Daily treatment: Shock vs Clorine

[smartymose]

I've got conflicting instruxtions from my HotSpring install team and the owners manual regarding daily and weekly chemical treatment. My tub is a Grandee with FreshWater III ozonator and FreshWater silver ion purifier cartradge. I was supplied with the EverFresh water care system (startup kit) which included bottles of Chlorinating Concentrate (99% sodium dichlor) and Spa Shock Xtra (58% sodium dichlor).

The install team instructed me to add 1tsp of shock after each use and 1/2 capfull (approx 3 tbls) of chlorine per week (I'm assuming they mean the chlorine concentrate bottle).

The owners manual says to add 2 tbls of MSP or 1 tsp of chlorine PRIOR to each use, and 6 tlbs of MSP or 3 tsps of chlorine once a week.

The owner's manual definition of MSP is:
Monopersulfate- an oxidizing chemical used to prevent the buildup of contaminants, maximize sanitizer efficiency, minimize combined chlorine, and improve water clarity. MSP is an oxidizer, not a sanitizer.

The owner's manual also goes on to recommend a weekly shock treatment, using either MSP or sodium dichlor.

Questions:
1)  Who is correct, the installers or the owners manual in terms of what to add prior/after each use...shock or MSP?

2) Same question, but for the weekly treatment (shock or MSP)?

3)  What the @#$% is MSP, anyway? Is it sodium dichlor? If so, do they mean my bottle of shock or my bottle of chlorine conentrate? The definition in the manual says it's not a sanitizer, but isn't that what sodium dichlor is? And aren't the 2 bottles made of the same stuff, but at differnt concentrations?

Please help. I'm standing in front of my hot tub, ready to get in, with 2 bottles in my hands, but I don't know what to put in it afterwards and at the end of the week!

Thanks

[wmccall]

PS, time to change your signature line.

[Spatech_tuo]

1)  Who is correct, the installers or the owners manual in terms of what to add prior/after each use...shock or MSP?

There is no "correct" here. There are varying options and there are more than the 2 you mention. MY preference would be to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dichlor per use.

2) Same question, but for the weekly treatment (shock or MSP)?

... and as far as the weekly shock, you can go either way IMO.

3)  What the @#$% is MSP, anyway? Is it sodium dichlor? If so, do they mean my bottle of shock or my bottle of chlorine conentrate? The definition in the manual says it's not a sanitizer, but isn't that what sodium dichlor is? And aren't the 2 bottles made of the same stuff, but at differnt concentrations?

MPS is also referred to as "chlorine FREE shock" and as you noted, it is an ozidizer, not a sanitizer (which is why I greatly prefer adding dichlor/use as it is a sanitizer). When you hear the term "shock" (used as a noun) people generally are referring to a chlorine free shock.

MPS and dichlor are 2 different animals!

[shabba34]

Using the AG+ silver ion cart. is a natural alternative to using chlorine or bromine.  You should have received a bottle of non-chlor shock(MPS-Oxidizer) to use prior to getting into the spa.  Neither are wrong or right, it's a matter of what system you prefer to run with your spa.  With the silver cart. and ozone leads me to believe they were setting you up for a virtually chlorine free system, but with the chem start up kit they gave you chlorine with 2 different concentrations, but failed to give you the mps.  Call the dealer and see if maybe they forgot the mps.  You ask 10 people here a chemical ? and you get 10 different answers so I won't go there.  Actually those 10 answers are tipically all qualified sollutions, however everyones water is different and the system that you run is different as well.  Just hit the spa with 2 tbs of dichlor and have at it, deal with the chemical issue after you've enjoyed your first soak    You'll be a little more relaxed anyways

[georgiapeach]

Smartymose,

We got our Grandee in November and absolutely love it!  For what it's worth, I add 1 Tablespoon of MPS per person prior to each use and 1/2 capfull of Chlorine granules every Saturday.  That's what my dealer told me to do and it's been working great for me.  But...I'm no expert here...there are plenty of folks here that know WAY MORE than me about this stuff.... :-)  I do know that I'm not out there every single day checking my levels, like I was when I first got it....  

[Perk1]

Since we haven't hit the 10 different answers from 10 people yet, I have the HS Landmark and have been using the N2 cartridge for about a year.  I never put chemicals into my hot tub before I get in.   I strictly use dichlor(the 99% stuff) after each use - 1 to 2 tspns depending on bather load and the length of time we were in there.  I also 'shock' once a week with the same dichlor and then I usually put in about 1 1/2 Tbspns.  My tub is 525 gallons like your Grandee, which is another thing to keep in mind when listening to other's routines,  their tub may not be the same size as yours, so their chemical usage may be more or less.  I have found I use a lot less dichlor with the N2 cartridge which I believe is the same as your silver ion cartridge just yours is HS specific.