water change

[glastron]

well do ya shock when u have drained and refilled or just add ur bromine base heat up test and go from there?its my first change.

[bosco0633]

I cant really understand your post, but I think that you are asking what chemicals to use upon start up. I assume that you are using bromine???

You need to purchase granual bromine, or that little paket of bromine concentrate grannuals.  Throw a pack into the water, fill up your bromine dispenser and leave your tub for a few days.  No shocking, no ph or alk products.

Enjoy the tub and then start your shocking at the end of the week.  Test first of course and adjust ph and alk accordingly.  I usually wait a week before testing and adding shock and the other chemicals.  

Good luck, this is what I do to avoid chemical over dose that is common to new tub users

[Slappy]

I too am about ready for my first tub dump/refill
I plan on using that "swirl away" to clean well and then the shopvac on the lines. I'm not real sure If I'll do it right but I don't think you can really mess it up.
I'll be researching the rest of this week to make sure that I have the right ingredients and procedures before I begin
"THE BIG DUMP".
My tub sat empty for two years before I got it and the first fill and heat went pretty well. I'm now a month and a half into it and feel that this was a practice/clean fill. Now, I'll give it an even better cleaning and fill, I should be good through about January or Feb. if all goes well.
I'd hate to dump and clean when it's 10 degrees. In fact, I refuse to.

- Slappy

[Brewman]

I just changed my water last weekend, and it'll have to go till spring.  I won't change the water once the temperature stays cold.  But I have no trouble going that long on the winter water.

[hot tub Frank]

slappy!

mine sat arount for 2 years too. I filled mine and put 2 gallons of clorox in kept it running for 3 h. After that i refilled kept it running for an other h and refilled again. I never saw any dirt comming out of the lines.

[Slappy]

Frank,

I am looking forward to my first dump and refill. Though it's work, I know that it will all be worth it. Cleaner water, jets, filter, everything. I still get an occasional flake of white stuff floating in the tub so I know that there is some built up scale or lime still in the lines somewhere. I'm hoping that the swirl away will help dislodge some of this unwanted debris.
Are you supposed to remove the filter from the tub when you swirl away?

 - Slappy

[Campsalot]

Boscoe:

What do you mean "just bromine"  and "no ph"?  Whenever I change my water I add dry acid to bring the PH to 8.0 and then bromine which drops the pH to range over about a week.  Why not the PH?  

[glastron]

Ok I mean while the tub is filling I add the correct amount of "Go Brom" which is 99% Sodium Bromide.That establishes a bromide reserve. IMO when useing the built in spa frog system in a Marquis that will serve as my sanitizer so I dont have to readjust the cartridge on fresh water.Then once the water is up to temp I test for Ph etc. and bring all the rest up or down.What I was inquiring about is that if it was necessary to schock fresh water.I dont think theres a need but I dunno.Sometimes when you are trying to establish a bromine base its necessary in order to activate the product your useing.Please note that is the only time I add Go Brom.THX.

[windsurfdog]

I wouldn't worry about shocking fresh water at all.  I use dichlor and all I do is add 3 tsp. while the water is heating.  After it heats up, I jump in...there's nothing better than the first soak after a fill...I try not to add anything to the water other than sanitizer the first week...the water just feels too good!  This is my reward for changing the water!

BTW, fortunately, I'm on municipal water so out of the tap, the water is pretty good...no need for any metal sequestering products or such.  If I were on a well, I might not be able to get away with so little chems at first.

[spahopeful]

Slappy - regarding your question as to whether the filters should be removed before using Swirl Away:  Swirl Away instructions say the filter should be removed and then the pumps turned on to circulate the product.  However, many hot tub manufacturers specify that the pumps should not be turned on without the filters in place.  I own a Jacuzzi and sent several specific questions to Jacuzzi's online customer service about this and they said the warranty is voided if any debris causes a problem going through the plumbing lines when the filter is removed.