Cant seem to get my chemicals correct, please help

[paulcicero]

Hi all, have had the tub since Nov 2012.  Same water, the manual did not say to drain it until 6-8 months later, so I am waiting.  Here are my numbers (I use Bromine): Bromine is 1.5, Alc is 40, pH is 6.2.  I use a Bromine floater and the window is open to the max, still cannot get the bromine up.  How do I get the Alc up as well?  Is that hand in hand with Bromine?  When I get out, I do smell a tad like Chlorine and have noticed lately my eyes are a tad irritated.  Do I need to replace the water perhaps?  Have noticed it is foamier than usual, despite using Foam away.  Any help is appreciated!

[castletonia]

You should drain/refill your spa every 3-4 months.  The only time I would go past that is if weather does not permit a drain/refill.  You need to get your pH and Total Alkalinity up, which would be done using a pH or Alkalinity increaser.  The low pH is likely contributing to the eye irritation.  The floater being opened up all the way is also why your pH is so low. 

Remember that when you use a de-foamer or clarifier, you should pull the filter(s) out within 48 hours and rinse off in order to get whatever the de-foamer or clarifier put in the filter(s) out of the spa.

If the weather is warm enough by you, I would personally drain and refill.

[vangoghsear]

Also, there are several here who recommend that the first change be only after about a month.  Several reasons for that have been given.  A tub will usually be used more in the first few months then taper off with the novelty from almost daily use to once or twice a week; new tub users will have more embedded body oils that will enter the water; new tub users will often over, or under, chemical the water; bathing suits will add soap residue; users will invite friends to come over more in the first few months more 1st time users = more of most of the above; there could be materials left in or on the tub at the factory, residue from its construction (oils or other lubricants, bits of plastic or just plain old dust) left on the walls and water ways.

Personally, mine gave me a rash under my arms for the first month until I realized I needed to clean the walls above the waterline with a hyper-chlorine and water solution.  Since then it's been fine.  My water has been far cleaner (both in look and feel) after my first drain/refill (I did mine after 4 months) then it ever was on the first fill.

[Tman122]

Hi all, have had the tub since Nov 2012.  Same water, the manual did not say to drain it until 6-8 months later, so I am waiting.  Here are my numbers (I use Bromine): Bromine is 1.5, Alc is 40, pH is 6.2.  I use a Bromine floater and the window is open to the max, still cannot get the bromine up.  How do I get the Alc up as well?  Is that hand in hand with Bromine?  When I get out, I do smell a tad like Chlorine and have noticed lately my eyes are a tad irritated.  Do I need to replace the water perhaps?  Have noticed it is foamier than usual, despite using Foam away.  Any help is appreciated!

Yea drain and refill first. If your going to stick with bromine in a floater you should get the proper re-agent test kit from Taylor or the like. And know that bromine has a tendency to drive down PH and TA over time so continued additions of PH up (baking soda) will be necessary to maintain a PH of 7.0-7.4 How often do you shock and with what?

[wmccall]

Hi all, have had the tub since Nov 2012.  Same water, the manual did not say to drain it until 6-8 months later, so I am waiting.

Thats nuts!   I've owned a hot tub continuously for 10 years now.  I could probably keep my water looking good that long, but I always change it after 4 months anyway. The exception to that is if the 4 months is up during February and its too cold to change.  We've long adopted Chas' law here that says new hot tub owners should change their water after a month as rookies tend to over use chemicals initially.

[Pools Plus Inc MI]

Your Alk and pH being so low can also be causing the Bromine to dissipate quicker. Try adjusting the Alk first before draining it.