Nitro's Guide to Water Maintenance

[Nitro]

I usually tell people this: pH and TA should go up and down together. Add Spa Down if they are too high, Spa Up if they are too low.

One problem with this is, if the TA is really high (>200, 300 etc), they won't realize how much acid it takes to get it down. A lot of times, they will just give up on it. And if you were to add enough acid to lower TA to an ideal level all at once, your pH would drop FAR too low (<7.0), creating an acid bath and possibly damaging the tub. If you limit the acid, it could take a week or two to balance the water. Why wait when it can be done safely in a few hours? Check out my Lowering TA Guide on how to do it.

The other problem is, there would be a tendency to over shoot the ideal levels, requiring way more chemicals (acid, bk) than necessary.

I find it much easier (requiring a lot less chemicals) to focus on TA and get it tuned so that pH stays at the ideal level. If you get your TA tuned, pH will stay right in line, without the need to add acid or baking soda.

Add a tablespoon of dichlor after every use.

Test the chlorine level daily for the first few weeks, and adjust the amount of chlorine you add after use until you have it so that there is JUST a readable chlorine level when you next go to use the spa.

The problem is, Dichlor adds CYA to the tub, reducing the effectiveness of the Chlorine. After a month of using the tub only 3 times a week, you would have ~60 ppm CYA. The Active Chlorine (FC/CYA ratio) would be far lower then in the beginning of the month. After 2 months with CYA > 100 ppm, you're at a much higher risk of developing something nasty, even though the FC is the same.

I recommend using Dichlor until your CYA is 20-30 ppm, then switching to bleach. Bleach is easier to get and cheaper anyway.

Change the water every three or four months.

If you're using only Dichlor, I would not recommend going longer than 2 months. And if you have a high bather load, I'd recommend you change your water every month.

Do NOT test pH and TA more than once a week, and do NOT retest pH and TA sooner than 6 hours after adding Up or Down.

I'm not sure the logic here. You can test TA at anytime, and it will give you the exact amount. You can test TA 15 mins after adding Acid or Baking Soda. It will not change what so ever if you wait longer. pH will tend to rise from aeration. If you understand this, you can balance your water perfectly in a few hours.

And testing for pH and TA with a high chlorine content is useless.

Again TA can be tested anytime. Chlorine will not effect TA. pH will go down as Chlorine gets used up, so I do recommend testing pH before you add Chlorine. But again, you should not try to control pH directly. The key is to tune TA to an ideal level, in order to keep your pH balanced.

 

[kokanee001]

and what's the best way to bring the chlorine level down to a just readable level

[kokanee001]

If there's anything I hate about my hot tub, it's fighting with the chemicals, water balance, etc. When things are going OK, great; but when they're not, it's total frustration.

I see one of the hot tub dealers in our area is offering to make once weekly checks on the water in your hot tub and adjust things accordingly. Of course, they charge a few bucks for this service, but the beauty is you're worry and frustration free. Thinking seriously of going that route.........

[Nitro]

and what's the best way to bring the chlorine level down to a just readable level

Your goal is not to bring your Chlorine level down to a readable level. Your goal is to keep a residule chlorine level (>=1 ppm) at all times.

[Nitro]

If there's anything I hate about my hot tub, it's fighting with the chemicals, water balance, etc. When things are going OK, great; but when they're not, it's total frustration.

I see one of the hot tub dealers in our area is offering to make once weekly checks on the water in your hot tub and adjust things accordingly. Of course, they charge a few bucks for this service, but the beauty is you're worry and frustration free. Thinking seriously of going that route.........

You are exactly the reason I wrote this guide. Have you read it yet? Do you have questions?

Hot tub water maintenance is not difficult, IF you learn to do it correctly. The problem is some dealers (not all) push their spas out the door without telling the customers what's involved in maintaining the tub. You'll hear, "just add pH Up or pH Down to balance the water" and "add a TBS Dichlor after every soak and you'll be fine". That's just not good enough. Either these dealers don't know themselves, or don't want to make it sound difficult. Either way, you're out of luck, unless you go online.

