Sanity check on my initial startup plan w/chems

[pg_rider]

Still waiting on our tub (Sundance Optima) and doing a lot of research in the meantime, particularly on how to maintain our water.  I think I have an approach figured out but wanted some opinions/advice.

I should start by saying I just had the water from my outdoor tap checked and it seemed to be spot-on with respect to pH, hardness, and alkalinity (thank god!).

I plan on filling the tub and, once full, adding a couple teaspoons of dichlor (or, enough to get me to 3-5ppm).  At that time I'll also test my pH/alk/hardness levels and, assuming they're good, will add a pH anchor.  From there I plan to use dichlor after every use, and a weekly MPS shock (unless it's better to use dichlor to shock).

Is that it?  Am I missing anything?  I've read some guides that recommend adding stain and scale control, and enzyme cleaner as well at startup.  Should I?

Appreciate any advice!!!

[Vinny]

The less stuff you add to the water the better you will be.

IMO don't use a PH anchor - let the PH do it's thing, adjusting PH is really no big thing. Test the water before adding chlorine - too much chlorine will skew the other readings.

I used to use enzymes, they kind of do work but the chlorine eats up the enzymes as it does its job which means less chlorine for bacteria. I also found enzymes foam and what was told to me add chlorine about 8 hours (next morning) when using enzymes.

Having starting water dead on is great and all you need to maintain PH is baking soda, it will affect your alkalinity but my guess is that you'll find the alkalinity lowers as PH lowers.

Shocking with MPS is a good idea and I do it all the time. One caution only because it happens to my water - if you use the tub not too often (as a newbie this won't happen for quite a while) hit it with chlorine instead of MPS or add some chlorine after (or before) hitting the tub with MPS. the chlorine will kill the bacteria where MPS doesn't.

The learning curve will be there but after a while you'll be a pro!

[TrikkeAddict]

Paul,  I have the Sundance Cameo, which is the same as the Optima except I have a lounger.  My routine is to add alkalinity increaser, hardness increaser, put in the nature 2 thing, add some dichlor.  That's the startup routine based on water analysis from my dealer.  After each soak I put in 1-2 tsp of dichlor.  I don't shock weekly because I don't think it's necessary when you don't have combined chlorine registering on the taylor test kit.  I do shock with dichlor every 2 or 3 weeks as necessary.  That's it - I don't add anything else or do anything else - the microclean filter lasted 1 year for me so it's not even necessary to clean a filter.  It's the easiest routine imaginable - and my water is always crystal clear.  Occassionally I check the pH and adjust as necessary - I don't bother checking the alkalinity at all.  

This is my second spa and the first one was very high maintenance - cleaning the filter often, adding stain and scale stuff, managing pH and TA - it was just a pain in the neck.  Of course, at the time I thought it was normal.  Now that I have a Sundance, maintenance is non-existant - after startup just add dichlor daily and adjust pH every week or two as needed, change the water every 4 months.   Much more enjoyable!!!!

Susan

[anne]

This is my second spa and the first one was very high maintenance - cleaning the filter often, adding stain and scale stuff, managing pH and TA - it was just a pain in the neck.  Of course, at the time I thought it was normal.  Now that I have a Sundance, maintenance is non-existant -
Susan

Did you have an older spa or something with poor filtration? Or live in an area with different water? Why would the brand of spa affect how you manage water hardness and pH/TA?

[TrikkeAddict]

Anne, I did live in a different area and the water wasn't from the same source as where I am now.  It was a new spa but it had a different filtration system and I started off using Pristine Blue, which was a good system, but it required some work.  Plus I was using MPS and that always seemed to make my TA low, which in turn screwed up my pH.  I never would have believed that different spas could make such a difference, but I'm glad that I bought the Sundance instead of buying the same brand that I had before.  The difference is like day and night!!!  Just the fact that I never have to clean the filter in my Sundance makes it worth the extra I spent!!!

Susan

[Vinny]

Anne, I did live in a different area and the water wasn't from the same source as where I am now.  It was a new spa but it had a different filtration system and I started off using Pristine Blue, which was a good system, but it required some work.  Plus I was using MPS and that always seemed to make my TA low, which in turn screwed up my pH.  I never would have believed that different spas could make such a difference, but I'm glad that I bought the Sundance instead of buying the same brand that I had before.  The difference is like day and night!!!  Just the fact that I never have to clean the filter in my Sundance makes it worth the extra I spent!!!

