Just how often.......

[Zep]

drew.....great story!....LOL

yeah all them kids in there.....
not sure I'd wanna be getting in afterward!

sounds like you really enjoy your tub.



Have a great weekend.

[Drewski]

What water treatment do you use? you've got a lot of action in that tub and I'm curious what do you find works best for you?

Hey Drewstar:

I use dichlor, ozone and wash my filters every week.  Usually, I'll wash the filters on Sunday afternoon, followed by checking pH and other chem levels. I'll adjust pH and TA usually during this time. After the filters are clean, I'll add a cap full of clarifying agent.

On Monday night, after the kids use the tub, I'll add a cap of dichlor and let the tub run for 10 minutes, followed by leaving it open for another 30 minutes or so until I get in. It runs for me twice at night, followed by me covering it and going to bed. I usually follow the same routine each week night.

On Saturday, I'll shock with 3 caps of dichlor in the morning and let the tub run with the top off for an hour. If I have any foam (and I mean ANY foam), I'll add 2 caps of clarifying agent and see if I have scum line form. If I do, I let the tub run longer and clean it out. I also check pH at this point to see if I'll need to add on Sunday, which usually I don't because the dichlor product I use has a buffering agent. Saturday night is usually the HEAVY use night, so I want the water perfect going into it. During a week, because of kids and 6-8 adults in the tub at once, it's not unusual for me to replace up to 1/3 of my tub water volume.

My only complaint about this routine is I do have a higher chlorine level (usually 3-4 ppm), but I've found with higher use I can rapidly lose control if I let the chlorine drop out. Because I have so much water in and out, I often don't change water until the "party" season is over (generally the summer). Still, when I get to the point I can't see the bottom when the tub is running, I'll usually change water. This happens sometimes 2 to 3 months after the last change, sometimes longer. Because of my water use, N2 is not an option.

I can't emphasize how IMPORTANT it is to have clean filters. Good chemistry is wonderful, but all that BAD stuff has to go somewhere. My Piper Glen uses three 7" diameter x 8 " long cartridges, two on each jet pump suction, one on the circ pump. Each filter also has a bypass (except the circ pump) due to pump GPH ratings. I find running the jet pumps for about 30 minutes to "clean" the water really helps, followed by letting the circ pump run 24 HRS. Ozone and heat are on the circ pump line.

For the most part, my water is crystal. Occasionally, I run into a bump, but I can usually recover within 24 hours. To date, I've never had the kids or guests ever experience a rash.

My experience, for what it's worth...

Drewski

[Drewski]

drew.....great story!....LOL

yeah all them kids in there.....
not sure I'd wanna be getting in afterward!

sounds like you really enjoy your tub.

 

Have a great weekend.

THANKS Zep!

BTW, I had "Houses of the Holy" playing the other night while we were soaking...

I also just got a new digital camera (my last one was stolen) so I hope to start putting up new pictures...

Drewski

[anne]

I go in au naturale, and almost daily, sometimes morning, sometimes night. I have a private (but small) back yard, with nobody immediately nearby with a two story house so I feel relatively secure. I try to duck in and out quickly, since I'm probably visible standing on the top step. Other than that, I figure if anyone is going to see me its because they are looking, and that's on them, not me. I guess our situation is opposite most, cuz my boyfriend wont go in during the day without a suit, but then he's only been in it 4-5 times total. I'm hoping that will change soon.

[Drewski]

Just a warning for you "naturalist" users, click here to find out what happens when you don't think ahead...

Drewski

[windsurfdog]

In my suit (I have pulled my suit off in the tub, once)

For those who like to soak sans suit, I'm surprised more people don't practice the "wear suit into tub, remove suit and soak, put on suit to exit tub" routine....certainly works for me.  Of course, no suit at all under darkness.  Soaking times vary for me but usually 5-6 times a week varying from just before/at dawn to sunset to dark:30.  And then there are the meteor showers in the middle of the night....lounge, here I come!

[thearm]

I am in the tub daily sometimes more than once. 90% sans suit night or day. Wife uses 5-6 times a week prefers no suit but wears in daytime if son or daughter is home. W

[thearm]

I am in the tub daily sometimes more than once. 90% sans suit night or day. Wife uses 5-6 times a week prefers no suit but wears in daytime if son or daughter is home. I wear suit only if company is here or daughter is home from college.  Any time is good time to use but mostly after golf, basketball or softball. Use nights usually during the week and mornings on the weekend. I have 10 acres with no visible neighbors and spa is on the back deck with only deer,turkeys and misc other wildlife to spy on me. Gotta love upstate NY.

[anne]

Just a warning for you "naturalist" users, click here to find out what happens when you don't think ahead...

Drewski

 

That was hilarious. Luckily, my back door does not lock from the outside.

[Stemay]

OMG Drewski, that was hysterical!!!!  Thanks for the warning!  We FREQUENTLY lock ourselves out of our back door.  Will definitely have to hide a key out there once we get the hot tub!!!!

[The_Big_Spa_Fairy]

This would be a time when a fairy's ability to dissapear coulc come in handy.

Of course, we're certainly not a very hairy fairy.

[Zep]

DREWSKI......

That is hilarious!

OMG.....I could see how that could happen.

Very funny.

I even copied and pasted the story in an e-mail
to some in my office.....the girls are getting a
kick out of it.

One even wants your address!

[NE-Phil]

My wife and I are usually in there at least 3 times a week, from 15 minutes up to an hour, mostly evenings and (after dark) sans suit. Our tub is somewhat exposed so if we go in during the day I'll wear a suit into it and remove it once I'm in.
I hate suits due to bubble inflation factor. And no, I don't believe they make a speedo in my size.  

Oh, and Drewski, I remember reading that post of your lockout adventure awhile ago. For that reason, I made sure to hide a key nearby as we do have a locking slider. In fact, it has already come in handy once.
'Nuff said...

Phil

[hottub.pool_boy]

Solana TX, 1-3 times per week. No suit. Especially when I tweak my back on a spa delivery. Of course, that's after my adjustment at the chiropractor. He's also spa owner.

[Vinny]

Solana TX, 1-3 times per week. No suit. Especially when I tweak my back on a spa delivery. Of course, that's after my adjustment at the chiropractor. He's also spa owner.

Years ago I hurt my back and my chiropractor advised me to get into hot water. I laid in the bath tub (6' person in a 5' bath tub) and it did help somewhat. I never forgot that and whenever my back hurts (I have very muscular stomach   ) I head for the hot tub!