Chemicals not so simple

[spahopeful]

I had a Jacuzzi 385 set up on Tuesday. It has ozone.  I received the Leisure Time (LT) start-up kit (Spa 56 chlorinating granules, Bright & Clean, Enzyme, Foam Down, Defender, and small packages of spa up, spa down, renew, and some test strips).  The dealer filled with water, used the metal gone, and added chlorine to the right levels.  After reading the Leisure Time "Simple Spa Care program", the "Vermonter" approach, and some other posts, I realized I must have failed science as I am lost as what to do just with my daily care.  My Spa care guide uses different descriptions than what I am reading here.  Answers to the following basic questions may help me understand what I am reading:
1.  Is my LT Spa 56 chlorine the same as dichlor the Vermonter uses?  Can I use it like the Vermonter's dichlor description?
2.  My spa Care Guide suggests using "renew" after each use.  Would using a little of the chlorine after each use be just the same?
3.  My Guide suggests using "renew" to shock.  Since I only have a small package of this, is it worth it to buy Renew, or do I use 7-10 times the daily dose of chlorine, or something else.
4.  The Spa Up and Spa Down says it adjust for both PH and Alk.  What if only one of the two needs to be adjusted?
5.  When treating with my daily dose after each use, do I leave the cover open or shut?  Is it necessary to turn the pumps on for 10 minutes?  Since I was planning on using the spa before going to bed, I was hoping to not have to go back out side to shut the cover and turn off the spa.
6.  How long after small daily dosing with chlorine do I need to wait before getting in again (I have not added anything yet, so I will add some chloring as soon as I get home)?
7.  How long after shocking do I need to wait before using?

I know there's an alternative bromine approach, but I thought I would first try out the chlorine type approach.  Any other suggestions would be helpful.

[Tatooed_Lady]

I've read leave the cover open for 10-15 minutes after using chemicals with the jets on (unless you're adding an acid, then jets off)....
As far as working around the 15 minute cover off cleaning, the following is what we have done here, and its worked pretty well. Take your dichlor out with you when you go to use the tub at night. As soon as you get out of the tub, run your cleaning cycle with the tsp or however much dichlor you need, leave the cover open.....go in the house, rinse off if that's what you need to do, change for bed, brush your teeth, watever....Then just put on your robe, and go out and close the cover up. It works for us so far, since we don't head straight to the bed from the tub anyhow...
The amount of chlorine needed varies.....I've been hitting the tub with about a tsp after the hubby and I have used it, and that's working really well so far. If we plan to use the tub again during the day (say we soak in the morning, and want to soak again in a couple hours), I either use oxy-shock (MPS) or nothing til after the last soak, then hit it a little harder to get the levels up to 2-3ppm.
Hope this rambling helps!

[Spatech_tuo]

1.  Is my LT Spa 56 chlorine the same as dichlor the Vermonter uses?  Can I use it like the Vermonter's dichlor description? Yes, same thing.
2.  My spa Care Guide suggests using "renew" after each use.  Would using a little of the chlorine after each use be just the same? Using dichlor would be much wiser for your per use dose after you get out.
3.  My Guide suggests using "renew" to shock.  Since I only have a small package of this, is it worth it to buy Renew, or do I use 7-10 times the daily dose of chlorine, or something else. Use the dichlor per use and the MPS (aka Renew which is the brand name) once per week to shock.
4.  The Spa Up and Spa Down says it adjust for both PH and Alk.  What if only one of the two needs to be adjusted? Adjust Alk first and once it gets in line you can then adjust ph. There is also alk increaser which works without effecting the ph much if needed.
5.  When treating with my daily dose after each use, do I leave the cover open or shut?  Is it necessary to turn the pumps on for 10 minutes?  Since I was planning on using the spa before going to bed, I was hoping to not have to go back out side to shut the cover and turn off the spa. It's a good idea to run the pumps a few mintues after you get out and have added dichlor. Often your spa has a function to allow for this. If it were bed time and it was a hassle to do so manually I'd skip it but when you can, try to do so.
6.  How long after small daily dosing with chlorine do I need to wait before getting in again (I have not added anything yet, so I will add some chloring as soon as I get home)? If its just the small amount you add after each use I wouldn't worry too much and have gone in after adding a couple teaspoons many times.
7.  How long after shocking do I need to wait before using? When shocking once a week I'd let it run OPEN for 15 mintues and then it's up to you IMO.

I know there's an alternative bromine approach, but I thought I would first try out the chlorine type approach. Agree.

[wmccall]

I will add that some spa care guides, and directions from some chemical containers are designed to sell more chemicals.

[Tatooed_Lady]

I will add that some spa care guides, and directions from some chemical containers are designed to sell more chemicals.

