Welcome to our forum.
Just a quick comment from a new spa owner: I don't (yet) find the _easy_ method easy: reading the dichlor/bleach method and this discussion has made me want to drain the spa and send it back to the store, or push it off a cliff. I'm a bright guy by most counts, but I found this thread via Google because I'm having no luck getting the free chlorine reading up and obviously need to do far more studying than I ever anticipated. Now I should buy a wet chemical test kit?! Man I just want to soak my aching bones. I found this forum before I bought a tub and it was fairly helpful then; I have nothing but respect for everyone here. All I'm saying is: don't underestimate the newbieness of the newbie.
With all the liability involved with products these days, I think I'll stick with the manufacturer's recommendations until I get my chemical engineering degree (never). If I use bleach and my skin falls off and my hot tub explodes, then it's my problem. If I use dichlor and my skin falls off and my hot tub explodes, then the manufacturer is subject to liability because the manual specifically states dichlor is recommended and approved for reliability and sanitation.
MY personal opinion is that if common household bleach was "better", then Hot Spring would sell you a gallon of re-branded Chlorox for $49.99. Also, I don't mind paying $10.00 per month for chemicals and cartridges considering I spent $8,000.00 on an agitating hot water bowl. .....If I use dichlor and my skin falls off and my hot tub explodes, then the manufacturer is subject to liability because the manual specifically states dichlor is recommended and approved for reliability and sanitation.
I personally use the “add a teaspoon of dichlor method” after every use. I’m very good about maintaining water chemistry. My water is always crystal clear. 2 ˝ years after owning it…I developed small itchy bumps on my arms and my wife has since developed very itchy bumpy skin. My problem went away…hers hasn’t. I never used Nature 2…but I think I’ll try that next after a thorough cleaning of the spa. If that doesn’t work then I’ll try the bleach method.
If you are only adding just one teaspoon of Dichlor after a soak, then you are very likely not using nearly enough chlorine to oxidize your bather waste unless you are also adding another oxidizer such as non-chlorine shock (MPS) or have an ozonator. At hot temps (100-104F) it takes around 3-1/2 teaspoons of Dichlor for every person-hour of soaking. One teaspoon would only be good for around 15 minutes of one person soaking (unless you don't sweat as much as average). If both you and your wife soak for 20 minutes, then you would need around 2-1/3 teaspoon of Dichlor after each soak.Did you test your chlorine level before your next soak to see if there was measurable (about 1 ppm FC) chlorine? If not, then you probably had near zero chlorine in the water for long periods of time because whatever chlorine you added probably got consumed by the ammonia and urea in your sweat and urine very quickly. Once you get behind, you don't catch up unless you shock the tub with enough oxidizer. Most people do not use enough oxidizer unless they are measuring their sanitizer levels to make sure they still have a residual the next day before they soak again.Richard
Richard,You don't address gallons here. Is that a factor. Also in this statement you are addressing oxidation, not sanitation. Is the 1 teaspoon enough for sanitation? Then with weekly oxidation (MPS or chlorine) should Markus be doing ok?