Susan

I don't know how you can quantify that your new spa is better than the old if your not using the same water. How do you know how much work this spa would have been? MPS screws up eveyone's PH, so now you don't use MPS - try using it now and see how it affects your PH ... I get 3 weeks of good PH with dichlor and MPS. I've read about prisitine blue but it's not a readily used sanitizer such as bromine or dichlor.

I'm glad you like your tub but please don't make it out to be a miracle tub, the rest of us have tubs that are easy to manage too. Of course I still have to wash filters but maybe the new disposable ones will make that chore go away!

[TrikkeAddict]

Vinny- where in my post did I say I have a miracle tub?  I was giving my opinion and experience about my spa and my past experience with a different spa.  You don't know anything about my previous spa or my present one for that matter.     Why are you getting so bent out of shape???

Susan

[sledjunkie]

Susan -
You implied with your new tub you don't have to add stain and scale and stuff, manage ph, and TA.
If that were the case, which it isn't, you weren't even comparing apples to apples since you then stated later you had a different source of water and used a different chemical regimen.

Are you in sales?

[TrikkeAddict]

No, I am not in sales and I never implied that I don't have to manage pH and TA.  I don't have to add stain and scale or anything else that others seem to have to use.  I adjust pH when necessary and use dichlor - that's it!!!

I don't understand the animosity about my routine?

Susan

[Vinny]

This is my second spa and the first one was very high maintenance - cleaning the filter often, adding stain and scale stuff, managing pH and TA - it was just a pain in the neck.  Of course, at the time I thought it was normal.  Now that I have a Sundance, maintenance is non-existant - after startup just add dichlor daily and adjust pH every week or two as needed, change the water every 4 months.   Much more enjoyable!!!!

Susan

My interpretation of the above statement is that your Sundance is so much better maintenance wise. Maybe you don't see it but that is my interpretation.

If anne didn't ask the question she did no one would have known you now have different water and that you're using a different routine.

As far as my comment about a miracle tub, I was trying to be sarcastic and tried to soften it by adding the bit about me cleaning the filters, obviously you didn't interpret it as such.

I am not bent out of shape but I believe we need to give newbies the correct info. The original post had me saying Wow, that's amazing that a tub made that much of a difference ... it's different now that I know the rest of the story.

Vinny

[TrikkeAddict]

Vinny,

Actually, your interpretation is correct - the Sundance is much better maintanance wise than my last spa.  Because the Sundance has a different filtration system, different filter and 24 hour circulation, the Sundance is much easier to maintain - in fact, there is no maintenance at all.  From the time I startup - as explained in my previous post - to the time that I drain and refill, the only things I add to my spa are dichlor and something to adjust pH when necessary.
Even when I switched from Pristine Blue to dichlor in my previous spa it was never as easy as with the Sundance.  I believe the Sundance is a superior spa - that doesn't mean that it's the best spa or that your spa is inferior.  I'm giving you my experience with my spa.

Susan

[pg_rider]

Thanks for the replies so far.  Should have mentioned that I also plan to leave the circ pump and ozonator running 24/7.  Not that that would change my chemical approach that much...

Question regarding how to add the "daily" dichlor -- should I just dump it into the water all at once, or is it better to sprinkle it in slowly?  And should the main jet pumps be running when I do this?  Same question for the weekly shock...

[TrikkeAddict]

Thanks for the replies so far.  Should have mentioned that I also plan to leave the circ pump and ozonator running 24/7.  Not that that would change my chemical approach that much...

Question regarding how to add the "daily" dichlor -- should I just dump it into the water all at once, or is it better to sprinkle it in slowly?  And should the main jet pumps be running when I do this?  Same question for the weekly shock...

Actually, either way will work - I dump it into the water with the pumps running.  When I shock, sometimes I sprinkle it in a little at a time because it's a bigger dose - also with the pumps running.  I keep the cover off for a little while after shocking, but otherwise I just close the cover, knowing that the pumps will turn off in 20 minutes.  I also have the circ pump and ozonator on 24/7.

Susan