TedBull Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 Hello, I purchased my first Hot Tub. It is a New 2018 Caldera Cantabria. I received very vague water care instructions and was given the frog ease cartridges to use along with the frog shock packet and some balancing chemicals. I got everything setup well according to the ease test strips. The ease system kept the sanitizer level just a tad over the minimum specified level indicated on the test strip bottle for the first week of use. Then I noticed the tub walls felt gritty one day. I added a couple tablespoons of granulated chlorine and that resolved the problem by the next morning. I ordered a drop test kit, (not the nice Taylor kit though). I have been using both the ease strips and drop test kit to test my water. I dont find either one to be very reassuring as to the actual levels of sanitizer and balancin though. I use the tub every day. And sometimes twice a day. My wife joins in usually once a day also and the boy ever other day or so. We soak nude when we can and try and shower before. Usually soak for 30 minutes. The tub is 615 gallons. I keep the temp around 102. This last week I have been adding 3/4 to 1 tbsp of chlorine after each soak or every other soak if it's just me. The water smelled a little off to me the other day but the wife was ok with it. I tested it the next morning and the clorine level was below or close to 1ppg according to the ease test strip. Today. After two weeks of owning the spa I plan to add another frog shock packet and put in my clean new spare filter and clean the current filter. Can you offer some advice? Am I doing it right? How do I know when to shock? How do I know how much chlorine to add after a soak? If I add chlorine after every soak do I need to ever add it before a soak given that I have the ease cartridge "maintaining" some level of sanitation? The ease system seems very inadequate, what's your thoughts about it. What ppg level of chlorine should I be shooting for? How often should I use a flush agent to clean the plumbing lines? With each water change at 4 months or once a year? Anything else I'm forgetting? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedBull Posted October 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 Oh, and it does have an ozonator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arobbert Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 This post will be helpful. https://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/13634-nitros-approach-to-water-maintaince/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partyboy Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 Nice tub! These things do require daily maintenance if you are using them daily, but it isn't hard if you understand the chemistry that's going on. Over time you will get a feel for how much sanitizer to throw in based on usage, water feel, and smell. Once you get your water balanced you wont have to worry about much other than sanitizer. Read nitros post and take notes. Ask questions here if you have them. If I can offer any advice I would say you need a good test kit to get everything dialed in. The Walmart drop kit is not the one you want. Test strips are definitely not what you want. Once you are dialed in you will only be using your fancy new kit at water changes if you don't remember your chem dosage from last time. Source water for me is pretty consistent and I have perfected a recipe that gets me my desired results quickly with little testing. Either way you NEED A GOOD TEST KIT to get started and to diagnose problems with your water. There is simply no way to tell whats going on without one. Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedBull Posted October 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2018 Thanks for the replies. I did read Nitros write up on water treatment. I am now 3 weeks into owning and using the tub. I have been adding in dichlore daily, and using the tub daily. I have been relying on test strips for water balance and sanitation. I bought the Taylor K-2009 drop test kit today and tested and this is where I'm at: Temp - 100* PH - 7.6 TA - 130 CH - 290 CYA - 100+ CC - 9 PPG Should I drain and refill? Or can i shock it with MPS and convert to bleach or is it too late? My CC was higher this AM at 16 ppg after a soak. I added .75oz of dichlor then for a FC of 4.4. Now CC is at 9 ppg and FC 1.2 ppg. I just added .5 oz of Dichlor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedBull Posted October 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2018 Today the FC was .6 ppg. The CC was at 3.6 ppg. Its dropping. The CYA is still over 100+. Added more dichlore today. Not sure when it I can switch to Clorox bleach with such a high CYA? Can anybody answer that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silversun Posted October 30, 2018 Report Share Posted October 30, 2018 I've not had a 100+ CYA reading yet (switched to bleach around 30ppm, and usually don't like to get higher than 60ppm at any time) but I would probably partially drain it and refill until it's ~40-50 ppm. but definitely stop putting in any more dichlor. if you're not planning to drain it. switch to bleach immediately. CYA will drop over time, but I think it takes a long, long time to get back into range. likely months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedBull Posted October 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2018 I went ahead and completely drained it. Will start over using nitros method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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