Why pay someone when you don't have to? If you can learn to pay your bills and balance you checkbook, you can learn to maintain you hot tub water, IF you want to. I suggest you read this guide and try this method. If you have questions, there are plenty of people on this board that are willing to help. I can almost promise we can get you up and running, where you will be maintaining your own tub.

"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for life."

[Vinny]

Hmm, maybe I should post my method and name it after myself, "Spatech's simple guide to water care"! If I did I know it would be about 80% shorter in length, 5 or 6 bullet point sentences and a couple small paragraphs at most. I wonder how I'd collect royalties. Maybe I could combine it with my theories on dating and gambling?

Spatech, I'll help!

- Buy a test kit, either a Taylor K-2005 or Taylor K-2006 (if you are going to use really high levels of chlorine) and read the booklet. Learn how to use the kit. Learn how to use the watergram.

- Test your tap water, note the PH, alkalinity, calcium and chlorine readings.

- Use baking soda to adjust alkalinity up and possibly PH up as well. Use dry acid to adjust PH and/or alkalinity down. PH is more important than alkalinity. Alkalinity is there to lock in the PH. To adjust just PH use soda ash or borax.

- Use calcium chloride if you need to adjust calcium up. Use a product to help with hardness if your water is hard.

*** PH, alkalinity and calcium are RANGES not a concrete number ***

- Use a sanitizer to sanitize the water. Read the directions on the bottle for correct usage. You can use ozone and/or Nature 2 or the Frog but you must use a sanitizer. You want at least a 3 PPM chlorine reading (if you use chlorine) 20 minutes after adding chlorine and a 6 ppm bromine reading (if you use bromine). Bromine lasts longer than chlorine in hot water, chlorine is more effective at killing bacteria.

- Use MPS to shock out the combined chlorine once a week or so. Use high levels of chlorine every 2 to 3 weeks to super-chlorinate the tub and shock the tub. Find your combined chlorine reading and multiply that by 10 - that's the amount of free chlorine you need.

- Don't micromanage the water! In the beginning you will be checking every day, after you get the "feel" for your water it will be once a week or two. It does get easier as you learn to mange the water.

- MOST IMPORTANTLY -ENJOY!!!



Hopefully it's not too long

PS:  One thing I've learned is that some people's water don't follow the rules that other people's water follow. Sometimes it is a matter of taking matter into your own hands. I personally have had chlorine lock; ozone doesn't work as others say it does and things that I can't explain. And another observation that I have is my spa water does not behave like my pool water and it does come out of the same tap!

[Nitro]

PS:  One thing I've learned is that some people's water don't follow the rules that other people's water follow. Sometimes it is a matter of taking matter into your own hands. I personally have had chlorine lock; ozone doesn't work as others say it does and things that I can't explain. And another observation that I have is my spa water does not behave like my pool water and it does come out of the same tap!

The reason your water acts different in your pool than your hot tub is because of aeration. This simple fact is misunderstood by many people (including the experts). If you understand it, you can balance any hot tub water very easily.

The rules of chemistry/physics apply to all water, regardless of whether you understand them or not.

[TubsAndCues]

[size=16]Water Balance[/size]
Water can be either Acidic, Balanced or Alkaline. If your water is not balanced, it could cause all kinds of problems. If it's too Acidic it could cause corrosion. If it's too Alkaline it could cause scaling. Both of which will reducing the effectiveness of your sanitizer. If your water is not balanced your water is not safe for you, or your tub. So it's really critical to get this correct.

There are four main parameters to keeping your water balanced. Water Temperature, Calcium Hardness (CH), Total Alkalinity (TA) and Potens Hydrogen (pH).

Not quite.  The pH of the tub can be acidic, "balanced", or alkaline.  You are completely right on the rest, but in trying to help as well, your wording could be misread.  

