What does MPS do?

[marks]

What does MPS do? I have been using Dichloro daily and MPS weekly.  This setup gave my wife a skin rash.  When I switched to just daily Dichloro the skin rash went away, but I don't like the clarity of the water.  

I have a pool and use chlorine and a DE filter and the water seems much more crystal clear. Granted the pool is 25,000 gallons and the Spa 450 gallons both with 5 people going in.

[Guzz]

Mps is a non-chlorine oxidizer which is best used in conjunction with ozone and a silver ion purifier. Try using dichloro with a silver ion purifier, this is a little gizzmo that drops into your filter and is inexpensive, we sell one for $25 and it lasts 4 months. I have found that this combo works really well.

[TubsAndCues]

Check out the thread on "skin rash" too.  It may not be your sanitizer/oxidizer that's causing the rash. In fact, I'd say it's highly unlikely.

You need to still shock once a week, but what you shock with is up to you.  You can use MPS or di-chlor.  The back of your di-chlor bottle will tell you how, but the clarity issue is typically a sign that you need to shock your tub.

[orlandoguy]

I was having cloudy water in the begining and followed someone's suggestion of adding a couple capfulls of clarifyer in with my weekly shock routine and it has been clear as a bell since.  I have since been told scale and stain remover added to the routine is good as well but haven't added it yet.

[TubsAndCues]

Add that stain and scale!!  I like to shock on sundays and do my stain and scale on wednesdays.  Just keep them 3 to 4 days apart so your shock doesn't nullify the effects of the stain and scale.

[orlandoguy]

Tubs and cues,

I started the scale and stain but never thought to incorporate the Wed/Sun routine, but will try it now.

Just a couple questions;

1.  I am always told add ounce of this and that, but am a little unsure how to measure an ounce of liquid, so i keep an old plastic shot glass with my chemicals.  Is this about right?

2.  I was using bromine concentrate powder before recently switching to the floating tablet dispenser and was shocking with a full cap of non chlorine oxidizer and half a cap of bromine once a week as well as a teaspoon of bromine per person after each use daily.  My bromine reading was dark green for a day after this  and I tend to get nervous going back in for at least 24 hours.  Is this a misguided technique that will be corrected by the floating system?

PS.  For such a knowlegeable spa guy, your willingness to help all questions in a genuine fashion with never a mention of buying a Hot Springs or other brand is refreshing.  I think there are quite a few of us who are new to the routine and really appreciate posters like you and would be much quicker to purchase from you than  say......  other guys.

[TubsAndCues]

Hey Orlando-

Thank you very much for the compliment.  I am a Hot Spring dealer, but I view this site and forum as a place for spa owners and dealers to learn from each other.  There are a lot of shady people out there, and I think it's up to the good ones to help out whenever possible.

As far as your chemical usage, it sounds like you're over doing it on the bromine.  You don't have to add the concentrate after every use if you've got the floater in there.  If you want, shoot me a message with the gallonage of your tub and I'll be more than happy to give you suggested maintenance schedule for what you're using.  Also, let me know if you're using MPS or a chlorine based shock, or if you want to use bromine concentrate to shock with.  Also, if you prefer water clarifier or enzymes.

Our basic recommendations for all of our customers on bromine floaters is shock once a week, stain and scale and enzymes weekly (a few days after shocking), chemically clean your filters every 4 to 6 weeks, and drain and refill every 4 months.  And don't forget to keep that floater filled.

And for your info, 1 tablespoon is 1/2 oz.

P.S. for those of you using clarifier, don't over dose!  It'll make things worse.