The day has finally arrived!!!!!

[mrmojo1111]

Well, my Grandee NXT is here! Boy is it beautiful! I've gotten it situated in the patio and filled. The electrician is wiring it up as I type, and I'll be firing it up in no time.

I did some preliminary tests of the water using my trusty Taylor test kit. Results are as follows:

TA: 70
CH: 110
pH: 8.0

Should I wait until the water has reached temperature before balancing? First step should be to raise TA, right? Then CH, then lower pH. Should I add the shock dose of chlorine first?  Thanks in advance!

[Chartreux]

Pictures, so us pictures...

[Topline Mike]

DO NOT raise the TA.  You are very close to being balanced from the start.  I would get your pH down to 7.8 or a bit lower.  You will need to add an ounce or two of dry acid or muriatic acid to do this, and you can do it now while the water is warming up.  I would add the chlorine after you are balanced, as it is not going to take much to do this.  It's like Christmas in August!  Congrats.

[Trifecta]

^ +1

Do not raise the TA, let it ride and see what the PH does. A little PH Down to get you in spec, a little sanitizer and enjoy! Over the course of a little bit of jetting, you'll know immediately if your PH is holding.....Great Times Ahead!

Mike

[mrmojo1111]

Thanks guys! OK. Temps down to the 50's tonight! Perfect for a little soak! As soon as the electrician is finished, well get this thing cranking and add the chlorine. I'll recheck the water in a couple of hours and go from there. What do you think about borates? Is now the time to add? How much? The goal of borates is to improve the buffering capacity of the water, right?

[Quickbeam]

To properly balance your water you need to run all your jets with the air injectors on, to find out what the PH is going to do. In all likelihood, your PH will shoot up. To counter act this, you will want to LOWER your TA by either adding dry acid (sometimes called PH down) or muriatic acid. You keep doing this until your TA reaches a point where it stabilizes your PH, and your PH does not shoot up when you are running all your jets. After you have done this, then you can add your borates. You want to add 50 ppm borates. There is an excellent article on how to balance your water here: http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19149

As for borates, one way to add this is to add boric acid. You can use the pool math site to help you determine how much to add. It can be found here: http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Congratulations on your new hot tub, and good luck with your water maintenance!

[mrmojo1111]

Turns out the electrician's work day ended at 3:30, when he still had about an hour of work to do. So, no soak tonight. Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow, so I won't be able to add the chlorine until tomorrow night. Will that be ok? I'm kind of pissed about the way he ran the power cable as well, he had it looped up about a foot of the patio before making the turn into the tub. I've asked him to fix that as well, as I can already see people tripping over it.

[Budule]

Turns out the electrician's work day ended at 3:30, when he still had about an hour of work to do. So, no soak tonight. Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow, so I won't be able to add the chlorine until tomorrow night. Will that be ok? I'm kind of pissed about the way he ran the power cable as well, he had it looped up about a foot of the patio before making the turn into the tub. I've asked him to fix that as well, as I can already see people tripping over it.

post a pic , then fire him.....

[mrmojo1111]

OK. Hook up was completed to my satisfaction today, and we're of and running! Let me just say, this thing is flipping awesome! I retested my water, as I am starting to get a little OCD about water chemistry, and here are the results:

TA: 50
pH: 7.8
Acid demand: only 1 drop (correct me if I am wrong, but I think that reflects the relatively low TA, less buffering capacity, thus less acid needed to lower pH.)
FC: 2.0ppm
CC: 1.0ppm

I had followed the owners manual instructions for "super chlorinating" before these readings, which said to add 1.5 tsp. dichlor pet 250 gallons. So, I added 3 tsp. and ran the cleaning cycle. After this reading I decided to add 2 more tsp dichlor. We'll see what the trading is after a nice long inaugural soak for me and the missus.

Any thoughts experts?

BTW, I'll post up some pics in the Show off section when I get the chance.

Nick

[Tman122]

I think you need to soak and try and not micro manage it. Let it come to you. The chlorine will drive your TA up but may mess with your PH also so PH down in slow increments (days) Soak, enjoy, repeat.

[Sam]

Yay! Congrats!  That is an amazing spa that you got.  Happy hot-tubbing 

[mrmojo1111]

Ok, a week in and here are my numbers:

TA: 40
pH: 7.1
CH: 90
CYA: 30
FC: 6.5

The pH has been declining steadily with dichlor addition. I think it is time to raise the TA and pH. Perhaps add borates. Suggestions? The trouble free pool calculator says to add 7oz. of baking soda.

[Topline Mike]

Yes, I would add the 7oz of baking soda.  I would also switch from dichlor to straight bleach, and yes, you can add the 50ppm borates now if you want.  Looking good, mojo.

[mrmojo1111]

Well, the 7oz. of baking soda, along with just 30ppm borates really made my pH (> 8.0) and TA (200) shoot up! Now I am so well buffered that it is taking a truckload of dry acid to bring the pH down (> 1lb according to the Taylor acid demand test). I must admit, I am getting a little compulsive about testing my water! Takes me back to Chemistry 101!

OK, so I think I've got the chlorine and acid/base figured out. Next question is about calcium. Mine is a little low according to the Taylor handbook, and, in the handbook it says this could lead to foaming, which I am seeing a little bit of. Now, to be fair, my wife and my mother used the tub once without showering beforehand, and likely contaminated the water with all of their girly lotions and what not. Should I try to raise my CH from its current level of 90?

Thanks Topline and everyone else for the help and expertise!

[Topline Mike]

The 7oz of baking soda should have only raised your TA by 60, and your pH by .13?  The boric acid will lower your pH also, so something isn't adding up here??   

I wouldn't be too concerned about your CH.  You could add some calcium chloride (about 4 ounces) to bring your CH up if you wanted to.