Marketing ploys!?  Say it ain't so!!!  

[Anoroc]

spahopeful- it feels and sound a lot more complicated than it realy is.  You will get the hang of it in no time.

I have had my spa for six months and I have yet to have a problem with my water.

[spahopeful]

So, should I just go out and buy Dichlor and MPS and forget about using the Leisure Time Spa 56 chlorine granules?  

When doing the daily dose of chlorine or dichlor, I am still not sure if the cover should be on or off?  Maybe it varies as to whether I use my existing chlorine or if I buy new dichlor?

[Spatech_tuo]

So, should I just go out and buy Dichlor and MPS and forget about using the Leisure Time Spa 56 chlorine granules?  

Spa 56 IS dichlor; its the same thing. You're just referring to it by it's brand name just like Renew is the brand name for MPS. In most cases it doesn't matter what brand you use but sometimes the cheap stuff is "watered down". Stick with the Spa 56 and Renew and get the hang of things.

[Tatooed_Lady]

Stick with the Spa 56 and Renew and get the hang of things.

which translates to "dichlor and MPS"
I guess the "typical" routine with these products is: use the dichlor (Spa 56) after using the tub, and shock once per week with MPS (Renew)....I believe there's something about using a small amount of minquest/metal gone/stain and scale remover once per week just to keep a trace of it in the tub.....but I dont' recall how much or exactly how often......guess I'll have to dig the archives again.
Good luck!!

[anne]

When doing the daily dose of chlorine or dichlor, I am still not sure if the cover should be on or off?  

I was wondering the same thing. Sounds like Spatech t.u.o is recommending it being open and pumps going even for daily stuff...... If it is closed with pumps going, if it is just a daily dose of chlorine, (not shock) what is the downside of this? Cl gas affects cover? Changes how the cl is distributed? I'll do whatever is right, but I'm with spahopeful, and would like to go inside and forget about it if it is late night. So far, I've been leaving the pumps on and leaving the lid open for 5-15 min. I almost left it open all night the other day.

[Brewman]

The reason for leaving the cover off while mixing in your dichlor is to allow any chlorine gas to escape.  
Not doing this could affect your cover and possibly pillows over time.  
I've only been doing dichlor for a few weeks, but when I add my maintenance dose, I let the cover be off for about 5 minutes.  When I shock using dichlor I let the cover be off for 30 minutes.  
I have lots of MPS left over from when I was on bromine, and if I ever use it for shocking, I probably will close the cover.  

[Bill_Stevenson]

I agree with everything Spatech said except:
1. I bought some MPS and never use it.  Dichlor is all you need for both daily dose after use and for once per week  shock.  Actually shocking with dichlor is better because MPS adds a lot of total dissolved solids compared to dichlor.
2. For the daily dose, I would add the dichlor and go ahead and close the cover and go to bed.  While it would certainly be better to leave the cover open for a few minutes, adding one or two teaspoons of dichlor is not going to generate large amounts of chlorine vapor nor do serious harm to your cover or pillows.  

A spa is supposed to be fun, not a big hassle.

Regards,

Bill

[wmccall]

I agree with everything Spatech said except:
1. I bought some MPS and never use it.  Dichlor is all you need for both daily dose after use and for once per week  shock.  Actually shocking with dichlor is better because MPS adds a lot of total dissolved solids compared to dichlor.
Bill

I disagree with your disagreement    It seems an accepted fact that MPS adds to TSD, but some people add 3 pounds of PH balancing chemicals to brand new water!  I use Sea Klear MPS (no, not a paid endorsement, but it should be ) It has no buffers so you can use 1/2 as much as other brands.  I've found that when water gets cloudy MPS brings it back faster than a shock level of dichlor.  I'm regulary getting 3+ months out of my water,  I use the MPS every other weekend, or if I get cloudy when I've ignored the tub for a couple of days.

I wouldn't add MPS after every soak the way she said her dealer said to. (Mine told me the same thing, they were selling the Rendevous brand - Renew, and it is expensive)

[wmccall]

 In most cases it doesn't matter what brand you use but sometimes the cheap stuff is "watered down". .

Agreed, like other things, read the labels, There is a reason Lowes sells Dichlor for $9 for a pound bottle

[Bill_Stevenson]

Bill,

"I've found that when water gets cloudy MPS brings it back faster than a shock level of dichlor."

This is a very interesting point and you may be right.  If my water gets cloudy at all, I dump it rather than try to bring it back.  I change water at approximately 60 day intervals.  I would not even want to keep the water longer than that for any reason whatsoever.  Two months of taking baths in the same water is enough.  ;-)

Regards,

Bill