why?

[Russ]

How come it seems like I never have any chlorine in my tub?
No, I don't have too much for the test kit to see..

[stabone]

 Russ, how are you using your chlor, and is the tub new

[Russ]

tub is 3 months old.. I use the granules after we get out.
Tomorrow I'll ceheck it and there won't be any

[stabone]

  Russ, what I have found works really well for people, is to use the granular (4 to 5 oz) 2 times a week.  Just to keep a base of chlor in the water. Use a non-chlor shock after use. When you are only relying on a granular chlor, you have to keep a higher ppm of chlor in the water consistantly, which is hard to do with out a floater or chlorinator.  The non chlor shock will activate the chlor that is in the water, the reason you put it in when you get out is that it boost the chlor already present in the water kills off the bacteria from you being in the tub. This way you don't have to keep a high level of active chlor in the water (espacially while you are using the tub).
   
  Let me now how that works, I get alot of people in hte store with the same problem only using a granular.

[ndabunka]

Sta - What are you talking about? Chroline disapates. BROMINE can be re-activatred.  As long as the water is clear, the low levels of Chlorine are OK (for short periods of time). I personally prefer soaking in water that is not overly hlorinated. It's more like flaoting in a lake than in a pool. Get out, throw granuals in. Levels go high cleaning up the residual left behind by our bodies. You could always throw a second does in the "morning after" if you want to maintain a low level.  Low levels of chlorine also help you cover last longer. I HATE lifting a cover and smelling that heavy chlorine smell.  That's why I have an ozontaor in mine.

[Chas]

Russ,

Try putting just a touch more in when you get out. About a tablespoon for every 300 gallons.

If that ends up with too much chlorine the next morning, you can always cut back a bit.

The goal is to have a barely readable amount of chlorine the next morning - having no readable amount could be trouble.

I think Stabone may have been talking about Bromine - his advice doesn't seem to work with your program though.

[SerjicalStrike]

Test your water 15 minutes after you add chlorine. If you dont see any chlorine then, then you have a problem and will need to add more.

[shabba34]

First, do you have ozone?

If you do then you won't have a residual of chlorine in the spa.  If you are using the non-clor as well, start using that prior to getting into the spa and use chlorine after you get out, as well as chlor once a week.  If you have ozone, you sanitize prior to getting in due to the short lifespan of residual ozone, (treating prior takes care of you while you are in the spa  the chlorine after takes care of contaminates after you get out, and ozone maintains while the tub is not in use.)

[Bill_Stevenson]

The answer to your question is that dichlor breaks down in a matter of hours at the elevated temperatures found in a hot tub.  The hotter your water, the faster the dichlor disappears. The reason this is not a problem is that if you put dichlor in sufficient to have 3-5-ppm of free chlorine after each use, or every other day if the spa is not being used regularly, then the bacteria are killed and there is nothing in the water that could cause harm.

Regards,

Bill

[shabba34]

The answer to your question is that dichlor breaks down in a matter of hours at the elevated temperatures found in a hot tub.  The hotter your water, the faster the dichlor disappears. The reason this is not a problem is that if you put dichlor in sufficient to have 3-5-ppm of free chlorine after each use, or every other day if the spa is not being used regularly, then the bacteria are killed and there is nothing in the water that could cause harm.

Regards,

Bill

Bill, we still have to know if he is using ozone or not, if yes then he may be using too much chlorine unecessarily.  Otherwise, your statement is right on.

[Bill_Stevenson]

>if he is using ozone or not, if yes then he may be using too much chlorine unecessarily.<

I am struggling for the relevancy.  He has already stated that he has little to no free chlorine the next day.  Based on that information, I don't understand why you think he may be using too much chlorine.  

Also, ozone does not stay dissolved in the water for more than a few seconds.  Therefore, it's effect is limited to the bacteria it may encounter essentially from the time it bubbles out of the bottom until the time it reaches the surface of the spa.  As such ozone or no, a sanitizer is still required and in much the same concentration as would be the case without it.

Regards,

Bill

[shabba34]

>if he is using ozone or not, if yes then he may be using too much chlorine unecessarily.<

I am struggling for the relevancy.  He has already stated that he has little to no free chlorine the next day.  Based on that information, I don't understand why you think he may be using too much chlorine.  

Also, ozone does not stay dissolved in the water for more than a few seconds.  Therefore, it's effect is limited to the bacteria it may encounter essentially from the time it bubbles out of the bottom until the time it reaches the surface of the spa.  As such ozone or no, a sanitizer is still required and in much the same concentration as would be the case without it.

Regards,

Bill

He can still be using unnecessary chlorine even if he has no reading.  no reading because of ozone, if he has one.  I can put 2 tbs of chlor in my spa 355 gal, and tomorrow have no reading (beacause of ozone).  do I have to do that every day?  No.  That is over treating the spa.  A sanitizer is definitly required, however only at the time of use is proper levels required from chlor or non chlor to protect you when your in the spa.  As long as ph is ideal, no reason to have 3-5 ppm of chlor in the spa when your not in there. (That is if you have ozone)
After all, ozone is used to reduce the amount of sanitizer used, which is why i think he may be using too much chlorine.  

[Russ]

HOLY HOTTUB BATMAN  

Didn't expect all this. I just expected a simple answer. Is that possible?

OK, I have Ozone.
Ph is currently at 7.2 -7.4 depends on strip or test kit
TA is about 120

[shabba34]

HOLY HOTTUB BATMAN  

Didn't expect all this. I just expected a simple answer. Is that possible?

OK, I have Ozone.
Ph is currently at 7.2 -7.4 depends on strip or test kit
TA is about 120

Russ,  ozone is eating your free chlorine every day, so when you treat it after use, you won't have a reading the next day.  Thats ok!  Just make sure that when you use the spa there is some sort of sanitizer in there, chlor or non clor.  Ozone will do the rest.  Sorry for the confusion, but having ozone or not shows exactly what is going on.  

[SerjicalStrike]

Maybe I am a little ignorant on this, but I have never heard of the ozone eating the free chlorine.  

The main issue is that the sanitizer level needs to be checked shortly after adding chlorine.  

Remember, you are only sanitizing the tub, not sterilizing it.  There will always be something for the chlorine and ozone to oxidize.  As soon as the chlorine runs out, bacteria will start regrouping as the ozone alone cannot (in most cases) keep up with the demand.  So check the water after 10-15 minutes of adding chlorine and make sure it gets up to the 3-5ppm range.

The ozone essentially makes it so you have to add less chlorine to get the spa to the correct level, but you still need to get the spa to 3-5ppm level.

As Chas said, "The goal is to have a barely readable amount of chlorine the next morning - having no readable amount could be trouble. " --Perfect