Confused on Chemical Maintenance

[Tonyf]

Our Spa was delivered two days ago. We had the water tested at the dealers and made the appropriate adjustements including adding the granular chlorine and E-Z Spa OM.

The dealer said it is not necessary to add anything for the next six days. ON the seventh day, begin the weekly maintenance of 2 1/2 oz E-Z spa and 1 oz granular chlorine.

I just tested the spa and the chlorine level is low. On another thread at this forum, it was suggested to add  dichlor after each use.

Is day dichlor necessary or does the E-Z Spa OM take care of this for the week?
Tony

[Vinny]

I don't know what EZ Spa OM is but once PH, Alkalinity and Calcium are OK all you need is either chlorine (in the form of dichlor) or bromine. Every so often some clarifier may need to be added to the water ... but that's it.

Some people use Nature 2 or the Spa frog (basically the same thing) and what they do is add silver which helps chlorine or bromine (only the frog) do its job. Ozone is another one of those things that help chlorine do its job - you can't only use ozone or ozone and Nature 2.

Most of us who use dichlor use it after we soak or add chlorine every day or 2 to keep bacteria down if we don't soak. We use 2 or 3 teaspoons (3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon = 1/3 oz), the 1 oz of chlorine is a shock dose and the reading will be extremely high ... high enough you need to stay out of the tub acording to health guidlnes. Example: I have a 400 gallon tub 3 teaspoons = approx 4.5 PPM x 3 = 13.5 PPM of chlorine.

Some of us add non chlorine shock before and after using the spa and shock weekly with chlorine. The only problem with this IMO is that you are not killing bacteria with the non chlorine shock and your TDS may go through the roof.

Some of the products out there are money enhancing products for the manufacturers and dealers.

IMO, lose the EZ spa and just use chlorine or bromine and non chlorine shock.

[Cyn]

Vinny--this is the same stuff, EZ spa OM, etc., that I used at the start...it does not register the same way other products do and he will not get a correct FC, etc., unless he follows the info on their web site.  I did not have problems with the product, but was annoyed that I couldn't actually get a FC reading that wasn't off the charts.  So I followed your advice and changed to your routine with great success.  Thanks.

[Chad]

Correction:
1 TBS = 1/2 an ounce.

[Vinny]

Cyn,

I thought it sounded vaguely familiar.

Chad,

 I ALWAYS get that wrong ... I keep thinking it's 3 & 3 and it's 3 & 2!  Mental block.

[Cyn]

What is the highest level of FC that is still safe for entering the tub?

[Chad]

What is the highest level of FC that is still safe for entering the tub?

According to the spa world, 5ppm. However, if you do not have sensitive skin, you can soak higher. The highest I've taken a plunge in is 10ppm with no irratation at all. I try not to soak higher than the suggested ppm as much as possible but in some cases I just couldn't wait.

[Cyn]

According to the spa world, 5ppm. However, if you do not have sensitive skin, you can soak higher. The highest I've taken a plunge in is 10ppm with no irratation at all. I try not to soak higher than the suggested ppm as much as possible but in some cases I just couldn't wait.

10ppm without losing the first layer of skin?    So, at 5ppm it is OK if you are impatiently waiting for your shock levels to drop.  Thanks!!

[Tonyf]

Talked with the dealer again today and they davisedd that the E-Z Spa helps maintain all the levels and reduces the need for adding a lot of chemicals. They did recommend 1 tsp chlorine after use. Still not sure of what is in E-Z Spa dn what it does.

[Cyn]

Tony--we used the E-Z Spa system for about 4 months with good, clear water results, but you can not use the usual Taylor kit drops system to measure your chlorine levels.  And you can't use the strips to measure the FC either.  Go to their web site:   https://secure.newlead.net/apiwater.com/index.html and read about their instructions for measuring the chlorine.  My biggest problem with the system was that the chlorine levels were always off the charts, both FC and TC.  I was told when I e-mailed them that this was OK.  The system seemed so easy with the weekly only dosages, but certainly putting in a small amount of dichlor after every soak is no big deal either and I feel better on the 'regular dichlor and MPS' system knowing I can always see what level my chlorine is at.  Good luck!!  Let me know if I can help...

[Chad]

I'm assuming that the EZ spa stuff is an enhanced shock from the sounds of things. The reason for the sky high FC readings is b/c of the mps in it. Sounds like a pain in the butt for daily post soak dosing as you would never be able to tell what you are bringing your FC to. I'd switch to a straight dichlor and a buffered mps for shocking purposes. It's much more user friendly.

[Tonyf]

Cyn:  Thanks for the link

Appreciate everyone replies. I will switch over the the other sytem as suggested.
Tony

[tony]

I'm assuming that the EZ spa stuff is an enhanced shock from the sounds of things. The reason for the sky high FC readings is b/c of the mps in it. Sounds like a pain in the butt for daily post soak dosing as you would never be able to tell what you are bringing your FC to. I'd switch to a straight dichlor and a buffered mps for shocking purposes. It's much more user friendly.

EZ Spa is an oxidizer that somehow locks chlorine up for a week at a time.  It also stabilizes pH so there must be buffers in it along with clarifiers.  There is a dichlor that EZ Spa calls Boost that you also add once per week.  Info is hard to come by on their site so it is hard to tell how they "lock in" chlorine but I don't think there is any magic here.  As with anything else, if you are paying a premium for a product you have to decide on the value.  

[Chad]

EZ Spa is an oxidizer that somehow locks chlorine up for a week at a time.  It also stabilizes pH so there must be buffers in it along with clarifiers.  There is a dichlor that EZ Spa calls Boost that you also add once per week.  Info is hard to come by on their site so it is hard to tell how they "lock in" chlorine but I don't think there is any magic here.  As with anything else, if you are paying a premium for a product you have to decide on the value.  

Thanks for the info Tony. Is there anything you don't know about the spa industry? 8-)

[tony]

Thanks for the info Tony. Is there anything you don't know about the spa industry? 8-)

I really don't profess to know anything.

I just checked their web site.  I do get concerned, though, when the ingredients aren't listed.  I think you hit the nail on the head with it being a sort of enhanced shock because I think it includes some chlorine and with the ozidizer giving false free chlorine levels.