MPS shock

[txwillie]

Sanitizing with dichlor, shocking with MPS or dichlor. Question is, when one shocks with MPS, should the free chlorine level spike soon after? I would have thought so, but after the MPS shock the free chlorine level reads zero. Does it take 15 minutes or an hour for it to spike, or does the spike just never occur?

thanks,

txwillie

[Vinny]

There isn't any chlorine in regular MPS. I did notice that my combined chlorine was at about 2 PPM the next day after using a dichlor with MPS product and was told by someone here that MPS will show up as combined chlorine.

[txwillie]

Just thought that there might be a spike  in free chlorine as the shock converts the combined chlorine back to free chlorine. When I used bromine in the past, the test strips would show high bromine levels for about 2 days after an MPS shock.

One more question. How long after shocking is it OK to add enzymes? A few hours? the next day?

Thanks

txwillie

[TubsAndCues]

If you're using dichlor as your main sanitizer, you won't see any spike in chlorine levels.  We typically recommend using MPS with bromine, as that will give new life to ineffective bromamines (used bromine molecules).  

As far as adding enzymes and stain/scale inhibitors, I tend to put my customers on a Sunday-Wednesday schedule.  Shock on Sun., Stain and Scale and Enzymes on Wed.

A good rule of thumb to use is wait one hour minimum between adding chems, with the exception of your shock and stain/scale and enzymes.  Shocking too soon after adding them can nullify some or all of their effects and benefits.

[orlandoguy]

This is useful info.  I always set aside one day to rinse my filters, add shock, and other chemicals, scale and stain being new to the routine.  I wasn't aware that so much time was needed between for it to be effective.  Thanks for the tip.

[Vinny]

I am using Spa Perfect enzymes and according to them, you need to wait about 12 hours after shocking. I usually wait until about 24 hours and hope my kids don't go in the tub.

I'll tell you, I truely believe that enzymes work but boy do I get foam with Spa Perfect. I thought it was such a great product originally that I bought 2-3 Liter bottles. I can't wait until their gone so I can switch to another enzyme product (yes, I'm cheap) and hopefully my foam problem will go away too - LOL!!

[orlandoguy]

What is the simple explanation of the benefits of adding enzymes?   I have nearly perfect water and don't add them.

[TubsAndCues]

I am using Spa Perfect enzymes and according to them, you need to wait about 12 hours after shocking. I usually wait until about 24 hours and hope my kids don't go in the tub.

I'll tell you, I truely believe that enzymes work but boy do I get foam with Spa Perfect. I thought it was such a great product originally that I bought 2-3 Liter bottles. I can't wait until their gone so I can switch to another enzyme product (yes, I'm cheap) and hopefully my foam problem will go away too - LOL!!

You might want to check your calcium hardness level in your tub.  If it's too low, you will get foam easier.  I've never run into a foam problem from enzymes.  Typically, the main culprit is residual detergents in swim suits.  I recommend always using a second rinse for suits, and then don't rewash them after using your tub.  Just rinse them in the sink and hang them to dry.  Your suits should be sanitized from the water you were just in.

As far as what the enzymes do, they eat up the small particles that float in your water that can cause it to cloudy or hazy.  By doing so, they also improve filtration and help remove scum lines, unlike a basic water clarifier which clumps the small particles together so your filter can grab them easier.

[Vinny]

What is the simple explanation of the benefits of adding enzymes?   I have nearly perfect water and don't add them.

For me, it was the brown scum line on my white tub. I do try to be as minimal with chems as I can be but that brown line drove me crazy and it was hard to get off!

I put in the enzyme after reading here that it does a pretty good job at scum line reduction and it does a GREAT job of it - no line what so ever.

I invoked Chas' Law and did a refill after 1 month and I wasn't going to use the enzymes based on the fact that the family has had the tub a month and hopefully I got the hot water chemistry down pat. My kids went in and the next morning - brown tub ring ... so I swear by enzymes now - LOL!

[Vinny]

You might want to check your calcium hardness level in your tub.  If it's too low, you will get foam easier.  I've never run into a foam problem from enzymes.  Typically, the main culprit is residual detergents in swim suits.  I recommend always using a second rinse for suits, and then don't rewash them after using your tub.  Just rinse them in the sink and hang them to dry.  Your suits should be sanitized from the water you were just in.

That's the first thing I checked - it's at 200 PPM according to my Taylor kit. As far as detergents - I tried explaining this to my wife and she really doesn't want to hear it . She REFUSES to have tub bathing suits and naked isn't an option with a 10 YO and 14 YO and their friends running around.

My kids have friends over and they go into the tub with basketball shorts or gym shorts or even bathing suits that were nice and clean and recently laundered - then comes the F O A M - which by the way I'm battleing as I write.

I like the idea of the enzymes but I will try a different brand once my bottles are gone. Someone suggested that Spa Perfect does foam more than other enzymes.

[Rogie]

I have had my tub (HS Grandee) running for a week. Water is clear and no problems. I am using the silver ion purifier that my brother-in-law brought me back from the States. The problem is no one in Cananda is that fimiliar with it.

I have been adding 1 1/2 dichlor before each use and 1 more after a good soak with the clean cycle.
My question is with the silver ion purifier should I still try to maintain the free chlorine between 3-5? And how do you measure the amount of MPS that is in the tub?

[Rogie]

I have had my tub (HS Grandee) running for a week. Water is clear and no problems. I am using the silver ion purifier that my brother-in-law brought me back from the States. The problem is no one in Cananda is that fimiliar with it.

I have been adding 1 1/2 dichlor before each use and 1 more after a good soak with the clean cycle.
My question is with the silver ion purifier should I still try to maintain the free chlorine between 3-5? And how do you measure the amount of MPS that is in the tub?

[Soakin]

...I am using the silver ion purifier...I have been adding 1 1/2 dichlor before each use and 1 more after a good soak with the clean cycle. My question is with the silver ion purifier should I still try to maintain the free chlorine between 3-5? And how do you measure the amount of MPS that is in the tub?

The minimum sanitizer level with your silver ion system should be in the literature that came with it.  I believe Nature2 recommends a residual as low as 0.5 ppm.

You didn't say if your dichlor dose was teaspoons, tablespoons or ounces, but instead of adding a bunch of chlorine before you enter and a little after -- try the reverse, or even better, adding all the chlorine dose after use.  That way you are soaking in a low concentration, and then killing everything left behind when you get out.   Several posters have said they have a hard time getting dichlor in Canada, where are you located?

There are test strips available that say they measure MPS.  I've never checked them out, but I am guessing that all strips just measure oxidizing potential, and supply different scales to interpret the sanitizer/oxidant they are supposed to be for.