Water Chem Help - on Ozone/Silver system

[nsavarirayan]

Hey gusy need some advice on water chem.  First off my tub has ozone and siler to kill stuff.  How does this affect my use of Shock, Chlorine.

I was told to use non-Cl shock and do that 2x per week.  Then to superchlorinate once per week.

does this sound right for the system I have?

[Vinny]

There are some people here that will do something similar to what you do but I prefer to use chlorine either after soaking or every 2 days depending on use and shock with a non chlorine shock every week or 2. You should also shock with chlorine every so often to kill organisms that may be somewhat chlorine resistant and the extra chlorine will kill them.

My dealer put me onto a similar regiment except she gave me enhanced shock which is non chlorine shock along with chlorine.

My tub wouldn't do go using some chlorine every so often.

[hottubdan]

Sorry to be blunt, but you have some bad advice.

When using silver (Nature2) you have to use either MPS before or after each soak, not a couple of times a week.  Nature2 says to do it before each soak, which activates the silver.  We have many customers who add the MPS after they soak and they seem to do ok.

My opinion is if you are using chlorine after each soak, you probably don't need the silver cartridge.

[nsavarirayan]

Hi Hotubdan,

Whats is MPS again?  - is that a shock.  How much do you add to say a 350 gallon tub after each soak?

I would rather keep the silver and reduce the chlorine I use - what is your advice on chlorine.

Also, what should you look out for when draining your tub?  Anything speacial or is this procedure pretty easy.

[Gary]

Sorry to be blunt, but you have some bad advice.


My opinion is if you are using chlorine after each soak, you probably don't need the silver cartridge.

Ditto

[nsavarirayan]

I am actually not using cl after each soak so I will keep the silver for now.  But I have some more questions.  the more I looks the more products I see on the internet for spa care.  Whats is the deal with things like:

Foambuster
Scalebuster
acidmagic

What about cleaning the shell of the tub after draining?

[Pathfinder]

Dont worry about all the new specialty products unless your tub is out of balance all of the time.   Some people use a bleach solution or clorox wipes to wipe down the jets. But if your tub is properly sanitized and you have no slimy residue left on your tub then dont worry about cleaning the shell  refill, shock & balance.  If you do decide to use a cleaner on the tub make sure you get all of it off as most will cause some sort of foam residue.

[SpaNE]

My opinion is if you are using chlorine after each soak, you probably don't need the silver cartridge.

I asked a similar question 2 months ago.  The general opinion was that the silver catridge (Nature2) worked well when using Dichlor after each soak.  Seems to work great.

[nsavarirayan]

Hey guys whats up - I am still a bit ocnfused.  Along with your advice and reading the vermonter method I seem to be confused.

A couple of you guys say that if you have silver - and to be specific I have the D1 Vision Cartidge - then you should shock after each soak.  SPA NE says dichlor after each saok.  The Vermonter method also specifies to use some dichlor after each soak to keep CL up to 2ppm for two hours.

Is it just personal preference and as long as the water is clean with good ph, alk, etc... then I am ok?  I have not read anything about shocking each time I soak?  Is there a drawback to shocking each time you saok rather then using dichlor?

[Chad]

Hey guys whats up - I am still a bit ocnfused.  Along with your advice and reading the vermonter method I seem to be confused.

A couple of you guys say that if you have silver - and to be specific I have the D1 Vision Cartidge - then you should shock after each soak.  SPA NE says dichlor after each saok.  The Vermonter method also specifies to use some dichlor after each soak to keep CL up to 2ppm for two hours.

Is it just personal preference and as long as the water is clean with good ph, alk, etc... then I am ok?  I have not read anything about shocking each time I soak?  Is there a drawback to shocking each time you saok rather then using dichlor?

You can use either mps(non chlorine shock) or dichlor(chlorine) to activate a silver cartridge. I use a similar cartridge to yours and use dichlor exclusively for my routine sanitation. I do this b/c mps has no sanitizing capabilities and only oxidizes chlorimines(one of the reasons for routinely shocking your water). The sanitizing capabilities of a silver cartridge, in my opinion, should not be used as a primary sanitizer. Thus is why I dose with dichlor, a primary sanitizer, regularly and shock weekly with mps. I think the best way to explain this is just to tell you my routine.

