Am I doomed?????????????????????

[bosco0633]

I always get worried when I read threads about chemicals.  I was never told to worry about calcium, not to mention my dealer does not even sell it.  Also I read nothing about it with arctic.  I here people buying digital testers and special test kits, and all kinds of chemicals.  I have really had an easy year and a half with my tub chemicals, and this makes me feel that I am doing something wrong.

This may sound bad, but I just add based on my initial tests.  I maintained a 3 month cycle and observed what the water would do.  Based on that material, once a week I shock, and fill up bromine.  I have learned that setting the brominator to level 4 is the best.  And once a week I add two capfuls of alk up.  PH has never been effected since I have had the tub.

I have not had cloudy water yet, my water never stinks, and I know that by month 3 to 4, I start watching for signs to change my water.  I can usually tell me look and feel of the water.  By using the micropure filter, I do not have to wash filter or add stain and scale or clarrifiers to the water.  I have been enjoying clear water without incident.

I have taken this approach based on my 15 years of expierence with fish aquariums.  I have maintained marine reef tanks for the past 8 years.  In the beginning, I added chemicals with digital testers and I would drip chemicals in to the tank to prevent any changes to the eco system.  I was a fanatic. My friend who is into aquariums would do a water change once a months and fill the new water up with chemicals based on what he had determined appropriate for his tank.  His tank looked 20 times better than mine.  I switched styles and everything just started working better.  My fish and corals were in heaven.  


Am I wrong in thinking that this is ok??  Should I be more dillegent with my water maitenance???  I just wonder if all this work just causes us to screw things up and makes us spend more cash on chemicals.

[galen]

Bosco, I'm from the school that the less you add to the water the better off you are. My tub has a great filter system and ozonator. So I don't need all that stuff (chemicals) in the water in the first place. I never have bad, cloudy water.  You should as you say, be dillegent with your water. But chasing the ph and the perfect water setting will drive you crazy.

[Brookenstein]

Much like people have felt the dichlor police lately, I have felt like the Taylor test kit police are out there, lol.  

My water tests perfect out of the faucet, my water tested perfect every time I measured it the first 3 months of ownership (all with test strips) and I probably measured a couple times a week baack then.  Now I test maybe once a month.  I've never had to add anything to my water besides the usual dichlor, mps, and clarifier once.

[hottubdan]

You all are doing great.

Different strokes for different folks!

[Steve]

If it ain't broke...don't fix it!

[tony]

Sounds like you're in great shape.

[Rayman]

I have to add Calcium at each water change and usually 1/2 way through a water change.  I am told if you dont keep your calcium in line it can start to eat away at the plastic parts and make them brittle.

Ray

[tony]

I have to add Calcium at each water change and usually 1/2 way through a water change.  I am told if you dont keep your calcium in line it can start to eat away at the plastic parts and make them brittle.

Ray

This should go over to the calcium post.

Why do you have to add calcium half way through a water change?  It does not evaporate out.  It stays in the tub, just like CYA and TDS.  Maybe you have that much splashout?

Lack of calcium is not going to hurt your plastic parts.  If anything is safe from calcium, its plastic.

[Tman122]

I always get worried when I read threads about chemicals.  I was never told to worry about calcium, not to mention my dealer does not even sell it.  Also I read nothing about it with arctic.  I here people buying digital testers and special test kits, and all kinds of chemicals.  I have really had an easy year and a half with my tub chemicals, and this makes me feel that I am doing something wrong.

This may sound bad, but I just add based on my initial tests.  I maintained a 3 month cycle and observed what the water would do.  Based on that material, once a week I shock, and fill up bromine.  I have learned that setting the brominator to level 4 is the best.  And once a week I add two capfuls of alk up.  PH has never been effected since I have had the tub.

I have not had cloudy water yet, my water never stinks, and I know that by month 3 to 4, I start watching for signs to change my water.  I can usually tell me look and feel of the water.  By using the micropure filter, I do not have to wash filter or add stain and scale or clarrifiers to the water.  I have been enjoying clear water without incident.

I have taken this approach based on my 15 years of expierence with fish aquariums.  I have maintained marine reef tanks for the past 8 years.  In the beginning, I added chemicals with digital testers and I would drip chemicals in to the tank to prevent any changes to the eco system.  I was a fanatic. My friend who is into aquariums would do a water change once a months and fill the new water up with chemicals based on what he had determined appropriate for his tank.  His tank looked 20 times better than mine.  I switched styles and everything just started working better.  My fish and corals were in heaven.  


Am I wrong in thinking that this is ok??  Should I be more dillegent with my water maitenance???  I just wonder if all this work just causes us to screw things up and makes us spend more cash on chemicals.

Bosco....your DOOMED!!!!!!!! just kidding look at my little saying under my name.

[hot tub Frank]

just enjoy soking.

[Bama]

Oh my Bosco...
You are going to turn into a pillar of CALCIUM!!!!  Just kidding!
Calcium is crusty, I would rather have,  not enough than too much.
What ya worrying about, huh?  

[Bill_Stevenson]

Calcium is needed if the water is very soft.  Soft water results in lots of foam.  Hard water does not foam.  If you have no foam, you should relax and not worry.  

This is the same as how soap works in the shower.  Hardwater results is the soap not lathering up well, and also being difficult to rinse off.  For showers soft water is better.  For spas hard water is better.

Anyone who claims that not adding calcium to the water will cause spa parts to be ruined is a charlatan and you should run like hell to get out of their store.

Bill

[anne]

I'd say that salt water aquariums are a lot more sensitive than a spa, so if the fish are happy with your style, then just enjoy your tub!