Yet another water chemistry question...

[Cyn]

Using the Taylor kit to test for alkalinity:  as I add the drops to make the color go from green to red, according to the directions, I get a green to pink first and then with another drop more red than pink and then one more usually gives me what I would call a red color.  Is it the initial change from green to pink that marks the level of alkalinity or do you need to go all the way to red by adding the drops?  Big difference if the initial change from green to pink is say 5 drops and the red ends up being 7 or 8 drops.

Also, I have recently switched to dichlor and I have added the dichlor after my initial soak in the recently changed water to get the 3ppm reading after 20 minutes with jets on to mix.  If I do not soak the next day, what reading should I have of FC?  I had about .5 the next day and I assume that would have been OK to soak in and is that a normal "read" for the next day?  But I did not soak.  Is there a point that your FC should be on the non-use days?  My confusion comes from the different posts people make...some add dichlor after each soak, and I am assuming that is to get the 3ppm level, and then they add dichlor to get to 3ppm the next day even if they aren't soaking?  And then there are those that do not add on the non-soak days...is it still OK to soak before adjusting the dichlor after not using the tub for say 2 days and not adding dichlor on those 2 days, since I would assume it would be at 0 and might have been at 0 for a day or two of not soaking??

Thanks in advance!!

[tony]

Using the Taylor kit to test for alkalinity:  as I add the drops to make the color go from green to red, according to the directions, I get a green to pink first and then with another drop more red than pink and then one more usually gives me what I would call a red color.  Is it the initial change from green to pink that marks the level of alkalinity or do you need to go all the way to red by adding the drops?  Big difference if the initial change from green to pink is say 5 drops and the red ends up being 7 or 8 drops.

Also, I have recently switched to dichlor and I have added the dichlor after my initial soak in the recently changed water to get the 3ppm reading after 20 minutes with jets on to mix.  If I do not soak the next day, what reading should I have of FC?  I had about .5 the next day and I assume that would have been OK to soak in and is that a normal "read" for the next day?  But I did not soak.  Is there a point that your FC should be on the non-use days?  My confusion comes from the different posts people make...some add dichlor after each soak, and I am assuming that is to get the 3ppm level, and then they add dichlor to get to 3ppm the next day even if they aren't soaking?  And then there are those that do not add on the non-soak days...is it still OK to soak before adjusting the dichlor after not using the tub for say 2 days and not adding dichlor on those 2 days, since I would assume it would be at 0 and might have been at 0 for a day or two of not soaking??

Thanks in advance!!

I count to when I get a color change from green to pink and not a true red.

Your free chlorine level should drop to 0-1 ppm the next day.  I soak at this level.  To me this is the best part of using a chlorine program where you sanitize after soaking.  When you do soak you are in minimal chlorine.  If nothing is entering the spa, there is little to deteriorate the water.  IMO, this is where silver and ozone do their best...when the spa isn't being used a low level sanitizer and oxidizer can keep up with the water.  I personally don't let my water go more than a couple of days without adding a little chlorine if it is not used though not necessarily up to the three ppm level...just enough to keep a low level sanitizer present.