First off let me say that I soak 5-7 times a week for 15 minutes and soak alone 95% of the time, so your routine may vary based on your tubs bather load and longevity of soaks. Every other day I add a 3 ppm dose of dichlor. This will last until the next dose thanks to my N2 cartridge. W/o it I had to add a 3ppm dose every day. Anyways, each week or so depending on my CC(combined chlorine) I shock with either a buffered mps(2 TBS per 250 gallons) or a dichlor dose equivalent to 10 x my CC. So if my CC is .5 I would only have to add a 5ppm dose. That's it, I don't use any other chems besides ph and alk + or -. If you want to, tell me your routine and I will try to help you come up with a plan.

Chad

[Vinny]

By not using sanitizer, which MPS is not a sanitizer, you run the risk of getting a bacteria buildup. Just because a tub looks clean, doesn't mean that it is clean.

The other downside is that TDS will build up quicker with MPS than with dichlor; 2 or 3 teaspoons of dichlor vs 3 or more tablespoons of MPS.

[Spatech_tuo]

Hey guys whats up - I am still a bit ocnfused.  Along with your advice and reading the vermonter method I seem to be confused.

A couple of you guys say that if you have silver - and to be specific I have the D1 Vision Cartidge - then you should shock after each soak.  SPA NE says dichlor after each saok.  The Vermonter method also specifies to use some dichlor after each soak to keep CL up to 2ppm for two hours.

Is it just personal preference and as long as the water is clean with good ph, alk, etc... then I am ok?  I have not read anything about shocking each time I soak?  Is there a drawback to shocking each time you saok rather then using dichlor?

Some people try to get by with using the shock (MPS) after each soak but dichlor is more effective and besides, it will have dissipated before your next use anyway so I would suggest you go that route. For those who do use the shock after use method, if it works then great. If you are running into cloudiness issues, then simply switch to dichlor after each use. In some ways it is better for the owners to learn on the job than to just follow a routine. As time goes by you will use the trial and error feedback from what you are seeing to become knowledgeable on how to maintain your water.

[nsavarirayan]

Hi Chad,

thanks for the help.  Bascially what I have been told is to: Weekly shock 2x with MPS (2-3oz), superchlorinate once using dichlor (2oz).  so thats what I have been doing thus far.

So chad here are some questions on your method - you say add dichlor every other day to get to 3ppm - how much is that (I have a 350 gal tub).

Also you say shock with buffered MPS - what does that mean?  I use sea clear brand?

[Renee]

You can use either mps(non chlorine shock) or dichlor(chlorine) to activate a silver cartridge. I use a similar cartridge to yours and use dichlor exclusively for my routine sanitation. I do this b/c mps has no sanitizing capabilities and only oxidizes chlorimines(one of the reasons for routinely shocking your water). The sanitizing capabilities of a silver cartridge, in my opinion, should not be used as a primary sanitizer. Thus is why I dose with dichlor, a primary sanitizer, regularly and shock weekly with mps. I think the best way to explain this is just to tell you my routine.

First off let me say that I soak 5-7 times a week for 15 minutes and soak alone 95% of the time, so your routine may vary based on your tubs bather load and longevity of soaks. Every other day I add a 3 ppm dose of dichlor. This will last until the next dose thanks to my N2 cartridge. W/o it I had to add a 3ppm dose every day. Anyways, each week or so depending on my CC(combined chlorine) I shock with either a buffered mps(2 TBS per 250 gallons) or a dichlor dose equivalent to 10 x my CC. So if my CC is .5 I would only have to add a 5ppm dose. That's it, I don't use any other chems besides ph and alk + or -. If you want to, tell me your routine and I will try to help you come up with a plan.

Chad

Chad...do you have an ozonator in your tub to help with your routine?  If so, with is the mg?  (i.e. 50, 250)
Thanks for your help...

[Chad]

So chad here are some questions on your method - you say add dichlor every other day to get to 3ppm - how much is that (I have a 350 gal tub).

The basic formula is- gallons of water in spa x desired ppm x .000128 / % of available chlorine in your dichlor product = amount of dichlor to add in ozs.

*keep in mind that this formula will vary slightly from spa to spa depending on bather load, longevity of soak, and how clean you are but in my experience it has been right on.

Ex- 336 x 3 x .000128 / 55%(.55) = .235 ozs
3 tsp to a TBS and 2 TBS to an ounce. So .235 oz. is about 1/2 of a TBS

Also you say shock with buffered MPS - what does that mean?  I use sea clear brand?

A buffered mps means that it is basically pH nuetral(has little effect on pH)
If this is what you havehttp://www.rhtubs.com/store/sanitize.htm#skit's not buffered. You will have to add a pH + product to compensate it's effects.