New Owner-Chemicals?

[miktra23]

Hi all,
Just bought a hot tub. It was a used hot tub and the previous owners used Bromine. We elected not to use that system. So, this is what the spa place put me on. Nature 2, chlorinating sanitizer and a liquid you add for keep the film off the sides of the tub. (can't remember the name-I"m at work) It says on the instructions of the Nature 2 cartridge that I should not put it in the filter til my ph and chlorine levels are right. Of course, they weren't right. The old owner had given me her chemicals. Most of her stuff was bromine but I noticed she had a ph decreaser. Is it ok to use that since my ph is really high? Is it true that I cannot go ahead and add the cartridge until that is under control? I have called several hot tub places in my area and most of them say, well, it's however you want to do it. They are not helping much at all. I guess since I didn't buy it from them, they don't really care. Please help me with this.
Thanks.

[96SC]

Welcome to the forum, go ahead and put your cartridge in.  Get yourself a testing kit, too.  
Sometimes you may have two 'chemicals' out of whack, when you correct one the other falls right into place and it seems pH is one of them.  Don't quote me on this but if your Alkalinity and pH are both off and you get the alkalinity corrected the pH falls into place.  I have that problem when I change water, pH is sky high and the other, I think alkalinity, is off.  I correct the alk and pH magically corrects itself.

Remember it may not be alkalinity that I'm thinking about, someone else will correct me if I am wrong, so don't go out and mess with your alkalinity until someone else confirms or refutes what I'm saying.  :-/

[miktra23]

Thanks for that first reply. I'm still uneasy about this whole thing. i do have a test kit. I did go ahead and add ph decreaser but it's still really  high. I also added more chlorinating Sanitizer but it's still low. It's looking just a slight bit milky today too. What should I do? I'm afraid of over doing it on the chemicals and getting it even more messed up! HELP!!! :-/
well, nevermind. It's messed up now. I posted a new post called, green and foamy help! Thanks anyway, I guess