And as for water balance factors, there are 6, not 4, that must be taken into account:
Temp, CH, TA, pH, metals and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).  

This is based on using the Langolier (or Saturation) Index.  In almost all cases, however, metals will not be added into the formula.  They should be considered since metals and calcium are both minerals that can and will be dissolved into water.  This is the main reason most professionals use Total Hardness vs. Calcium Hardness when using the Saturation Index (SI) formula.

For those that are interested, the formula for it is as follows:

SI = Ft + pH +Fta + Fch - 12.1

Ft is the temp factor, Fta is the TA factor, Fch is the CH factor (Total Hardness could be substituted here).  12.1 is the value used assuming TDS is 1200 ppm or lower.  That value must be raised by .1 for every 1000 ppm over 1200 ppm.

If anyone would like the SI Values for calculation, I'd be more than happy to post them.  I, on the other hand, let my computer do the calculating for me.

Ideal range for SI is +.3 to -.3, with 0 being ideal.  When SI is zero, the water is neither scale forming or corrosive.  Above zero, and it tends to form scale; below zero and it tends to be corrosive.

While yes, this is overkill by most people's book, I'm only putting it out here because if we're going to give out this much information, it needs to be as complete as possible.  

And if anyone would like to know where this info came from, it can be found in any BioGuard Dealers ChemPlus book.

Hope this helps.  I didn't mean to make things more confusing, but I figured if anyone wanted to go to this much detail, they would like to have this as well.

T&C

[Gomboman]

Hmm, maybe I should post my method and name it after myself, "Spatech's simple guide to water care"! If I did I know it would be about 80% shorter in length, 5 or 6 bullet point sentences and a couple small paragraphs at most. I wonder how I'd collect royalties. Maybe I could combine it with my theories on dating and gambling?

When you get a day off and are on lots of coffee I would like to read your method. Please post when you feel up to it......................

[Nitro]

Not quite.  The pH of the tub can be acidic, "balanced", or alkaline.

Isn't that what I said?

And as for water balance factors, there are 6, not 4, that must be taken into account:
Temp, CH, TA, pH, metals and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).

Did I not say, "there are 4 MAIN parameters"?

For those that are interested, the formula for it is as follows:

For those that are interested, goto The Pool Calculator. And if you really want an education, ask Chem Geek to send you his spreadsheet.

[Spatech_tuo]

Spatech, I'll help!

That's the idea but even for some yours is a bit wordy. Most spa owners won't even read their manual when they have issues and want the Cliff Notes version of water care management or they just won't follow through.

A 4 page detailed instruction on water care is great for the 10% of spa owners who are willing to read through it but as those of us who work in the business, the average spa owner wants NO part of those kind of instructions and will become frustrated. I have a set of instructions I give out that work well for most. I go over it with people and for those who want to know more I go into further detail. Nitro's guide is great for the atypical spa owner who wants that kind of detail or for the spa salesman who is trying to understand the WHY behind spa water care so he can help owners.

For the typical spa owner I'll stick to instructions that simply tell them to check ph/alk and balance as needed, add sanitizer, shock weekly and clean filters monthly and I’ll do it in bullet form so it’s easy to read.  

The rules of chemistry/physics apply to all water, regardless of whether you understand them or not.

Nitro,
You obviously understand more about water care than many will even know. What's missing is taking that and turning into a useful guide for the average spa owner. If you worked with spa owners teaching them directly you'd VERY quickly break that down into a usable format as it has to be in a "spa water care for dummies" format to work. Its not that people are stupid but rather most just don't want to, are too impatient, have a mental block thinking its nuclear physics, etc.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

 If you worked with spa owners teaching them directly you'd VERY quickly break that down into a usable format as it has to be in a "spa water care for dummies" format to work. Its not that people are stupid but rather most just don't want to, are too impatient, have a mental block thinking its nuclear physics, etc.[/quote]

I have brought this point up in the other forum that all this information is posted in. Most customers want the KISS method I have found.

