Newbie with high TDS...

[Debra]

We've had our tub running for 2 weeks now.  The water quickly became cloudy and very foamy.  Today we brought the water in for a test and found that our TDS was over 4000.  They said they had never had a reading that high and they normally suggest a water change at 1500.  We then brought in our well water which tested at 2800 - still way too high to begin with.  Calcium reading was also very high.  Any suggestions on what we should do?

[shabba34]

Only two things you can do:

1:  Use a stain and scale and spa defender as an inhibitor until the calcium falls out on its own.  (Not the best thing to continually do for a spa.)

2:  See if there are any options of having softer water brought in from elsewhere.

I would double check with the testing facility to make sure the test is accurate.  2800 TDS out of the well is high.

How high was the Calcium?

[Debra]

I think the calcium was around 360.  He did do the TDS test twice.    We are going to get a truck of water in tomorrow and see how that goes.

[leesweet]

Perhaps idiot question here... is there any good way to measure TDS 'at home'?  The tester at rhtubs has been discontinued.

[HotTubMan]

TDS meters can sometimes require Calibration.

I have a Myron L DS Meter. It can and will require calibration. The black button tests, the red should give a reading of 4300.

Even still, this would not solve your problem as a calibration would account for <400ppm.

Yes you can get a home TDS meter. I had a friend that had one when he used to grow...tomatoes...it would measure the total nutrient content in the hydroponic solution. Also applicable for TDS. It is Blue and pocket size. Displayed on it "DiST WP"

Get water trucked in. Get a home purification system. There are prefilters for well water, I doubt they would solve your problem if your dealers tests are accurate.
Get water trucked in or

[HotTubMan]

A quick google search for "TDS meter" revealed this site first:

http://www.bestlabdeals.com/category_s/1068.htm

[Chas]

The problem is not that it started at 2800, the problem is how did you add the remaining 1200 points in two weeks?

I would get a good prefilter, and let it go at that. If you have problems with hard waterline use a Defender-type product.

Drain and change it now - I always recommend a water change at the end of the first month anyway - you got there a little sooner.

What are you putting in your spa, if I may ask?

[Chas]

OH - and I have a customer out in Ojai who has a bad well. They put a waterbed mattress in the back of their pickup truck and drive two mile down the road to a friend who is on
'city' water. The mattress was a freebe, and the friend doesn't charge for 150 gallons of water every three months, so it's a great deal. I'm not sure, but I think they may actually bring the mattress full of old spa water which they dump out on some fruit trees before filling up with fresh water to go home with.

The 150 gallons is less than half of their 400 gallon tub, but it makes all the difference in the world.

A waterbed mattress, fold-up water tank, three plastic 50-gallon drums, or an actual water tank would work.

Here is an actual 'foldup water tank' that works well: