TraceyM Posted July 29, 2023 Report Share Posted July 29, 2023 I have read through several posts and I am trying not to screw this up! We bought the spa new in April. We are first time hot tub owners.Dealer gave test strips and I brought in several water tests. The crap test strips kept telling me everything was fine but when I brought water test to dealer, they would have me add chemicals based on tests. Needless to say, we had a yellow slim build up on the tub and my water was cloudy looking and I was done. Researched and bought the Ahhsome products and reached out to the owner Jim and he thoroughly explained the purge process. I did the purge yesterday, cleaned everything down and refilled. Water is crystal clear. I bought the Taylor 9 way test kit and have tested the water. I have no chemicals in the water at all. I have bought Baking Soda, Borax, Muratic acid and I have Bromine bank starter as well as the floater. My TA is 100; My Ph is showing 7.2 after Aerating and My CH is 300. We are on well water. I did use a spa stick to filter refill. Based on those numbers and everything I read, I wouldn’t add anything but the Bromine starter and floater? Am I supposed to add shock? Water temp is at 100 now. This all just seems too easy and I know it can’t be. Tell me what I do from here please! I won’t be back to test the water again until Wednesday (today is Saturday) but shouldn’t some chemicals be added? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted July 30, 2023 Report Share Posted July 30, 2023 CH is fine where it is but I would bring the TA down a bit since it will rise as the pH rises (it's a chemical equilibrium thing). Don't worry that right now. You can do it later if you find your pH keeps rising too fast. pH will climb on it's own but I would run it higher. I would suggest keeping it no lower than 7.6 and lower it when it hits 8.0 but no lower than 7.6. Add your bromine starter, shock with bleach, and put in your floater. Happy soaking! 8 hours ago, TraceyM said: We are on well water. I did use a spa stick to filter refill. If you have iron in your water you will want to add a metal sequestrant weekly to monthly. Get one based on phosphonic acid/phosphonates and not one based on EDTA. Read the label. 8 hours ago, TraceyM said: This all just seems too easy and I know it can’t be. It really is easy. Read (or reread) these: https://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/52522-some-truths-about-ph-and-ta/ hthttps://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/28846-lowering-total-alkalinity-howto/ //www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/53410-how-to-use-bromine-3-step-method/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyM Posted July 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2023 Okay, will do! Thank you! How much liquid bleach should I add? It’s a 359 gallon tub. Do I just add the bleach directly to the tub or dilute it with some water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted July 31, 2023 Report Share Posted July 31, 2023 It depends on the strength of the bleach which normally runs from 5% TO 8.25% for laundry bleach and 10% to 12.5% for liquid pool chlorine or shock. They are all sodium hypochlorite. Read this to understand bleach dosing: https://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/53108-some-truths-on-bleach-dosing/ put in your sodium bromide to create your bromide reserve and add enough bleach to raise the free chlorine to 10 ppm . This will instantly create your bromine sanitizer. test and once the bromine level drops below 10 ppm put in the floater. I usually open the floater about 1/3 of the way initially and then adjust it up or down to maintain a bromine level of 4 to 6 ppm over the next few weeks (wait a few days between adjustments so everything can stabilize). Once you get our floater adjusted you should not need to change it again. If you have have usage then shock with bleach to bring the bromine above 10 ppm and wait for it to drop below 10 ppm before entering the tub (keep tub uncovered and pumps running after shocking). Happy tubbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyM Posted August 2, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2023 Thank you! Sodium Bromine, Bleach and floater have been added. How often do I need to be testing the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted August 2, 2023 Report Share Posted August 2, 2023 35 minutes ago, TraceyM said: How often do I need to be testing the water? Read this again. it's in there! https://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/53410-how-to-use-bromine-3-step-method/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyM Posted August 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2023 Read it again and found it! Thanks! Do you have a recommended metal sequestrant I should buy? What ingredients should I be looking for it to have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted August 4, 2023 Report Share Posted August 4, 2023 On 7/29/2023 at 9:52 PM, waterbear said: If you have iron in your water you will want to add a metal sequestrant weekly to monthly. Get one based on phosphonic acid/phosphonates and not one based on EDTA. Read the label. Already told you in this thread. There are several good brands. I've had good luck with Jack's Magic, Proteam, and various store brands. Natural Chemistry (and also SeaClear if I am not mistaken) are EDTA based and ,IMHO, are not as effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyM Posted August 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2023 We just got up here today and opened it up and aerated several cycles. I tested TA and Calcium as suggested and they both are the same as previous week. I tested PH and it is showing low. Bromine was low so I added bleach and it is showing in range now. To raise the PH, how much Borax do I add (not seeing that in the instructions)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted August 11, 2023 Report Share Posted August 11, 2023 11 hours ago, TraceyM said: I tested PH and it is showing low Low tell me nothing. What is the pH reading? Normally pH will rise on its own once the spa is running since the aeration from the jets will cause CO2 to outgas. However, if the pH is dangerously low then you would want to raise it. If your TA is still 100 then your pH will be rising. Please post your most recent set of test results and your testing method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyM Posted August 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2023 Sorry! I should have clarified. TA was 100. CH was 300. PH was 6.8 and Bromine was 3-6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted August 11, 2023 Report Share Posted August 11, 2023 how are you getting 3-6 on the bromine? are you using a comparator that has 32 on one side and 6 on the other? If so the 3 is a chlorine reading for those using chlorine and the 6 is your bromine reading. Both chlorine and bromine use the same test but the bromine reading is roughly twice the chlorine reading (actually 2.25 more). pH is low. Does your test kit have a base demand test? If it does you can dose borax at twice the amount of sodium carbonate. However, with your TA at 100, I would start aerating the water (run the tub uncovered with all jets and aerators running and full air injection) and see if the pH starts to rise. I suspect it will unless you have added so much acid that your pH is WAY too low. Have you put acid in your tub? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyM Posted August 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2023 I am using the Taylor 9 way Test Kit. CH/Bromine is on one side and the other side is PH. Bromine is at 6. I have aerated the tub most of the afternoon yesterday and PH did not move up at all. I have not put any Acid in the tub. I did put 2/3rd cup of Borax in the tub last night and aerated for an hour. My PH today after aeration is now showing 7.8 but my TA is at 500 Doers the Borax cause foaming? When I am aerating the tub I am now getting a lot of foam. Any help is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted August 11, 2023 Report Share Posted August 11, 2023 plain20 mule team borax will not cause foaming. 16 minutes ago, TraceyM said: I am using the Taylor 9 way Test Kit Model # of the kit? Is it the K-1005 or K-2005? (K-1005 is ok but does not have the precision of the K-2005 for the pH and sanitizer tests, all other tests are identical). Since it has a comparator for sanitizer it is using DPD and not FAS-DPD (which is easier, more precise, does not bleach out at higher sanitizer levels, and wider range for testing. You can buy the Taylor FAS-DPD test as a stand alone kit, btw 26 minutes ago, TraceyM said: My PH today after aeration is now showing 7.8 but my TA is at 500 26 minutes ago, TraceyM said: My PH today after aeration is now showing 7.8 but my TA is at 500 I suspect it was testing error or a comparator tube that was not clean and rinsed out before one of your tests. retest 3 times and see if the resutls are the same (pH should be identical, TA should be within +/- 10 ppm with a 25 ml sample and +/- 25 ppm with a 10 ml sample. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyM Posted August 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2023 The Test kit is K-1005? Okay retested and yes I was off on TA! It is 200 now. PH is still 7.8. I need to lower TA, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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