total alkalinity a lot and pH a little

Washing soda raises pH a lot and TA a little.

Borax raises pH and not TA.

I pretty much only use baking soda to raise pH because I need to keep the TA up as well.

[jcn92]

On 7/10/2017 at 11:35 AM, MPurcell said:

Bromine method

Chlorine method

I use bromine with the three step method. This consists of 1) add sodium bromide to build up a bromide bank of at least 50 ppm 2) add bleach (or another oxidizer, but bleach is preferred) to convert the sodium bromide into active bromine. (This is the same as booster.) 3) use a floater with bromine tabs to gradually add more bromine to the water to keep the level up over time while the tub is not in use.

Needed for bromine three step method:

Sodium Bromide - added once at each fill

Bromine tabs - BCDMH (bromochloro 5,5 dimethylhydantoin)

Bleach

You need to balance the water chemistry. For this you may need one or more of baking soda, washing soda or borax to increase pH and TA, muriatic acid to decrease pH and TA, calcium chloride to increase calcium hardness (if your fill water is low). Some people also add borates to the water to help buffer the pH. The best product for this is granular boric acid which you can get online at Duda Diesel, and other places.

With Chlorine, the pH tends to rise, so muriatic acid is frequently needed. However, with bromine, BCDMH tabs are rather acidic, and with a floater in the tub all the time, the pH tends to go down, so muriatic acid may not be needed at all. I never need muriatic acid or any form of pH down in my tub.

From the pool store or online you need to get sodium bromide, bromine tabs, muriatic acid and calcium chloride. Everything else can be obtained at the grocery store.

For managing pH and TA:

Baking soda raises total alkalinity a lot and pH a little

Washing soda raises pH a lot and TA a little.

Borax raises pH and not TA.

I pretty much only use baking soda to raise pH because I need to keep the TA up as well.

Thank you! This is helpful.

[jcn92]

On 7/10/2017 at 11:35 AM, MPurcell said:

Bromine method

Chlorine method

I use bromine with the three step method. This consists of 1) add sodium bromide to build up a bromide bank of at least 50 ppm 2) add bleach (or another oxidizer, but bleach is preferred) to convert the sodium bromide into active bromine. (This is the same as booster.) 3) use a floater with bromine tabs to gradually add more bromine to the water to keep the level up over time while the tub is not in use.

Needed for bromine three step method:

Sodium Bromide - added once at each fill

Bromine tabs - BCDMH (bromochloro 5,5 dimethylhydantoin)

Bleach

You need to balance the water chemistry. For this you may need one or more of baking soda, washing soda or borax to increase pH and TA, muriatic acid to decrease pH and TA, calcium chloride to increase calcium hardness (if your fill water is low). Some people also add borates to the water to help buffer the pH. The best product for this is granular boric acid which you can get online at Duda Diesel, and other places.

With Chlorine, the pH tends to rise, so muriatic acid is frequently needed. However, with bromine, BCDMH tabs are rather acidic, and with a floater in the tub all the time, the pH tends to go down, so muriatic acid may not be needed at all. I never need muriatic acid or any form of pH down in my tub.

From the pool store or online you need to get sodium bromide, bromine tabs, muriatic acid and calcium chloride. Everything else can be obtained at the grocery store.

For managing pH and TA:

Baking soda raises total alkalinity a lot and pH a little

Washing soda raises pH a lot and TA a little.

Borax raises pH and not TA.

I pretty much only use baking soda to raise pH because I need to keep the TA up as well.

I added the bleach and the bromide and turned the jets on. I thought it'd be smart to ask how long should I wait before entering the spa after adding those two chemicals?