Hard Water / Well Water? / Frog

[Spayedkitty]

We will be new to hot tubs, Caldera Geneva should be here in a few weeks.  We have really hard well water with a high iron content.  Our dealer has told us not to use water that has run through our softener.  The dealer said we would get lots of foam if we do that.  So instead, he is bringing us a filter to hook up to our water hose, it was expensive $100.00.  It's a couple of feet long and made of PVC pipe and has filtering material inside.  He said the filter can be used for at least 10 fills or until water will no longer flow through it.  He also said he will bring another chemical to help with the iron.  We are concerned about iron causing staining since we won't be using water that has gone through our softener.

Do we really need the expensive filter that hooks to our water hose?

We ordered the tub in platinum.  Our dealer told us since we have such awful water that a lighter colored tub could get staining.

Any advise or suggestions on this?

We are using the Frog system and chose the Chlorine over the other type.  No particular reason other than several dealers told us the Chlorine is easier to maintain.  Also our well water doesn't smell the greatest.

Is there a good place to order the Frog refills that we will need? Do the chemicals have a limited shelf life?  Exactly what other chemicals should we keep on hand?  I know the Caldera manual lists only a certain brand.  Our dealer is 45 minutes away so ordering chemicals online would be easier.  We just want to make sure that we keep chemicals on hand.


Thank you,
Shauna

[bud16415]

Take a sample of your water to your dealer before you get started for them to test. They might be able to make better recommendations on the amount and what to add based on that.

We have city water and don’t use a pre-filter but in your case I think it is a good idea. I agree they are overpriced but everything Hot tub is. The filter should help with the smell and they will have an metallic control product to add in the beginning for the iron. I used it on our first fill as the dealer said to and haven’t used it after that. You will learn with time what you need to do to tweak yours.

I have said before we have a white Geneva like yours and we about once a week go over the whole inside of the tub with a micro fiber cloth. Takes a couple minutes and any spot that doesn’t feel silky slick, you will feel the cloth stick a little and we just buff it slightly and it is gone. I would recommend something similar for you. We have found if you let anything start to build up for too long then it becomes work getting it off. You shouldn’t have much trouble getting the water balanced in the beginning and then it should be fine.

The @ease is sold all over the internet as are most of the products. Give it a try for the first few fills and if it is not to your liking try something else. Everyone is different. As we have talked about before I switched out to dichlor to start and then Clorox. Doing that a jar of dichlor lasts me a year. And about the same for a jar of non-chlorine shock. Even Walmart sells a lot of what you will need.   

[buba]

Yes and Yes.  The pre-filter when filling the spa will help and the metal gone type of chemicals with help remove suspended metals and minerals in the water that will then be caught by the filters in the tub. When I fill my spa I use both, wait a day or two then take the filters out and clean them, wait another day or two and clean them again.

Frog? Never really found good deals on their products but there are many internet retailers that sell them. I recently switched to the Frog @ease system and have had no issues but I have had to shock it once every week or two instead of once a month.

The pre filter I use is one of these but it sounds like you have a higher iron problem than I do.

http://www.spadepot.com/Pre-Fresh-Spa-Pool-Water-Fill-Filter-P2666

I use about 1 bottle of a metal gone chemical per fill, There are many brands to chose from in this category

The other chemicals I use are pretty much those needed to adjust the chemistry (Ph up/down, total hardness, etc) most of which can be purchased at Walmart under the Clorox brand name, Once you get the water balanced after a fill you do not need to use much of these. I do add 1 ounce of SeaKlear Natural Clarifier when I shock to deal with bather related lotions/oil etc, a 32 ounce bottle lasts a long time in our setup and usage. The SeaKlear works like the metal gone products, it adsorbs the suspended oils/lotions and that then get caught by the filters. (Jacuzzi brand J335)

[meriflower]

Yes, a pre-filter should work.  Also as others mentioned use some stain & scale.  Another option, which I did by mistake, I forgot to turn off my water softener and filled my tub.  Instead of draining and refilling went and got some calcium hardness and added to the tub until the hardness got to the desired level.

[richierich]

I have iron in my well water and need a water softener. I fill with softened water and also use the pre filter from spa depot. I then add calcium and metal gone. If I were to fill the tub with well water it would be an orange / brown mess. The prefilter can't do what my whole house system can.