First Time Owner Questions

[bigroo42]

Hello All, 

I recently purchased a HotSprings Rhythm model tub and I am very happy with my purchase. I am a very detail orientated person and I most definitely want my investment to last as long as possible.  I have a few questions: 

My sales rep, who was great by the way, told me I 'don't need to worry about test strips' for the water.  That i just put the two chemicals he gave me in there once a week and hit the clean cycle and i'll never have an issue. So, is this typically accurate? I don't know the first thing about water test strips but i thought that was part of being a hot tub owner - dealing with the water chemistry. 

Next, along the same topic, the rep told me i wouldn't need a filter cleaner - just to spray it off once a month and then replace it every 2 years.  However the manual says use a filter cleaning solution every 4 months.  Is the filter cleaner solution absolutely necessary? 

Also, I am not trying to cheap out on chemicals but i am signed up for a 4 month auto ship program for about 285 bucks which gives me a 4 month supply of both chemicals i need. Now, is there a common place, say amazon, that people go to buy chemicals? I gave enough money to the dealer when i bought the tub, i dont feel bad buying chemicals from a different party. 

Lastly, I am using chlorine to sanitize the water (along with an ozonater, i believe...) but every time i get i out of the tub i feel very itchy. Is this just something i need to endure? Or should i look at switching to bromine? Ive heard it's softer on skin. 

 

Thank you for all the pro-bono information! I love message boards!!! :)

[ratchett]

What chemicals did your dealer include with the spa?  I have a Hotspring Jetsetter, and the only test I perform monthly is testing the PH (add baking soda if it's too low) .  Although note test strips can go bad and provide inaccurate readings - chemical "drop tests" kits are far more accurate method of testing water. 

My spa has a different (ceramic) filter system so my cleaning and maintenance is going to be different from yours, However filter care is the most overlooked thing among spa owners. Many service techs will tell you 75% of their service calls are fixed by cleaning/replacing the filter.    Washing out the filter with a hose is a great start - then for intensive cleaning, start with a 50/50 vinegar/water solution and soak your filters for two hours in that.  See if that helps first - the filter cleaner is useful, but only really needed when the filter is super grimy. 

 

8 hours ago, bigroo42 said:

Lastly, I am using chlorine to sanitize the water (along with an ozonater, i believe...) but every time i get i out of the tub i feel very itchy. Is this just something i need to endure? Or should i look at switching to bromine? Ive heard it's softer on skin. 

High levels of chlorine can leave skin dry and itchy after bathing.   Stuff like an ozonator and silver ion cartridge can reduce your overall chlorine needs so you can maintain a lower PPM of chlorine.   If I use my jetsetter twice within 12 hours of my last use, the chlorine is typically a bit too strong for my wife, but after 24-36 hours since our last soak I find the chlorine levels extremely low, to the point where our skin doesn't feel itchy and dry after soaking.

Bromine is an alternative sanitizer, but it has it's pros and cons. Personally I opted to stick with chlorine as opposed to Bromine, but there are plenty of bromine  users. 

 

Additionally there are newer products on the market like Spa Marvel which is an enzyme (found naturally in freshwater lakes) that supposedly reduces your chlorine needs by consuming the food-sources for bacteria and viruses before they have a chance to feed and grow.  So less chlorine is needed theoretically to kill the bacteria in the spa.     But I'm still learning about this product, and have not given it a test yet, but I have heard some encouraging feedback from other users and dealers on the forums.

 

However note I am still very much a newbie to spas myself - you probably shouldn't be listening to me over other experts haha

[castletonia]

Ummm....... You got some questionable advice.  You need to test your water.  No way around that and anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or ignorant.  You will need to do more than rinse off the filter, but the frequency of the filter cleaner is on a case by case scenario.  I just had a customer with a 6 week old hot tub, filter so dirty that it wouldn't heat.  I've also seen filter(s) that were 1-2 years old and fine.  YMMV.

