How to keep things balanced?

[AAAAAAA]

This is my list of products that the dealer told me to buy:
Tartre secure
Alcalinity
Calcium Hardness
Clear
Brome tablets
Boost

So I have a list of what to put when and how often.. but I also have this kit that measures CL and PH.

CL should be around  1.0 to 1.5 and PH around 7.6 to 7.2. Or so it says on the kit. My main issue is what to use in my product list to increase and decrease PH and CL. IE once I get the readings, Im not sure what to add to fix it.

thanks guys.

[Backpains]

cl as in clorine? as far as PH goes...up and down you should have two products one called ph up and one called ph down. Are you using Clorine or Bromine for a sanitizer?

[lawdawgva]

If you are using bromine tablets, you'll be using a floating dispenser.  They have slots or holes in them to allow the bromine tablet to dissipate in the water.  You'll need to adjust the size of the openings a little bit at a time by twisting the dispenser (testing the Bromine level over a period of time)  and soon you'll learn where you should leave the dispenser set to get your desired reading.

PH increase is basically Socium Carbonate (not bicarbonate) and will raise your PH level.   PH decrease, or, sodium bisulfate will subsequently lower your PH level.  From my own experience, add these in small amounts according to package directions (varies depending on your current PH level and the size of your tub) and recheck your PH levels before adding more.  You can always put more chemicals in but you can't take out!  lol

[AAAAAAA]

I use bromine tablets, the dispenser is embeded into the lip that moves up and down that leads to the filter. It is not adjustable.

So I do not have the necessary products to keep things balanced I gather?

One of them sounds like baking soda... I think I remember reading that here once. What would the baking soda to?(Aside form beeing cheeper)?

[East_TX_Spa]

What is tartre secure?

Terminator

[lawdawgva]

You can use household baking soda to raise the PH, and you can even use plain white household vinegar to lower PH.  I just stick to the spa chemicals as they aren't that expensive given the small amounts I use and the dosage charts are on the back of the bottles.  I pay about 3.00 for a 1# bottle of each and it lasts a good while.

I do not have any experience with the non adjustable bromine feeder so I can't really say how you would adjust the amount going into the spa unless those tablets are designed to release at a specific amount.  The only way you can increase your bromine is by adding more bromine, the only way to lower it is just by not adding anymore and waiting.  With time the level will drop.

The same chemicals you have to raise and lower PH will also serve to raise and lower your total alkalinity.  Once my TA is in line, PH usually is not a problem for me.

If your calcium hardness levels are low "soft water" in your area, you can buy calcium booster to raise it up some.  If your water is already "hard" you can add stain and scale control to lower it.

If you have these items, you should be on your way to well balanced water!

[AAAAAAA]

thanks a lot that clears it up. I have no way to measure TA ... I suppose it would be something to buy seperatly.

Again, thanks you very much.

[leesweet]

Gotta say I use the Vermonter's regime, pretty much, and have no problems at all.

Summary.

2005 SD Max (580 gal) with ozonator (which was just replaced, BTW).

Daily only usage (well, mostly daily), and chems aded after that. Weekly done each Saturday; Daily sanitizer: 1 T Cl (Leisure Time 56).

That's it for most days; couldn't be more easy.

Weekly: Follow the Leisure Time regime, for the most part.

2 oz Enzyme to keep the water clear (skipped this one week, and things got cloudy; water is crystal clear usually.)

But NO Bright and Clear (which is recommended), since I've seen here that the SD 880 filter filters out the things that B&C clumps together, and have seen no problems.  No scum, etc.

I did do an experiment on eliminating both of these, and that's when the cloudiness appeaed; so tried both to see which did the trick.  Tried each of B&C and E to see which fixed it, and E did. (No scum, which is the hallmark of not using B&C.)

Add 7 Oz (shock) tablets. (Correct for 580 gal.)

That's it for weekly.

4 weeks+, dump water/change filter, etc.  (This is the plan, especially before winter.... Not done this yet.)

BTW, to reply to the OP, I just got TDS strips from rhtubs, which work well, and I'm up to 1000.  Not bad for first fillup and after 6 weeks.

http://www.rhtubs.com/store/test-kits.htm

Oh yeah, I do use the Taylor chem kit once a week to get precise readings, and LT strips once or twice a week to check.  Had to add pH UP (Spa Up) and Ca Up twice in 6 weeks.  (Love the Taylor kit; beats strips all hollow! :-) )

But, day-to-day and week-to-week, chem is very stable, much more so that the old Br tub, but that was my first; YMMV.

Also BTW, usage is two people, about an hour at a time, 5-6 times a week.

Comment: I used Br in the last spa, and this Cl regime is a *lot* easier and more stable since there is about 5 ppm just after introducing the chems, and about 0 ppm the next day, as Vermonter and others say.  Fantastic. Love getting into 'pure water', as it were.

Any comments from the more experienced users appreciated!

Edit: OT, but I also use 303 on the cover, which keeps it looking like new!  I also purchase everything from rhtubs. No relation except satisfied customer. There's no sales tax and no shipping over $60.    Just glad to support a fellow board member!

[leesweet]

thanks a lot that clears it up. I have no way to measure TA ... I suppose it would be something to buy seperatly.

Again, thanks you very much.

I assume that's a typo.. TA is one of the items included on the LT test strips, and, I assume, others.  TDS, another periodic important item to measure, is a separate test strip!