post party drain

[orlandoguy]

My party was a big success the other night and the tub light up with the torches around it was really cool as a centerpiece.

Things got roough when the little kids thought goldfish crackers could swim in the tub and who knows what p they added to the ph.  Anyways, the tub is now draining and will be refilled tonight.

My tech said he wipes his empty tub with rubbing alcohol so i will try that.

What I am wondering is how most people do the initial shock?  I was going to dump a capfull of bromine in the tub tonight.  I also have the oxidizing concentrate but figured on seeing how everything turns out.

Also, my alkaline levels were really low before the drain and hardly hear anybody worrying about anything but ph anf bromine or dichlor levels.  Is alkaline a big concern?  How does one raise the level???

[Brewman]

I don't think alcohol wipes are really necessary, just changing the water and doing whatever you do for a normal water change should be ok.  
But if you want to go ahead.  
We dump the water, swap in a clean filter, use spa surface cleaner and a scrubby pad on the inner surface, refill, re chemical, and go.  
Just use the same chemical routine as you did last time you added new water.

I'm on a bromine system, and have to add the starter packet to establish the bromine reserve with new water, and I use MPS as shock.

I do notice that my alk level tends to drift lower with time.  I've been told it's the MPS shock or the bromine or both, so every couple weeks I add an ounce or so of baking soda, which raises the alk without raising the ph.
I also have to add Ph increaser occasionally, too.  
The water adjusting chemicals I have on hand are Ph decrease, which I need because my new water is super high alkaline.  I also have Ph increase and alk increase, to combat the drift down tendency.  But i found out that alk increaser is Sodium Bicarbonate, which is baking soda, so now I use that.

Brewman

[Spatech_tuo]

My tech said he wipes his empty tub with rubbing alcohol so i will try that.

STOP, this is TERRIBLE/UNINFORMED advice.

NEVER use alcohol to clean acrylic, it will cause crazing of the acrylic (micro-fracturing) and prolonged use will cause cracking. You don't want to use that on any lenses (light, digital displays, etc.) as well. Use WINDEX. If you have to you could use a little Soft Scrub to remove calcium deposits if Windex isn't quite cutting it but then you want to wipe that down good to remove it's residue so it doesn't get in the water when you fill.

Remember, Rubbing Alcohol + Acrylic = Bad News!!!

Go ahead and pass that on to your technician and have him talk to an Technician and/or Engineer with the spa manufacturer if he tells you I'm nuts (I'm not, I swear).

[orlandoguy]

Thanks guys.  I appreciate the tips.  I wasn't looking forward to getting on my hands and knees with a wet rag of alcohol after work anyway.

My spa is only a month old and the shell seems to be like new, so i will probably just give it a little scrubbing.

The baking soda tip is also appreciated, but I still don't understand the importance of low alkalinity and it's affect on the overall wellbeing of the spa's water.

Lastly, about how much is an ounce in baking soda terms?   I have all the measuring spoons for my other chemicals and would guess and ounce to be around 2 big tablespoons, no???

[Backpains]

Orlando..My alk is been low these past few days and I've had to add my alk increaser. This afternoon I noticed that my water was a little hazy so I checked my levels and my alk is really low so I bumped it with 6 tblspns of alk increaser (according to the directions 3 tblspn brings it up 25 ppm and I am at about 50 on the strip test) So that should raise my alk level 50 ppm and I'll go from there as to whether I need to add any more. Now my delaer told me NEVER EVER clean acrylic with achocol that is a very good way to ruin your shell! So don't do that, I bought a bottle of surface cleaner from my dealer (Spa Essentials is all I usually get from him with the exception of the enzymes and they are Leisure Time and my alk increaser when I needed more it was Omni) and it even worked on the white line I was getting!! I'm thinking I might have to drain soon again, since I use my tub so much we are right now at every 3 weeks at draining...hoping I won't have to do it anytime soon but we will see!

[orlandoguy]

wow!  every three weeks?  I was thinking 3 months might be about right.

I just ordered a cordless pump to speed up the next drain as i can't wait to get back in the tub.

I also saw some flush kit you can add right before the drain that is supposed to remove a lot of contaminants and crud from the plumbing and anyone who has been in the shower in Florida knows the water is nasty.

[Brewman]

Sorry about the ounce thing.  I just use the same measure I use for my other water adjusting chemicals.  

And the ounce thing may vary for you vs me.  You can read the amount to use from an alk increase bottle to get the recommended amount to use per your spa volume and how far your reading need to change.  

YOu want to try and maintain your Ph and Alk within the right range or you can have water quality problems, coughing, scale formation, and other ickyness.

Brewman

[Bill_Stevenson]

Total alkalinity should be about 140 or a little more (not higher than 200 though).  This buffers the water and helps to keep pH stable.  Very important first step in water treatment.

Regards,

Bill

[OasisMan]

Hey P.B  I understand someone disagrees with my methods of cleaning spas, but that o.k. I stand behind what I said. I'm glad your enjoying your J-335, and I hope it brings you, your wife and little one lots of smiles.

[orlandoguy]

Thanks Oasis Man.  I have praised the spa and the fact that you installed the cover in a downpour from the beginning as well as got me tubbing in record time.  Well appreciated.

I didn't do much cleaning besides wiping the spa after the drain and it filled up crystal clear.

[Spatech_tuo]

Hey P.B  I understand someone disagrees with my methods of cleaning spas, but that o.k. I stand behind what I said.

Alcohol will certainly get the shell clean so from that standpoint you're right, it works. I'm sure you have experieince with spas that may go beyond my own but it is a fact that alcohol is just about the last thing you want to use on acrylic if you ask anyone that works with "plastics" so you might want to find an alternate method.

[orlandoguy]

Spatech, just curious, what do you use yourself???

I will probably pick up a bottle of the cleaner they sell at the pool store as it isn't very expensive, I will only need it once in a while, and I haven't heard anyone say bad things about it.  What exactly would alcohol do to the shell anyway?  

[Spatech_tuo]

I've never used anyhting more than a little Windex and even that I've only used maybe twice in 6 years.

Alcohol WILL cause crazing (aka microfracturing) of the acrylic though the degree will largely depend on how much its used.

[orlandoguy]

 ;DAlcohol makes you crazy?  It made Bud wiser.

Seriously, the Mr Clean magic eraser I got works great without any questionable products that I know about.  I guess like anything, everyone has their theories.