chlorine loss

[hottbpete]

Since my last thread on the Moldy smell that comes from the cover......I have followed some of the advice given here:
         Take the cover apart, clean it.
         keep the chlorine level up

That brings me to my question.  I use the Tub 3-4 times a week.  Every time I leave the tub I put spa56 in.  Once a week, I check all of my chemicals and adjust.  It's been fairly easy and the water has been very clean.  Only issue was this slight smell that came from the cover.

I am now checking with the strip every morning.  What I am finding is that the chlorine is gone without any use within the day.  Is this normal?  It's really is no big deal for me to put some Spa56 in everyday...I was just wondering.

[96SC]

Chlorine will dissipate with or without use so your chlorine going away is normal.  When someone does a superchlorination on their spa they're told to stay out until the FC gets back to the correct level.  Dissipation takes it back.  

[In Canada eh]

Pete,

  3ppm of chlorine dissipating overnight without any use is a little quick.  My guess would be that there must be some demand in the tub.  The next time you know your not going to use the tub for a couple of days I would raise the chlorine to about 10ppm and let it sit.  10ppm overnight should be enough to kill off any nasties that may exist

[Chad]

What are you bringing your FC to after you(s) soak?

 When I have 3ppm present after a soak, I have atleast a 1ppm present 24 hrs later  but I also use N2 and ozone. I soak mainly by myself and almost always shower before entering my spa too.

IMO, you should have some sort of residual FC present the next day/24 hours. Maybe it's just that you're not dosing with enough post soak and there's nothing eating up your dichlor.?? Are you testing 20 minutes or so after dosing to make sure there's atleast 3ppm present? If so and it's still gone by morning I would go with what Canada said. Also how old is your water and what's your pH at? Old water has high CYA which makes dichlor less effective and a high pH will also make your dose less effective. If CYA is over a hundred, refill and if pH is over 7.5, bring it down a little.

[hottbpete]

wow ....there are a lot of numbers floating around....I use those teat strips and they seem to be in range.  I cannot tell however...exactly what the ppm is....I cannot tell you what ppm is either
I also treat my tub like how an Italian chef treats cooking..... alittle pinch here...a little pinch there.

Guess it's my own issue, I am not sure I want to becoema chemist.  Just not that smart  or is it laziness......

[mark 2550]

PPM, stands for (parts per million) but I'm sure you knew that. Or maybe it's premium price massage  

[Vinny]

Pete,

The Italian chef thing can be dangeous to you in tub care ... take that from an Italian!

My guess is that your tub is 500 gallons or less - put in 3 teaspoons of dichlor after use and add 1 more if you go over 2 people. This should give you more than enough to kill whatever. I'm being overly cautious since you don't have a handle on it.

I have a chlorine residue when I add 3 PPM 24 hours later. As was said, you might have something growing in your tub that is eating up the chlorine.

Vinny

[hottbpete]

Vinny- Dichlor??? is that the chlorine....like spa 56?

That is what I was told to add everytime I leave the tub.  And once a week to add Renew.


Not sure what renew is or does.......

[tony]

Vinny- Dichlor??? is that the chlorine....like spa 56?

That is what I was told to add everytime I leave the tub.  And once a week to add Renew.


Not sure what renew is or does.......

Spa 56 is Leisure Time's dichlor.  Dichlor is a stabilized quick dissolving granular chlorine that is pH neutral which makes it the preferred chlorine for a spa.

Renew is Leisure Time's MPS or non chlorine shock.  Renew is a buffered non chlorine shock meaning there are additives that make it pH neutral vs acidic for straight MPS.  Chlorine sanitizes and MPS oxidizes which simply means it vapoizes whatever the sanitation process leaves behind so you don't get that "chlorine smell" in your spa.

Your routine is the same as my routine.  I add enough chlorine after I soak to bring the free chlorine level to about 3 ppm and shock weekly with non chlorine shock.  Once a week, however, I like to bring my free chlorine level to 5 ppm to give an extra boost.  It is a high enough level to sanitize well yet not too high that you can't use the spa for a period of time.

[tinybubbles]

Since we are talking about dichlor:  I got spa 56 with my tub which I believe is 99% dichlor.  I've added a nature 2 cartridge and am continuing to dose after soaking with dichlor and shock weekly with mps.  I'm about out of spa 56 so I ran next door to the supply store and they told me to use a product that is 55% dichlor.  They said the whole point of using the N2 is too reduce your chemical usage.  I asked why I couldn't continue to use the product that's 99% chlorine and just add less of it.   They looked at me like I was nuts.  So, I bought the one that was less concentrated.  Thoughts?  Opinions?

[Cyn]

I thought the 56 was 56% dichlor.

[tinybubbles]

On the bottle it shows 99%.  I looked online and it says 56% available chlorine.  In the store, side by side, it said 99% and the one I bought said 55%.  I don't know what the percentage of free chlorine is or even what that means.  

[Cyn]

Someone, maybe Vinnie, posted the base formula for dosing with dichlor: # gallons of spa x desired ppm / % of available chlorine in dichlor (52%-62%) = amount of dichlor to add in ozs.  I have never truly understood what is meant by the nature 2 and ozone helping us cut back on chemicals.  Does it actually keep the FC from dropping as fast so you can use less or does it help boost the FC when you add the 'normal' amount?  No one has given me the idea that they actually use less to get their 3ppm after a soak.  Can anyone explain this?

[tinybubbles]

Hi cyn, I just found out the product that is 55% dichlor also contains other oxidizers, clarifiers and buffers.  I am taking that back.  I just want chlorine.  I have been told that you still need to raise your free chlorine to 3ppm after a soak.  From what I understand, the use of N2 and ozone kills bad guys, leaving more of your chlorine free to kill the really bad guys.  So, another words, ozone and N2 is eating up organics like lotions, sweat, etc. and your chlorine gets to get the germs.  I completely understand what you are saying.  If the N2 and ozonator are eating this stuff up, why are we still raising our free chlorine as high? Most of the answers I get are a little over my head.  If they are eating up the organics, why does it still take 3ppm to sanitize?  Based on that info, I understand why they are telling me to use less chlorine, but I want to use less chlorine alone and not add clarifiers, buffers, etc.

[Cyn]

YES!  You put my thoughts on the page, tinybubbles!!  Thanks!  Now maybe one of our illustrious group can put it all in plain language for me so that the over the head stuff doesn't mess with my head as I read their response to how we get more for less or maybe it is less for more?