New tub help

[JRK]

Hello, first post but been reading/learning here for months.

We had been doing our research for a tub for the house were building now when a used J-495 fell into my lap. Couldn't pass it up so we had it moved and set it up in the garage until its final resting place is ready. Well being used we obviously didn't get any advice/help and I'm having issues with the water. I'll try and be as brief but descriptive as possible.

Filled the tub and ran Ahh-some jet cleaner through it, drained, refilled, jet cleaner again, drained, refilled. Definitely helped, when I filled the tub the first time water looked brown. Thought it was our water (we are on a well) but after 2 rounds of cleaner the final fill was crystal clear. PH & Alk registered high (was using strips at this point so not sure exactly how high). The old owner gave me what he had left for chems so I started using the PH down that he gave me without much success. I also added the dichlor  right away which I now know probably wasn't the the right move. So after exhausting the remaining PH down I bought some Muratic acid. That worked but it sure seemed like I had to use ALOT of it. but I got the PH down to 7.6. Dropped in a nature2 into the new filter and thought I had it licked. But The Alk had dropped  below 80 though so I used some Alk up. Really started fighting getting that back up then the PH bounced back up to 8 and seemed like I was fighting a losing battle. I tried partial drain and refills, etc  Water seemed clear and comfortable until a couple of days ago when after I added some Muratic acid there seemed to be something scum like floating on the surface of the water. So I decided to start over.

(I did start using a taylor kit I got from the old owner and I also purchased a colorQ. The numbers from both seemed to match up fairly closely)

Yesterday:
Ran another jet clean, drain, refill, drain, refill again for the hell of it. Got a little more crap out of the pipes but nowhere near as much as the first time. Final fill with 50/50 hard/softened water both through those spa filler carbon filters (same as the first time). This time I had done a little more reading and learned to balance the water first before adding any sanitizer and do the Alk first. This time I checked the water prior to doing anything. PH tested at 7.1, alk at 200. Ran the jets and tested again PH 7.5 alk still at 200. checked both with the taylor and colorQ. No idea why the PH came up as I hadn't added anything yet. Added about 3 table spoons of Muratic acid to start to bring down the ALk, ran the jets and went to bed. Checked this morning and that damn scum like crap was floating on the surface again. checked the water with a strip and the Alk was still high and the PH seemed to spike higher as well. So I had picked some more PH down dry acid (clorox brand) So I figured I'll try that. No Idea why but I got that scum the last two time I tried the Muratic acid. Added a few tablespoons of PH down and ran the jets. Came back 45min later and the water was so cloudy I couldn't see the second row of jets front the top???.

Now I'm lost. Draining again bit I am obviously missing something or doing something wrong. So looking for some advice before blindly starting again.

Jim

[BullFrogSpasMN]

paying a good local company to provide an onsite chemical/hot tub orientation for $100-$150 can we worth it's weight in gold

[JRK]

paying a good local company to provide an onsite chemical/hot tub orientation for $100-$150 can we worth it's weight in gold

Looking into that now.

Update: Figured out the cloudy issue. Just got home to the drained tub and it is covered by a fine white powder. The clorox PH down never fully dissolved. It even plugged the tub drain up. Didn't drain at all until i built up enough water pressure by filling the tub to push it out

[bud16415]

Have you had your well water tested? Wonder if the chlorine is reacting with your water hardness some. Iron maybe? When you fill it are you running any inline hose filter?

In the house any buildup in the water heater or toilet tanks?

[JRK]

Yep. Using those activated carbon pre filters to fill the tub. Though there probably not working fully anymore as I've filled the tub as few times with them and I think there only good for 1200 gallons. This thing holds 500.

No issues with build up in the house but that's all run through a softener.

[The Wizard of Spas]

Sounds like something was in the lines.

pH and Alk are important.  Here are a few snippets I've copied/pasted from previous answers I've given:

"pH lowering trick:

Add whatever you are using to lower the pH (Muriatic Acid, Sodium Bisulfate) and DO NOT RUN THE JETS.  Let the water stay calm.  This will encourage the reducing agent to work more effectively.  I do this all the time in our in ground pools and hot tubs here in the store.  In fact, I know that it takes 4oz of sodium bisulfate to lower the pH from the tap when I am filling a new tub on the showroom floor.  Thus- I toss the 4oz of dry powder into the footwell and by the time the tub is filled the pH is pretty spot-on.

Try this and I bet you'll be fine.  The only way it doesn't work is if you're testing your pH at, say, 8.6 and that is the highest your pH reader can read but in actuality your pH is, say, 11.  That is why you're adding so much reducer."

....and....

"Make it easy and look at it in general terms:

Most sanitizers need pH levels to be set anywhere from 7.2-7.8.  It just depends on the SPECIFIC sanitizer you use.

If pH is 7.9 or higher, it needs to be lowered.  If it is 7.2 or lower, it needs to be raised.

Additionally, you should have your alkalinity level set usually between 80 to 120 ppm (parts per million).  But in some cases its 100-150ppm, again, depending on the sanitizer.

Alkalinity keeps the pH from fluctuating and acts as a buffer between the things that want to make the pH increase or decrease and the pH itself.

Muriatic acid REDUCES pH and alkalinity.

The quality of your pH level = the quality of your sanitizer.  Example:  If your sanitizer (Lets say chlorine) was reading 3ppm but your pH was, say, 6.8, the quality of your sanitizer would be low.  If I was to guess I'd say that the 3ppm reading was really only 1.5ppm active.  I don't know the math but you get the point, and I am sure someone can correct my math on here.

Additionally:  Keeping pH in line helps with the quality and life of your jets and heater and other components.  High pH over time degrades metals, causing pitting, etc. and low pH over time causes metal deposits.  This is not covered under warranty."

....So....

Keep your pH and alk in line and things work better.  Keep your sanitizer level good too, based on whatever you're using...