HS Freshwater III owners (and dealers)

[Gomboman]

What chemical routine do you use with your Freshwater III system?  The manual recommends using Ozone with the Silver Ion Cartridge and MPS or dichlor.  Do you use Dichlor, MPS, or something else?

My 20 year HS dealer actually recommends using Lithium Hypochlorite.  I know most folks here wouldn't recommend it but they swear by it.  All their employees also swear by it.  It has 35% available chlorine versus 56% for dichlor.  They claim the advantage is that is contains no calcium and dissipates very quickly.  The dealer recommends shocking with Lithium and also using a small dose after use for a small residual.  They claim  you don't need to be in the 3-5 ppm range of FAC with ozone and N2.  The only disadvantage is that is has a higher PH versus dichlor so you have to control your PH.  I believe they also use a PH hold product for this.

I would like to also here from the Hotspring dealers.  What system do you use with your wet spas in the store?  Do you actually follow the Freshwater III system on the floor? Do you also use the same system at home with your personal spa?

[J._McD]

It looks like your inquiry has died on the vine unless there are NO Hot Springs dealers around to answer you question.  I see their posts but they don't seem to have any comment on "Freshwater III" or Lithium.  I thought it was a good question, but maybe they don't use the Freshwater III or Lithium systems on their store spas.  I know the local HS dealer is heavy into baqua products for aftermarket sales.

[jetster]

I have the freshwater III in my Jetsetter and use chlorine after a soak and MPS once a week for shck with great results. My dealer is big time into baqua but I didn't like it.

[tonyp]

I use MPS before each use and DiChlor to shock weekly.  Over a year now and no water problems.

[East_TX_Spa]

I would like to also here from the Hotspring dealers.  What system do you use with your wet spas in the store?  Do you actually follow the Freshwater III system on the floor? Do you also use the same system at home with your personal spa?

Gomboman, I'm sorry I missed this question the first time around.

Don't know anything about Lithium in the spa, first time I've heard of that.

I use chlorine in most of the spas at the store.  It is simple, it is cheap, and it does the best job, period.  I have a Sovereign running on the Freshwater III System and it works great, too.  I put a little MPS in it a couple of times a week and hit the Clean button and shock it with chlorine once before I leave for the weekend.  Change the silver cartridge out every 4 months.

Water care is very simple once you get the hang of it.  The most common problems I see are people WAY overdoing it and obsessing over it (it's not rocket science) and the few who don't do anything to their water (knuckleheads).

At home, I put a little chlorine in after each soak and hit the Clean button.  Add an extra dose on Sunday night, turn on the jets, prop open the lid a bit, and Monday morning the spa is crystal clear.

Terminator

[tony]

Lithium is one of two chlorines that are OK for spas.  Dichlor being the other.  Lithium is going to be more expensive as it is only thirty five per cent chlorine compared to sixty per cent for dichlor.  The remaining ingredients will add to TDS.  It also has a higher pH so adjusting will be more frequent.  On the plus side, lithium is not stabilized, so no increase in CYA.  If both lithium and dichlor are available, dichlor is by far the more preferred.  Lithium seems more prevalent in Canada where it seems dichlor is harder to find.

[drewstar]

Lithium is one of two chlorines that are OK for spas.  Dichlor being the other.  Lithium is going to be more expensive as it is only thirty five per cent chlorine compared to sixty per cent for dichlor.  The remaining ingredients will add to TDS.  It also has a higher pH so adjusting will be more frequent.  On the plus side, lithium is not stabilized, so no increase in CYA.  If both lithium and dichlor are available, dichlor is by far the more preferred.  Lithium seems more prevalent in Canada where it seems dichlor is harder to find.

Wouldn't the product with more chlorine be more exspesive? That's been my experience with Trichlor (pool  chlorine).  

[Gomboman]

What else is in Lithium besides 35% chlorine.  The package I have says "65% Other Ingredients".  Why is it prevalent in Canada?  Hasn't dichlor been out for a number of years now?

Lithium is one of two chlorines that are OK for spas.  Dichlor being the other.  Lithium is going to be more expensive as it is only thirty five per cent chlorine compared to sixty per cent for dichlor.  The remaining ingredients will add to TDS.  It also has a higher pH so adjusting will be more frequent.  On the plus side, lithium is not stabilized, so no increase in CYA.  If both lithium and dichlor are available, dichlor is by far the more preferred.  Lithium seems more prevalent in Canada where it seems dichlor is harder to find.

[tony]

I believe the expense has more to do with the way it is made than with the percentage of chlorine.  The other 65% ingredients are from whatever the process is to produce the product.  It utlimately is stuff that adds to TDS.

It seems that this is sold for spas in Canada more so than in USA.  It quickly dissolves and has a pH of about 10.  It is also used as a shock for pools, is safe for liner or fiberglass pools and as I stated before, does not add to CYA which is important for pools.

[popsicle]

I am not a dealer, just an average guy with a hot tub, but I will throw my 2 cents in...
I've had a Grandee with the Freshwater III system since last April.  I use 2 tbsps of MPS before each use and 2 tsps of Dichlor every other day or so.  I shock with Dichlor and MPS every 7-10 days and change water every 3-4 months.  The water has been crystal clear with no chlorine odor.