Advice - A Chemical Mix

[JohnnyK45]

Just curious, anyone use this mix below (or something similar) for their hot tub?

Was thinking of using this Natural Spa stuff, adding a bottle every 3 months (actually a tad less based on the gallons of water our tub holds)...

http://thenaturalspa.com/theNatural.html

Then weekly, adding about 3 tablespoons of SeaKlear Chlorine-Free Shock - would that "generally" be enough?

I have from a previous purchase, a Nature 2 Spa mineral sanitizer that I haven't opened.

Anyway, wondering what others are using that works best.

Finally, do any of those thin foam blankets aid in keeping your tub warmer more effeciently and/or prolong the life of your cover - or, are those claims total BS?  Seems like a hassle to be messing around with 2 covers (in a sense).

Thanks.

[Hottubguy]

In my personal tub I use Spa Marvel with a tablespoon or so a week of Dichlor.  I also have a ozonator.  My parents use nature 2, ozone and Dichlor once a week or so also.  I use my tub 2-3 times per week and have been happy with the Spa marvel.  My parents are happy with the nature 2 and use there tub probable twice a week.  The one thing I don't like about the spa marvel is if I don't clean my filter real good once a week as well as run my tub 4 hours per day my water gets cloudy.  I'm not real familiar with the natural spa stuff but I would assume it's similar to the spa marvel.  I would recommend it to people who don't mind running the filtration cycle's longer then normal

[vangoghsear]

Since this can be used with sanitizers, I was thinking it might be just the thing for treating a hot tub prior to taking a vacation where it won't be used a week or two.

[JohnnyK45]

Thanks.  Have been looking seriously at something called EcoOne (they have something called Spa Monthly, then OneShock for weekly use) - will check out Spa Marvel too.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

Since this can be used with sanitizers, I was thinking it might be just the thing for treating a hot tub prior to taking a vacation where it won't be used a week or two.

just to be clear...It HAS to be used with sanitizers, none of these "natural" or "all in one" products have sanitizer in them, so they MUST be used in combination with one or more of the following shock/chlorine/ozonator/nature 2

[JohnnyK45]

Yes, agreed.  I chatted with the guy from EcoOne and he was very informative and wasn't in the least trying to throw sales pitches at me and answered every question I had.   

With their system, once a month you pour in one bottle of their Spa Monthly; then, you use their OneShock for sanitizing purposes - (which is a pre-measured, self dissolving packet of sanitizer/shock you just throw-in).

I ordered EcoOne's 3 month water kit from ecogeeks.com; 3 bottles of the Spa Monthly, a bottle of OneShock packets and a bottle of their Filter Cleanser.  Although, I heard Dawn dish soap works very well on filters too as long as you rinse it off good.  Order shipped within an hour of me placing it online; very impressed with their service, thus far, an A+ in my book.

J

[Spatech_tuo]

Save your money on "the Natural", Eco One... or any of these shallow promise items. You have to add chlorine for them to work which means they rely on the chlorine to do the job because they're not worth a darn other than to the pople who sell them.

Heck, I've got a magic pill I'm selling that will make you feel happy. All you need to do is swallow it just before you eat a pot laced brownie and I guarentee you'll smile for hours.

[vangoghsear]

The concept works.  It's used in municipal water treatment, farm animal water treatment, food processing water treatment and other uses where chlorine or other chemicals are not desired.  Not saying it works in spas, but the concept has been tested and does work elsewhere.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

The concept works.  It's used in municipal water treatment, farm animal water treatment, food processing water treatment and other uses where chlorine or other chemicals are not desired.  Not saying it works in spas, but the concept has been tested and does work elsewhere.

honest question...exactly what concept are you referring too? A couple things have already been established, 1. these products are not sanitizers 2. these companies don't release ingredients of what is exactly in the product 3. you still must use them in conjunction with chlorine and shock, you still have to use pH up/down to adjust pH and Alk. you still need to add a small amount of calcium if filling with soft water, and you still have to use a metal removing chemical on fillup if you have iron in your water and you still need some type of acid based cleaner to clean your filters

so again, honest question not trying to be condescending at all, but what exactly are you getting with these products? what is it doing to the water? how is it helping you in any way, shape or form? If someone can provide a clear concise answer, backed up with facts and or lab analysis then I'll listen, but until that happens I'll still have my doubts

[vangoghsear]

honest question...exactly what concept are you referring too?

The concept of enzymes catalyzing biochemical reactions which break down oils and scum into amino acids and glycerol for easy oxidation.

The question is have they found an enzyme that can stand the environment of a spa and still remain active?

That I don't know, but the concept works.  We could not live without the concept's effect on our own digestion system.

[JohnnyK45]

With the loose terms "natural" or "organic" and such, lots of wild claims thrown out there by a lot of companies.  I've seen several "natural" spa and water cleaners that tout they use Vitamin C & D only, some tout they use seaweed in their formula, etc. - frankly, not sure those alone are that effective; in a nutshell that kind of biochemistry doesn't seem possible because Vitamin C itself is destroyed once it hits heat or light.  Anyway... 

Without getting into a long reply, I just wanted something that has some natural aspects to it and is easy on sensitive skin and doesn't require me to keep adding endless other products to the mix; but yes, one should indeed use some kind of sanitizer.  I want simple and easy, I wanted something from a reputable company and I wanted to avoid using Bromine and stick with a Chlorine solution (just my preferrence, nothing wrong with the Bromine fans  ).  With this product, pretty straight-forward, my wife or daughter can chuck a packet into the tub without worrying they'll screw it up or put too much of something in.  I'll report my findings on this product after a month or two of using it.