As if there weren't enough chem questions...

[snackcakegirl]

Ok, I tried to get my answer by reading previous threads but I just want to be sure.

I just got a Hot Spot Tub (Hot Spring Economy line) and I love it.  I love the lounger and well, I just love everything about it except the chemical part.

My dealer set it up for me, filled it and put in a floating thingy since we are only up at our cabin every two weeks.  They gave us chlorine disks...I KNOW.  I verified it was ok with them and they said they were slow release chlorine and that I would be fine.  My manual and this board says I won't be, but I don't know how else to keep the tub sanitized while we are gone for 14 days at a time.

I have test strips and my free chlorine was fine, it was my alk, calcium and PH.  My alk was low and my PH was high, and my calcium is off the charts.  Apparently we have hard water.  So I read the manual and it said to adjust the Alk first, then the calcium, then the PH.  

I can't seem to get my Alk up enough and my PH is all wonky, it will be way high one day and ok the next, then borderline low then high again.  As for calcium, my kit included some cleaner that is supposed to combat deposits.  

So, I guess my questions are:

1.  Floater, we aren't going to switch the water out now but do you all suggest a bromine floater when we do?  I haven't seen any damage to the tub from the floater as of now.  
2.  Alk, do I just keep on putting alk up until it actually ups...because that is a lot of chems.
3. Calcium hardness, do I just use that cleaner stuff to combat the hard water?
4. PH, how do you deal with wonky PH?

I have never seen a post where people's ALK is way low and their PH was way high, and then they can't get the alk to go up.  Sorry if there was one and I missed it.

For those looking for a reasonably priced, no bells/whistles tub....check out Hot Spot.  I really love it.

[galen]

Snackcake, Is there anyway you can install a small water softener at the cabin? I've seen them as low as 300.00. That's what we did and it helped tremendously. The dealer there recommended it. We figured he knew. The water there is very different from where we live. On leaving the tub for two weeks at a time, there are many different ways. Ours is attended at lest once a week. So I don't know, it may be a whole different proccess leaving a tub that long.

[PotomacG]

SCG,

You can swap your chlorine over to bromine tablets.  They are made specifically for hot tub use (most contain some chlorine as well as bromine).  Once you have a bromine reserve established, you're good to go.  (you will also need a granulated bromine chlorine mix to speed up the process of creating your bromine reserve bank).  

You can purchase a starter kit http://www.spadepot.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=KT1004&Category_Code=Kits that contains everything you need.

Just make sure your floater is big enough to handle a two-week supply of bromine tabs.  (you may be able to use 2 floaters - both set at a lower release number than you would set with a single floater).

Congrats on your new tub.   8-)

[Brewman]

If you switch from chlorine to bromine, you don't have to wait for a water change, you can just start using bromine and stop using chlorine.  
 Going the other way you need to dump the water and refill.

[hottubdan]

What is the TA level?

How may gallons do you have?  You need to add a lot of TA increaser (sodium bicarbinate/baking soda).  Mild stuff.  Once you have TA in proper range, you can lower pH.

[LtDan]

Depending on the cabin location and amenities, I may be able to attend to the tub for you on the off weekends.  

[snackcakegirl]

The TA was well below the recommended range on my strip...but exact numbers, not sure.  I will make sure to raise it this weekend and then adjust PH.  It is a tub that holds over 500 gallons, but not over 600.  I can't remember off the top of my head unfortunately.

LtDan-Cabin is in Blue Ridge GA, plenty of ammenities...a slice of heaven.  

Thanks for all the helpful responses!  I am going to think about making the switch to bromine now that I know I won't blow up if I don't empty the tub first.

I will check on the water softner but since we just bought the tub, $300 isn't pocket change right now

[tileman]

Ok, I tried to get my answer by reading previous threads but I just want to be sure.

I just got a Hot Spot Tub (Hot Spring Economy line) and I love it.  I love the lounger and well, I just love everything about it except the chemical part.

My dealer set it up for me, filled it and put in a floating thingy since we are only up at our cabin every two weeks.  They gave us chlorine disks...I KNOW.  I verified it was ok with them and they said they were slow release chlorine and that I would be fine.  My manual and this board says I won't be, but I don't know how else to keep the tub sanitized while we are gone for 14 days at a time.

I have test strips and my free chlorine was fine, it was my alk, calcium and PH.  My alk was low and my PH was high, and my calcium is off the charts.  Apparently we have hard water.  So I read the manual and it said to adjust the Alk first, then the calcium, then the PH.  

I can't seem to get my Alk up enough and my PH is all wonky, it will be way high one day and ok the next, then borderline low then high again.  As for calcium, my kit included some cleaner that is supposed to combat deposits.  

So, I guess my questions are:

1.  Floater, we aren't going to switch the water out now but do you all suggest a bromine floater when we do?  I haven't seen any damage to the tub from the floater as of now.  
2.  Alk, do I just keep on putting alk up until it actually ups...because that is a lot of chems.
3. Calcium hardness, do I just use that cleaner stuff to combat the hard water?
4. PH, how do you deal with wonky PH?

I have never seen a post where people's ALK is way low and their PH was way high, and then they can't get the alk to go up.  Sorry if there was one and I missed it.

For those looking for a reasonably priced, no bells/whistles tub....check out Hot Spot.  I really love it.

 1.)I'm surprised your dealer went against the owners manual and almost everyone else in the spa industry in telling you to use a chlorine floater. Doesn't he know about bromine? I guess not. Otherwise, he would have definetly had you go that route instead of using chems that are meant for pools. Did you tell him that you'll be gone for weeks at a time? If you did and he didn't suggest bromine I wouldn't listen to him anymore. Just get all your needs from this forum except of course service calls.

2. - 4.) As far as balancing goes I'm not familiar with trichlor and what it does to spa water but I would not trust the readings until you get switched to bromine.

Sorry for your troubles as a ignorant dealer can be very annoying.
 Tileman

[hottubdan]

The largest Hot Spot holds 360 gallons.

Which model do you have?

[tileman]

The largest Hot Spot holds 360 gallons.

Which model do you have?

She has the Trinidad. 290 gallons or 1100 liters for all you Canadians.

[IDW]

If the manufacture says not to use chlorine pucks then do not.
But there is nothing wrong with using chloine pucks in a floater. the only way they will hurt your spa is if they sit directy on the spa surface or in a skim basket with no water flow because of th low ph. Same thing for bromine.

[snackcakegirl]

Oh, this whole time I thought I had a 500 gallon tub.  HA!  I must have been thinking about how much it weighed or something.  

Now that I have had my blonde moment, I think I will switch to Bromine.  I don't want to void my warranty and the fact that my dealer condones that is strange.  

Thanks everyone...going up this weekend, hopefully I can get the hang of my TA and PH.

[Bill_Stevenson]

Since you are leaving your tub unattended for so long, a floater is probably a practical approach.  Bromine would be the best option for a spa.  Trichlor (that is what your dealer put in your floater) is not a good option and with a Watkins product using it would void your warranty unless they have changed in the past year.  One of the dealers involved here can verify that.  

With regard to your chemical volatility is it possible that you are adding chems and then immediately taking a reading?  If so, that could be part of the problem.  After adding chems wait at least a few hours (overnight is better) to allow things to thoroughly dissolve and mix.  1. The first step is to get total alkalinity up.  2. Then fix the pH, and 3. finally worry about the sanitizer.  You will not be adjusting your calcium because your water is already very hard.  I would not worry too much about hard water right now.  It might not be a problem at all, and even if it is it is not something that should result in any immediate problems.

Regards,

Bill