My perspective as a dealer is this.  I appreciate and value my customers.  They choose my company and the brands (Hot Spring & Caldera) that I sell based on the quality of the hot tub and their level of trust in me.  When it comes to chemicals,  I know I am not always the cheapest but I strive to be competitive and hope to retain my customers for chemical purchases.   If you feel you can find equal quality products for way cheaper and of better convenience elsewhere vs buying from me, I completely understand that.  With that being said, when an issue arises, I am going to give the benefit of the doubt to those customers that have continued to support my business which I believe is part of the reason they continue to do so.  In any industry that will undoubtedly require service or customer service after the sale, those customers that you continue to have an ongoing relationship with are the ones that you are more likely to go the extra mile to satisfy than those you haven't seen or heard from in years.  It needs to be understood though, I will never turn my back on a customer, I just think its natural to want to do better by those who support each other vs those who only come around when they need something.

In regards to the itchiness, could be a few things.  It could be that your chlorine levels are too high, it could be that your pH levels are too low, or it could just be that the jet pressure is harder than your skin is accustomed too and its taking time to get acclimated.  Since you have no idea what your water chemistry is, I would start there.  Also, just my opinion, I hate the smell of bromine.  Chlorine is also one of the main ingredients in bromine, so if chlorine bothers you, bromine probably will too.

[bigroo42]

Thank you both for the information. I got a bit more clarification on the no test strips thing... He said for the first few months I won't need em. That he's so confident in the sanitation system and as long as I follow the weekly regiment I *should be fine. 

 

I do know that 1 of the chemicals is a shock and the other looks like a dishwashing pod (granules in a disolvable pod) and is in an orange bottle. Nonetheless I'm gonna stick with these chemicals since the shop has been so great to work with. 

[castletonia]

I assume that since you have a Rhythm, you are using the inline system.  If so, the @ease system tends to drift the pH downward over time.  It will result in your cartridges depleting faster than normal and low pH in addition to irritating your skin, isn't good for any of the components long term.  I'm not going to dispute your salesman's confidence, only that I have sold @ease since 2016 so I know the system (I have a Caldera Vanto running on my showroom with the system.  Even with the hot tub not having been used since it was filled 3 weeks ago, I have had to adjust pH, Alkalinity, and add phosphate remover.  Unless you have perfect tap water, you will have to test it.

[bigroo42]

4 hours ago, castletonia said:

I assume that since you have a Rhythm, you are using the inline system.  If so, the @ease system tends to drift the pH downward over time.  It will result in your cartridges depleting faster than normal and low pH in addition to irritating your skin, isn't good for any of the components long term.  I'm not going to dispute your salesman's confidence, only that I have sold @ease since 2016 so I know the system (I have a Caldera Vanto running on my showroom with the system.  Even with the hot tub not having been used since it was filled 3 weeks ago, I have had to adjust pH, Alkalinity, and add phosphate remover.  Unless you have perfect tap water, you will have to test it.

great info!  when you say cartridges do you mean the ion cartridges that i'm supposed to replace ever 4 months? 

[castletonia]

18 hours ago, bigroo42 said:

great info!  when you say cartridges do you mean the ion cartridges that i'm supposed to replace ever 4 months? 

The blue cartridge will last 4 months regardless what you do.  The gray/silver colored cartridge which is your chlorine cartridge should last 3-5 weeks.  However, if your pH drifts downward and becomes acidic, then your chlorine cartridge will deplete rapidly, like less than 2 weeks rapidly.  

[bigroo42]

2 hours ago, castletonia said:

The blue cartridge will last 4 months regardless what you do.  The gray/silver colored cartridge which is your chlorine cartridge should last 3-5 weeks.  However, if your pH drifts downward and becomes acidic, then your chlorine cartridge will deplete rapidly, like less than 2 weeks rapidly.  

Hmmm not sure I have the chlorine cartridge.... I only 'inatalled' one cartridge when it was delivered and that was the ion cartridge that goes in the filter well. Where does the gray/silver chlorine cartridge reside?