Alk issues

[bosco0633]

Ok, so far so good.  I got the bromine down and ph has been stable for almost 3 weeks now.  But my alk is like a yo yo.  I get it up and it goes low.

I asked my dealer and he said that this weather is doing a real number on the chemical consumption.  

Does heat effect ALK?

Ok so my chemical for alc is called perfect balance from arctic.  I am to add roughly 1 capful for each color on the test strip.  Tonight I added a heeping cap full, im really low in the yellow when it should be a deeper green.

My water has been a little cloudy so i am assuming that it is because my alc is low.  Correct or not?

Also, I saw brewman talk about baking soda.  this will increase alk then?  and how much is an ounce for canucks that use tblspn and stuff like that.  

do i use baking soda instead of my alk increaser then? whats better?

almost got this water thingy figured out.  So close but still so far away.

[Vinny]

My dealer gave me some type of alk increaser and it didn't seem to work. So I'm using baking soda and it seems to work better.

Alkalinity isn't a big thing if you can't regulate it - PH is more important, keep an eye on it to keep it in range.

[CalicoskiesNC]

My alk never moves.   We raise it from 60 to 120 on fill days and it never moves a drop.  I use an alk increaser to raise it up on fill day, but it takes alot.  Like 4-5TBL to go up the 60.  

[jsimo7]

my alk drops a little bit each week from the dichlor and the ph goes with it.  A tlbs of alk increase per week keeps both in line

[ndabunka]

Seems odd that you guys are all talking about raising your ALk when I have the opposite issue (Alk often too high). What I found was that you needed to get the hardness level up to a certain point in order to stablize the alk.  PH DOES move with Alk. You are first suppose to get the ALK right and then start lowering the PH.

[JcDenton]

Bosco

I'm following the same regiment as you and also have had difficulty raising my alkalinity with the perfect balance. I've just put in some baking soda for the first time and will let you know how it works tomorrow.

Jc

[TrikkeAddict]

I agree with ndabunka - my dealer told me to get my calcium hardness up, then alkalinity up.  In the month I've had my spa I've only had to worry about the pH - very infrequently.  It's a far cry from my last spa where my dealer never told me anything about calcium hardness - in fact, she never tested my water at all.  She did say to get the alkalinity up but it was difficult because I used MPS in my first spa and was always fighting alkalinity and pH.

I just told my husband last night that our Sundance Cameo is way better than the spa we had before - I haven't had to do anything but add dichlor.  The best part is not having to clean the filter.  This is what owning a spa should be like!!!

Susan

[Brewman]

It all depends on your starting water.  Before adding any chemicals to my new water, my Ph is pretty close,  maybe a teeny bit high, but my alk is way high.  
Our hardness is right in the middle of the desired range, so I don't have to adjust for that.
That's how our water is.  
I use Ph decrease to get the alk down- Ph decrease lowers Ph and alkalinity.  I have to use quite a bit- 20 ounces in a 500 gallon tub.  Then I use ph Increase if the PH drops too low.  Ph increase doesn't raise alk.
Read a package of alkalinity increaser- if the active ingredient is sodium bicarbonate- that's baking soda.
For those keeping score, there isn't any spa product that is sold as alk increase, that I've ever seen anyway.

I get my Ph increase and Decrease at Fleet Farm or Medards (Big box stores).  I pay about the same for an eight pound container of each than my dealer charges for a teeny bottle, and the ingredients lists are the same.  

As for the measurement of the baking soda, I use the same graduated scoop that I got with my Brilliance start up kit.  An ounce on that measure.  Not an ounce by weight.  
The ounce is a ballpark, you'll have to experiment to see what the right amount is for your water volume and how far you need to push the numbers.  Read the dosage on the back of an alk increase bottle to get a starting point, and experiment from there.

