High Alkalinity Question.

[smackman]

My tap water as a PH above 8; My Alkalinity is at least 200 ppm. I struggle with high PH bounce and I am assuming it is because of my high Alkalinity pointed out in a earlier post. I will admit,I use test strips to read my Alkalinity and I read this test strip before I add Bromine so I will not get a false reading. 200 is a "educated" guess. I live 35 miles from a store that can check my water and they currently are pissed so..... 

I use hth spa Ph decreaser;91% sodium bisulfate. It takes a lot of this product to lower the Alkalinty; I have added at least 4 cap full's 1 at a time. I add them with the blowers going for 20 minutes and then recirculate for 2 hours before checking again.

Using 200 ppm and a PH of 8.2 and a Jacuzzi that hols approx. 380 gallons, How much of this above Ph decreaser is needed to lower my Alkalinity to proper value and to get my Ph to stay at 7.2 to 7.6?

Should I be using a different product to bring my Alkalinity down?

Does Muratic Acid work better to lower Alkalinity? How much do I need of this with the above starting numbers?

Currently after 2 days, My Ph is approx 7.5 and by Test strip my Alkalinity is around 150 ppm. I use bromine as my sanitizer and I use a non chlorine Oxidizer every week. I have not added any Oxidizer yet; I know this screws up everything.

I will have to order chemical on line. I can get my current product at Walmarts and I can get Muratic Acid at the Lumber store

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  I am not sure I would worry about where you are sitting now.   Yes 200ppm of Alk is high but it's not terrible.    If you use a product like spa down.  Wait till you do another water change, check the ph and alk if it's sitting where byou say it is throw in a 1/2 cup of decreaser check it in an hour and see where it's at.  If still high throw another 1/2 cup in and go from there.   Muratic acid works well but if you can avoid it by using a spa decreaser would be better. 

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

based on 200ppm alk. in your spa

dilute 5 ounces of spa down and pour into spa allowing it to circulate a bit

run jets approx. 15min. with all diverter valves open and all jets "on"

dilute 3 ounces of spa down and pour in the spa

run jets again

dilute 2 ounces of spa down and pour in the spa

at this point check levels you should be close to ideal range of 80ppm alk. based on a 150ppm calcium which is where I keep mine.

numbers you are shooting for are: pH 7.5  Alk. ~80ppm  Calcium ~150ppm and of course you always want to maintain at minimum 1ppm chlorine at all times

also any good spa down product should be right around 95% sodium bisulfate...and skip the strips and buy a good "drop test kit" like shown here: http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Complete-FAS-DPD-Water-K-2006/dp/B0002IXIIG

[smackman]

based on 200ppm alk. in your spa

dilute 5 ounces of spa down and pour into spa allowing it to circulate a bit

run jets approx. 15min. with all diverter valves open and all jets "on"

dilute 3 ounces of spa down and pour in the spa

run jets again

dilute 2 ounces of spa down and pour in the spa

at this point check levels you should be close to ideal range of 80ppm alk. based on a 150ppm calcium which is where I keep mine.

numbers you are shooting for are: pH 7.5  Alk. ~80ppm  Calcium ~150ppm and of course you always want to maintain at minimum 1ppm chlorine at all times

also any good spa down product should be right around 95% sodium bisulfate...and skip the strips and buy a good "drop test kit" like shown here: http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Complete-FAS-DPD-Water-K-2006/dp/B0002IXIIG

A BIG THANK YOU. I will purchase this kit; I am sorta a perfectionist but test strips due have there limits big-time.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

based on 200ppm alk. in your spa

dilute 5 ounces of spa down and pour into spa allowing it to circulate a bit

run jets approx. 15min. with all diverter valves open and all jets "on"

dilute 3 ounces of spa down and pour in the spa

run jets again

dilute 2 ounces of spa down and pour in the spa

at this point check levels you should be close to ideal range of 80ppm alk. based on a 150ppm calcium which is where I keep mine.

numbers you are shooting for are: pH 7.5  Alk. ~80ppm  Calcium ~150ppm and of course you always want to maintain at minimum 1ppm chlorine at all times

also any good spa down product should be right around 95% sodium bisulfate...and skip the strips and buy a good "drop test kit" like shown here: http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Complete-FAS-DPD-Water-K-2006/dp/B0002IXIIG

A BIG THANK YOU. I will purchase this kit; I am sorta a perfectionist but test strips due have there limits big-time.

test strips have their place...they are handy to do a "quick and dirty" test for chlorine before a soak for example, but when doing a drain and refill, a Taylor kit like the one shown is best for really dialing in your water balance