Digital Water Tester

[Beezer]

Hello Folks,

I have one of those hand held digital testing units that uses a dip strip to test water. It works great for Alk and PH but the CL always comes up 0. Can this thing accuratly check Chlorine or am I flogging my dolphin with checking it on it?

My other question is dry acid, do you really have to add it to a seperate bucket of water and wait hours to dump into the tub or can you just broadcast it into the tub in small amounts?

Thanks for your advice,

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

Most people have had good luck with the digital tester for basic checks. You may want to bring a sample to a local store to have it checked. If you are running at zero you have bugs in the water. You could also shock the tub, then test within minutes to see if it reads anything. If it does and 3 hours later you have no reading then you have a high chlorine demand, using up the chlorine and you will need to super shock.

You can broadcast PH decreaser into the tub in small amounts if the jets are running' leave them on for 10 or so minutes after.

[Shaamus]

Not sure if this is the case for you, but we've had to replace some bad units that had the exact same problem.  I would contact the place where you bought it if it has always given you a 0 reading for CL.

[Beezer]

I appreciate the advice, but unfortunatly I opened the tub yesterday and there is a bunch of yellowish flakes floating around.  

I have to tell you that I am begining to wish I never bought this frigging tub.
It has been a pain to maintain the water chems since day one and the dealer can't say anything except add chems every other day with or without use.

Anybody in Chicagoland want to buy a Caldera Niagra CHEAP?

[Spalady]

Don't give up. Why not try a small Bromine floater? It can be in the water at a very low level and give you good quality water. Right now you probably have developed Tissue mold which the bromine floater could help with. This comes from under sanitizing the water. Usually when people get a spa they use it a lot more than they realize. So the sanitation demand goes way up.
With a Bromine floater in place and a weekly shock of either MPS or Enhanced shock ( making sure you have 1st balanced the pH and alkalinity) you will be fine.

There is a good general guideline provided by your manufacturer