Another Update on "Grandee Kaput"

[georgiapeach]

Just wanted to give y'all another update....sorry it has taken almost a week to do that, but my hubby is in town visiting, so I'm not on the puter much....  

Chas:  Took your advice and drained my tub halfway and refilled.  Did not add any "Perfect PH" and am also taking your advice and not adding anymore when doing my drain and refill.  

Hottubman:  Took your advice and got a "Professional Test" done.  According the sheet I was given my TA was low and I needed to add TA Increaser (which I bought), my pH was high and I needed to add 1 tsp of pH decreaser (my pH was 7.4, which I thought was normal), my "Total Hardness" was really low....according to the sheet it's supposed to be between 150-300 and mine was at 46, so I needed to add Calcium Hardness Increaser (which I bought), my Chlorine was at 0.  I had just added Dichlor the day before and it usually reads really low the next day, but they said I needed to add Dichlor.  Anyway, I did everything they told me to do.  Now I have to figure out what I need to do weekly because apparently what I was doing wasn't working too well!  I am starting to add "Metal X" weekly (1 oz), which is supposed to help with Calcium buildup.
Anyway, the "Analysis" was very informative and they suggested I get it done every 2 weeks.  Guess it won't hurt! And the Pool/Spa place is just down the road from there I live.

I have not heard back from my Dealer/Tech.  He was supposed to call Watkins and ask them about how to prevent Calcium buildup on the heater.  I need to call them!!!!!

Peachy

[Chas]

Hot.

[drewstar]

Hey Peach,  

glad to hear that you are gettingon top of your tub.

My Watkins dealer suggest to use Defender every other week to prevent calcium build up on in the heater, however, I belive the "Metal X"  does the same thing.  
 

[windsurfdog]

...I needed to add 1 tsp of pH decreaser (my pH was 7.4, which I thought was normal...

Peachy, 7.4 is perfect.  Why would a spa professional recommend doing anything to adjust it down?  Where did he think it needed to be?  Could it be he was anticipating your pH to be affected by the addition of the sodium bicarbonate which it would be but only a very small increase (not much to worry about, IMO)?  Also remember that your dichlor will have a tendency to bring pH down slowly and, if using unbuffered MPS to shock, pH would drop a little quicker....all this without adding dry acid to bring pH down.

As far as calcium buildup on your heater, I don't think Metal X is the answer.  It may help with iron and other metals in the water but I doubt it does anything to calcium.  The best way to keep calcium buildup away from everything, heater included, is to keep your water balanced.....especially pH.

[hymbaw]

Windsurfdog,

The program that we use will anticipate the ph being affected by the alk. increaser.  You are right that it wouldn't affect the ph too much (that's why it said to add only one tsp. of ph down) The program only knows how balance your water perfectly.

[windsurfdog]

Windsurfdog,

The program that we use will anticipate the ph being affected by the alk. increaser.  You are right that it wouldn't affect the ph too much (that's why it said to add only one tsp. of ph down) The program only knows how balance your water perfectly.

Understood.  If I were doing the analysis and making recommendations, I would suggest allowing pH to fall naturally with dichlor/MPS use.  I believe it is very important to emphasize that water micromanagement should be avoided.

[georgiapeach]

Hey Peach,  

glad to hear that you are gettingon top of your tub.

My Watkins dealer suggest to use Defender every other week to prevent calcium build up on in the heater, however, I belive the "Metal X"  does the same thing.  
  

Hey Drewstar,

I've seen that "Defender" product and am thinking about ordering it, but I wanted to wait until I heard from my dealer/tech to see what he found out from Watkins.  I just got the phone with the tech.  He said according to Watkins, stop using the Perfect pH and they also suggested I buy a "pre-filter" to put on the end of my hose when refilling.  Also, use 1 oz of Metal X weekly (that's what they said it's for....prevent calcium build-up).   I'm thinking that "Defender" and "Metal X" are the same thing.  

Peachy

[georgiapeach]

Peachy, 7.4 is perfect.  Why would a spa professional recommend doing anything to adjust it down?  Where did he think it needed to be?  Could it be he was anticipating your pH to be affected by the addition of the sodium bicarbonate which it would be but only a very small increase (not much to worry about, IMO)?  Also remember that your dichlor will have a tendency to bring pH down slowly and, if using unbuffered MPS to shock, pH would drop a little quicker....all this without adding dry acid to bring pH down.

As far as calcium buildup on your heater, I don't think Metal X is the answer.  It may help with iron and other metals in the water but I doubt it does anything to calcium.  The best way to keep calcium buildup away from everything, heater included, is to keep your water balanced.....especially pH.

Windsurfdog,

I have no idea why I was told to do this...actually they didn't tell me anything, the machine that they used had all that info on it.  I guess, like hymbaw said, the program figures out what you need to do?  It gave me exact amounts of each thing to put in.....i.e., 1/2 Cup TA Increaser, 1 tsp pH Decreaser, 1/4 C, plus 3 T. Calcium Hardness Increaser and 1 T, 2 t, Dichlor.  I actually thought it was pretty neat.  The on the bottom of the Analysis it gave me regular maintenance stuff, which actually I was doing....i.e., Dichlor and Shock and then it said to use Water Clarifier (which I don't use...my water is clear) and Stain and Scale Control (which I don't use either).  I just don't want to do what you said...Mico-manage my water and get stressed over this....won't be good for my tub or ME!!!! LOL.  

Peachy