Damsel in Distress.......

[sue_in_texas]

The new tub arrived and I filled it.    My water chemistry is horrible....I am working on it.: 
0 free Cl
.5 total Cl
80 Alk
8.4 pH
0 total hardness

I didn't know that I shouldn't use softened water and as a result, I have 0% calcium in the water.....  The dealer is about 45 min away, and has been zero help to me...hasn't returned phone calls or email.

I've researched it and Youtubed what to do so, I added Chlorine last night, but added too much, and that will need to come down. 

I am concerned about the Hardness, that is sitting at 0.  I went to Leslie's Pool supply, and the only thing they had was a big tub of 'hardness plus', which contains Calcium Chloride; the directions are for 5000+ gal pools.  My spa is 517 gal.  I have no idea how to do the conversion as the distribution is in pounds..... how do I measure this and how do I add it.   Should I be using an entirely different product?  Also, the tub directions say add directly to the water with the jets running, but the information I am finding on the internet says mix it with water first.   I am confused, and scared to do anything at this point......  consider me a deer in headlights.

BTW--I have a Bullfrog 8DSS

After I get the Cl and the Ca in balance, will my pH come down?

Please help this damsel in distress

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Go buy a Nature 2 stick, Skip hardness, add chlorine after use or every other time and shock once a week.   Keep PH/ALK in range a bit high on PH is ok.    I have been doing it this way for quite awhile and its works fine.   Don't sweat the small stuff and  keep it simple.   I can PM you my number if you want to talk about it.   

[Vinny]

by adding dichlor and non chlorine shock (if you use any) your PH will come down. you'll probably be needing to add stuff to boost your PH in a few weeks.

Although I've never used softened water I never worry about the calcium hardness.

[av8r]

I used softened water in mine to fill as it's easy to get hardness in, but impossible to get it out once it's in the tub.  You can add the calcium hardness 3-4 ounces a pop until it's where you want it.  Not adding it can cause the water to try to leech it out of other things like metal parts.  Mine came up after 2-3 times adding CH.  It won't change much after you get it there.

Like others said...nothing to panic over.  You can't really mess it up and if you do...just drain and refill!

[Tman122]

I used softened water in mine to fill as it's easy to get hardness in, but impossible to get it out once it's in the tub.  You can add the calcium hardness 3-4 ounces a pop until it's where you want it.  Not adding it can cause the water to try to leech it out of other things like metal parts.  Mine came up after 2-3 times adding CH.  It won't change much after you get it there.

Like others said...nothing to panic over.  You can't really mess it up and if you do...just drain and refill!

Yes and it can't leach it from SS so there really is no metal for it to leach it from. That's why most say don't sweat the CH in a hot tub.

[hottubdan]

You probably do want some hardness.  Otherwise excessive foaming from soft water.

[sue_in_texas]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your responses!   Alk and pH are now in a 'good' range, Cl is too high, but coming down pretty quickly.  I still have 0 Hardness, but, as many of you have said, I am not going to overly worry about it.  I will go get  some calcium booster, but use it sparingly.  I tend to be a 'rule follower' and a bit of a perfectionist, so now seems to be a good time learning to relax and go with the flow a bit.  I just don't want to screw this up!!!!!

[Tman122]

Common problem. I to was a spa nazi. Took me a while to figure out how slow water reacts to us. We get in and we introduce stuff and we burn it off with sanitizer. The composition of the water changes each time we do that. But very slowly. Once we figure out that we only have to do a couple/few things between water changes to keep our waters composition in an acceptable range, it's funny how easy it becomes. But sanitize after you use it and maybe even super sanitize after heavy use.

[Drummerguy]

Jacuzzi Jim is great by the way !