chlorine, chlorine, chlorine

[thearm]

When shocking spa once per week, do you need the so called shocking chlorine or can you add a higher qty of the stablizing chlorine? When reading the ingredients the difference seems to be available chlorine from one to another. Have read several other posts here and still a bit confused. Also when using the defoamer directions say to add 1 oz per two hundred gallons. Others on here say to use a spray bottle. Which way seems to be best and I don't mean refilling it just yet. Thanks for your very smart replys that I know will be coming right in!

[tony]

When shocking spa once per week, do you need the so called shocking chlorine or can you add a higher qty of the stablizing chlorine? When reading the ingredients the difference seems to be available chlorine from one to another. Have read several other posts here and still a bit confused. Also when using the defoamer directions say to add 1 oz per two hundred gallons. Others on here say to use a spray bottle. Which way seems to be best and I don't mean refilling it just yet. Thanks for your very smart replys that I know will be coming right in!

Not sure what shocking chlorine is for a spa.  Dichlor is the very best chlorine for a spa and yes you can use a higher dose as a shock.  An alternative would be to use a non chlorine shock, aka MPS.

Use the spray bottle with diluted defoamer.  Less is better.

[Vinny]

In the pool industry there seems to be a chlorine for every reason. If you read the ingredients they are pretty much the same stuff. Some manufacturers use trichlor, some use dichlor and others use calcium chloride with different % of active ingredients.

Spa shock is either a higher dose of the chlorine you are using or MPS. What I have found is a combination of the 2 will do a great job at getting rid of organics that cause foam.

As for defoamer ... use a little mixed with water in a spray bottle and it does a good job.

[Bill_Stevenson]

Dichlor is dichlor.  Buy a brand that is at least 97% dichlor by weight.  Use approximately 5 to 7 times as much for shock as you do for daily treatment.  Daily treatment should give you a net of 3-5 ppm chlorine 15 minutes after you add it.  So, for example, if you require 2 tsp of dichlor to reach 3-5 ppm, shock with about 2-3 TBS of dichlor once a week or so.  

While I use dichlor to shock most of the time, the advice to use MPS once in a while is not a bad idea either.  I prefer dichlor, but have learned that if the water gets a wee bit cloudy that shocking with MPS often clears it up.  Also you can use the tub right away after shocking with MPS, whereas with dichlor, it is prudent to wait for chlorine ppm to drop back down to below 5 ppm.  

Foaming is usually caused by too low calcium hardness.  Have your water tested at your friendly local chem store and if calcium hardness is too low, add some of that.  The foaming then goes away in most cases, obviating the need for a defoaming agent.

Regards,


Bill

[Anoroc]

Bill, I use something called Bioguard enahnced shock.  I believe it has about 57% availabe chlorine and the rest is MPS, and some type of PH stabalizer.  Are you familiar with this product and is the combination of this product any better or worse?

Thanks

[hottub.pool_boy]

   Your regular chlorine will produce a shock treatment- follow its directions for super-oxidation-usually 1 teaspoon per 100 gallons(when water's clear).    Shocking/ Super-sanitizing/Super-oxidizing is achieving a "BRAKE POINT." All/Most of the bad stuff gasses off     (cover open for 15-20minutes during this time). Many products can create a shock/ super-oxidation with appropriate amounts added for water conditions. Spa Shock(MPS), Enhanced Shock, Dichlor can create a shock tratment.
Defoamer---use as little as possible to make the foam go away. We're just trying to conserve what we've bought and use it wisely. Ozone does oxidize soap--yet another nice feature.