New Owner of a Softub 140, Good Summary For Adding Chemicals?

[DKMin]

Hi, new to the forum and just got a used Softub 140. I have read online for hours but seem to be getting more confused on how I should be handeling my water treatment. This is what I did when starting out:
Filled Tub
Added 2 TBSP of Chlorine
Tested for chlorine, PH, alkalinity and hardness and adjusted as needed
My city water is very soft, don't even have a water softener.

These are the chemicals I currently own:
Chlorine
PH Up
PH Down
Chlorax Pool and Spa calcium hardness increaser.

I know that chlorine gets depleted with every use and should be added after. This is also when many people shock. Softub states that shock will void the warranty, that is ok if it does not damage anything because the warranty is up anyways. However, after reading I found there are different types of shock and that many people even use regular bleach if their CYA levels are high enough. CYA was not a topic I have discovered yet so that brought in more questions. I guess at this point I am just confused as to how I should be handeling this. With such a small spa it is already tough enough to keep things balanced. Is there a good proven protocol that I should be following? Usually the spa is used 2-3 times a week by two people which is the most that will fit in such a small spa.

Thank you for any help

[DKMin]

Reading Nitro's sticky... Pretty helpful so far

[MPurcell]

Nitro's sticky on the Dichlor/Bleach method is a very good one to follow. It has a description of the basics. Combined with Nitro's approach to water maintenance, and the Chlorine Demand sticky, you would have much of the information you would need to run a chlorine tub. These are the basic methods I follow in my 220 gallon inflatable.

You can also get more information at the Trouble Free Pool forums in the Spas and Hot Tubs sub forum. Continue to read and study until all the pieces start to fit together and you begin to see the whole picture. And don't hesitate to ask here on the forums when you don't understand something.

The biggest problem with this method is that you pretty much need to add chlorine every day, or at least every other day. The basic rule is try to keep the chlorine in the target area, and never let it go below the minimum level. See the Chlorine / CYA Chart at https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock. If you do that, and keep the water balanced, you will keep a clear and trouble free tub.

One suggestion is that you should get into the practice of adding bleach after you soak, and then leaving the tub uncovered for at least 30 minutes to an hour afterwards before putting the cover on, which gives the water a chance to rid itself of bather waste as it is broken down by the chlorine.

[DKMin]

Thanks, after the CYA is up then do you even use Chlorine anymore? It sounds like the Dichlor get replaced by using bleach? I've read it twice, gonna have to read it again I think...

 

Geez, adding chlorine everyday? What happens if I have to go out of town for work or something?

[MPurcell]

2 hours ago, DKMin said:

Geez, adding chlorine everyday? What happens if I have to go out of town for work or something?

Well, yes, that is an issue. From what I've seen posted by others with that issue, it seems your options are 1.) find a reliable person to add it for you, such as a neighbor or relative or such. 2.) You can use a drop in salt water chlorine generator such as the Saltron Mini, which means having about 3,000 to 3,500 ppm salt in the water. 3.) Automated chlorine feeder to add chlorine at regular intervals. 4.) If it is infrequent and just for a few days, you can just bump the chlorine up a little above shock level, which might give you three or four days, maybe even five.

I'm not sure what you are asking about using chlorine. Bleach is chlorine, and can also be referred to as liquid chlorine. If you buy liquid chlorine from the pool store, which is labeled as "liquid chlorine," it is exactly the same thing as bleach, except bleach is typically 6% or 8.25% and liquid chlorine is typically 12% or so. They are sodium hypochlorite.

Dichlor is chlorine and cyanuric acid. Trichlor is also chlorine and cyanuric acid. Calcium hypochlorite is chlorine and calcium. These are the only solid or granular forms of chlorine. As you can guess, none of them should be used continuously in a hot tub (or pool for that matter) as you will either run your CYA through the roof, or run your calcium hardness through the roof. Liquid forms of chlorine are sodium hypochlorite. Liquid chlorine (bleach) adds only chlorine. That is why the dichlor and then bleach method!

[DKMin]

I was referring to the pellet chlorine that is sold as for "hot tubs" or "spas" on the label. Not standard liquid bleach, did not know they were pretty much the same thing.

I read that Dichlor has CYA, again, I have never heard of CYA until I started reading on this forum, pretty interesting.

I will read the procedure a couple more times to help it sink in more.

I see now I could just buy liquid 6% unscented bleach?

One other thing, the poolcalculator link that Nitro keeps referring to in his post is no longer valid. It sounded like a really cool tool, is there a different one people use now?

[arobbert]

http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html