Brewman

[jsimo7]

It all depends on your starting water.  Before adding any chemicals to my new water, my Ph is pretty close,  maybe a teeny bit high, but my alk is way high.  
 Our hardness is right in the middle of the desired range, so I don't have to adjust for that.
That's how our water is.  
 I use Ph decrease to get the alk down- Ph decrease lowers Ph and alkalinity.  I have to use quite a bit- 20 ounces in a 500 gallon tub.  Then I use ph Increase if the PH drops too low.  Ph increase doesn't raise alk.
 Read a package of alkalinity increaser- if the active ingredient is sodium bicarbonate- that's baking soda.
 /[For those keeping score, there isn't any spa product that is sold as alk increase, that I've ever seen anyway.]

 I get my Ph increase and Decrease at Fleet Farm or Medards (Big box stores).  I pay about the same for an eight pound container of each than my dealer charges for a teeny bottle, and the ingredients lists are the same.  

As for the measurement of the baking soda, I use the same graduated scoop that I got with my Brilliance start up kit.  An ounce on that measure.  Not an ounce by weight.  
The ounce is a ballpark, you'll have to experiment to see what the right amount is for your water volume and how far you need to push the numbers.  Read the dosage on the back of an alk increase bottle to get a starting point, and experiment from there.

Brewman

Bio makes a product I use called "total alklinity increse" sold at the spa store where I got my spa

[HotTubMan]

Ok, so far so good.  I got the bromine down and ph has been stable for almost 3 weeks now.  But my alk is like a yo yo.  I get it up and it goes low.

I asked my dealer and he said that this weather is doing a real number on the chemical consumption.  

Does heat effect ALK?

Yes heat does have some affect, but the heat outside should not affect your tub, unless it is affecting your tub temperature. Alkalinity will go down over time. That said, using pucks (br pucks pH=4) you will experience more TA and pH fluxtuation than you will with dichlor or granular bromine (pH 6-7 depending on brand). Most here do not use pucks.

Ok so my chemical for alc is called perfect balance from arctic.  I am to add roughly 1 capful for each color on the test strip.  Tonight I added a heeping cap full, im really low in the yellow when it should be a deeper green.

Are you using test strips? If so keep this in mind. High levels of bromine or chlorine will bleach the other tests. If your bromine is high, do not adjust your TA or pH. Wait until bromine comes down, take it to the dealer (who has a better test kit) or buy a test kit with chlorine neutralizer in it for greater accuracy.

My water has been a little cloudy so i am assuming that it is because my alc is low.  Correct or not?

Quite possible. Also, if the micropure filter does what they told me it does, dimishing caliucm levels will contribute to cloudiness. Your TDS is always going up and the water will get less clear (with jets on, and will take longer to clear up once you turn them off)as your TDS gets closer to 1500ppm.

Also, I saw brewman talk about baking soda.  this will increase alk then?  and how much is an ounce for canucks that use tblspn and stuff like that.  

do i use baking soda instead of my alk increaser then? whats better?

1 ounce equals approximately 28 grams depending on the product if you are using a liquid measure (volume)(ie pH decreaser which is denser/heavier by volume than the rest of your products)

As Brewman says below, they are one in the same.

[Brewman]

Bio makes a product I use called "total alklinity increse" sold at the spa store where I got my spa

I goofed on that.  What I meant to say was that I haven't seen an alk decrease product.

I should not post in the mornings until that 3rd cup of coffee kicks in!
Brewman

[spanewbie]

I use Ph decrease to get the alk down- Ph decrease lowers Ph and alkalinity.  I have to use quite a bit- 20 ounces in a 500 gallon tub.  Then I use ph Increase if the PH drops too low.  Ph increase doesn't raise alk.
Brewman

hi -
we just got the tub, and our pH & alk levels are naturally high.  we got granular pH minus (sodium bisulphate) and so far have done 3 teaspoons (in 3 doses) and it's coming down, but still too high.  I know we should get this right before adding dichlor.
you wrote that you need 20 oz for your tub.  is that granular or liquid?  20 oz, wow! guess our teaspoon at a time would take weeks !   :-/