[Nitro]

That's the idea but even for some yours is a bit wordy. Most spa owners won't even read their manual when they have issues and want the Cliff Notes version of water care management or they just won't follow through.

A 4 page detailed instruction on water care is great for the 10% of spa owners who are willing to read through it but as those of us who work in the business, the average spa owner wants NO part of those kind of instructions and will become frustrated. I have a set of instructions I give out that work well for most. I go over it with people and for those who want to know more I go into further detail. Nitro's guide is great for the atypical spa owner who wants that kind of detail or for the spa salesman who is trying to understand the WHY behind spa water care so he can help owners.

For the typical spa owner I'll stick to instructions that simply tell them to check ph/alk and balance as needed, add sanitizer, shock weekly and clean filters monthly and I’ll do it in bullet form so it’s easy to read.  


Nitro,
You obviously understand more about water care than many will even know. What's missing is taking that and turning into a useful guide for the average spa owner. If you worked with spa owners teaching them directly you'd VERY quickly break that down into a usable format as it has to be in a "spa water care for dummies" format to work. Its not that people are stupid but rather most just don't want to, are too impatient, have a mental block thinking its nuclear physics, etc.

The reason people have water problems is either they don't want to (can't) take the time to learn, or there is no one around to teach them. My guide is for the latter folks. The former folks must first learn, that they need to learn. If they don't learn that, their hot tub water is the least of their worries.

My guide is for people who are already frustrated, because they cannot figure out how to maintain their water (for whatever reason), and who come to the internet to find answers. I believe most of the people reading this forum, are willing to learn, or they wouldn't take the time to come on here. BTW, how long does it really take to read 4 pages? Compare that to the time and expense folks spend trying to fix their water problems. Besides, if that's too long, their's always the Summary.

[Nitro]

For the typical spa owner I'll stick to instructions that simply tell them to check ph/alk and balance as needed, add sanitizer, shock weekly and clean filters monthly and I’ll do it in bullet form so it’s easy to read.

Unfortunately that's not good enough for a lot of people, or have you not been reading these and other forums.

I personally think it's not the fault of spa owners, it's the fault of the dealers (not all). If they told their customers that if they don't read their detailed instructions and follow them carefully, there's chance they, their family and friends could get sick and/or damage their $10K hot tub, I bet they would listen. Don't you think?

[Spatech_tuo]

The reason people have water problems is either they don't want to (can't) take the time to learn, or there is no one around to teach them. My guide is for the latter folks. The former folks must first learn, that they need to learn. If they don't learn that, their hot tub water is the least of their worries.

My guide is for people who are already frustrated, because they cannot figure out how to maintain their water (for whatever reason), and who come to the internet to find answers. I believe most of the people reading this forum, are willing to learn, or they wouldn't take the time to come on here. [glow]BTW, how long does it really take to read 4 pages? [/glow]Compare that to the time and expense folks spend trying to fix their water problems. Besides, if that's too long, their's always the Summary.

If you ever worked in the spa industry you would know that getting the spa owner to care for their water is not as simple as you think. Your guide will work fine for 10% of spa owners if it was a dealer tried to use it IMO. That % is higher on this site of course because people coming here are generally more willing to learn than the average spa owner but I guarantee you that a majority of spa owners who saw a 4 page guide would either not get past the first page or would not even attempt it in the first place and would come into the store or call and ask "can someone explain this in simple terms". Of course a good dealer goes over this with a spa owner at time of purchase and gives a simple 1 page guide after explaining it so the customer has some reference material after the tutorial.

It’s all about understanding your audience and I'm sure many will love the "Nitro Guide to Water Maintenance" because it is very thorough but so was my chemistry textbook in college but whenever I read that I’d get half way through a section and find I retained little because my mind was wandering with thoughts of what game is on tonight, where were the parties happening, why did I choose this major where no women are in my classes, etc. I'm just speaking about what will work for a dealer and spa customers.