water change and I need help

[The_Pa._Lady]

Hi all,

We just did a water change.  Hardness, Alkalinity are right on the mark, but I cannot get my PH down, it's at 8.0, I keep adding PH down and it doesn't go down.  I think I should leave it go over night and see what tomorrow brings.  Is there an easier way to bring the PH down.  I have been trying to adjust the water all afternoon, and still not right.  Help!  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  

Should I bring the PH down to normal before I add dichlor to shock?

Thanks for any advice.

[Chad]

What are your alk and CH readings? Maybe your alk needs to be adjusted a little in order for your pH to be adjusted.

If you just filled today, I'd take your own advice and wait till morning and see what they do. Then adjust if needed.

Dichlor is on the acidic side so a heavy dose, 10ppm, might bring your pH right down into range. No need to wait imo for that dose unless you're using a mineral cartridge such as N2.

[ndabunka]

Hi all,

We just did a water change.  Hardness, Alkalinity are right on the mark, but I cannot get my PH down, it's at 8.0, I keep adding PH down and it doesn't go down.  I think I should leave it go over night and see what tomorrow brings.  Is there an easier way to bring the PH down.  I have been trying to adjust the water all afternoon, and still not right.  Help!  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  

Should I bring the PH down to normal before I add dichlor to shock?

Thanks for any advice.

$4.29/bottle for PH down @ Lowes.  Brings down alk as well

[The_Pa._Lady]

Chad,

Total Alk is 130,      CH is 250  

And I am going to use the Fresh Water N2 Silver Ion.  The instructions say to shock to 10PPM in order to activate the N2 stick.  So I assume that I can't use the N2 until the tub has reached the 10PPM level.  Am I correct?

[Cyn]

Have read that pH needs at least 2 hours to show its full adjustment. Hopefully over night will give you a better reading.  

[Chad]

Chad,

Total Alk is 130,      CH is 250  

And I am going to use the Fresh Water N2 Silver Ion.  The instructions say to shock to 10PPM in order to activate the N2 stick.  So I assume that I can't use the N2 until the tub has reached the 10PPM level.  Am I correct?

Your CH is perfect but your alk is a little high and most likely why your pH is so hard to change. I'd shoot for 100ppm or lower. It'll take quite a hefty dose of ph down/spa down(sodium bisulfate) to bring it down. Taylor technologies says in order to lower alk 30 ppm with soduim bisulfate(93%), one must add 1 oz. per 100 gallons. So if your tub is 400 gallons a 4 oz dose is recommended. My alk is a little high out the tap as well. Usually about 140ppm or so. My spa holds 336 gallons and I've never put in more than 2 oz at a time before. I just don't like adding + and - chems in such high doses for fear of overdosing. Some here say it's neccessary for the one huge dose when trying to bring down alkalinity but I've never done it that way and have never had a problem. Everybody's water is soo different it makes it very difficult to give balancing advice based on the water from their local water supplier.

As far as the N2 catridge, you're not suppose to install it until the water is balanced. Once it's installed then you bring your water to a 10ppm FC.

[tony]

Chad,

Total Alk is 130,      CH is 250  

And I am going to use the Fresh Water N2 Silver Ion.  The instructions say to shock to 10PPM in order to activate the N2 stick.  So I assume that I can't use the N2 until the tub has reached the 10PPM level.  Am I correct?

I don't believe you need to "activate" the N2 cartridge even though the instructions say to do so...I believe Zodiac just wants you to start with truely santized water.  Its a silver erosion system..whats to activate.  You don't need to activate the Frog.  Is it coincidence that you should shock to 10ppm, the general level to reach breakpoint chlorination and essentially scour new water?

I think I am getting too cynical in my old age.

[The_Pa._Lady]

Thanks so much Chad.  I really appreciate your input.  I haven't checked the PH yet but I will as soon as I can.  I will let you know.  Hopefully it will be down to normal or close to it.  I never had this problem before.  If not I will take your suggestion and lower the ALK.  Than hopefully I can do the 10ppm shock with diclor, and eventually install the N2.

Can't wait to get in the tub on these brisk nights, especially now that I have clean water.

Thanks again.

[Chad]

Your welcome Gizombee.

How did everything turn out?

[The_Pa._Lady]

Chad,

have not had a chance to re-test the alk yet.  Yesterday was just one of those days that getting to do anything with my tub was just impossible.  Today is the day.  Will let you know.  

[The_Pa._Lady]

Chad,

I finally got to the hot tub to check it out.  The PH is 7.8, still rather high but hopefully it will come down a bit more.  ALK is 130,  hardness is 250. I put some chlorine in and that is FC 3, TC 2, for a CC reading of 1ppm.  And I installed the N2 stick this morning. I didn't want to do a superchlorination now because I would like to use the tub tonight.  I guess I should leave it at that and hope the PH will come down some without adding more ph down.  I just hate to be adding so many chemicals in my fresh water.  What do you think?

Thanks for helping.

[windsurfdog]

I put some chlorine in and that is FC 3, TC 2, for a CC reading of 1ppm.

Did you mean FC "2", TC "3" for a CC reading of 1ppm?  
Try dosing with MPS for these 3 reasons:  
1)  it will oxidize combined chlorines and lower your CC reading
2)  it will tend to lower your pH as MPS has a pH of 3-4
3)  you can get in within 30 minutes or so of adding it.
Then jump in and enjoy!

[The_Pa._Lady]

Windsurfdog,

Thanks for your input.  I don't understand why I should use MPS if it will lower my cc reading, when it is only at 1ppm now.  Won't it lower it even more, lower it to nothing?

I will try it to lower my ph a bit with MPS.  How much would you add for a 325gal tub?

The best part is I can use the tub much sooner.  I always give the tub a small dose of MPS after soaking.  About 2 tsp.  Is that enough?

Thank you.

[Cyn]

CC is your combined chlorine which is spent chlorine that has already done its job.  So a 0 CC is fine!!  Shocking with either method is to get rid of the CC.  They say to shock when CC is at .5 or half what you have now.  My MPS says to use 2 oz per 250 gallons for shocking.  For 325 gal. you would use 2.6 oz or a little over 5 Tbls.  (1 ounce = 2 Tbls.)  The usual advice is to put a small amount of dichlor in your tub after each soak, not MPS.  Hope this helps.

[tony]

How do you get combined chlorine aka chloramines with new water, especially such a large number such a 1?  Something does not sound correct unless you had a good size party in your spa.