New Hot Springs Envoy and already screwed up!

[Vinny]

As was said - enjoy the tub. Remember these are not absolute numbers but are ranges.

Always measure the water coming out of the tap before adding chemicals.

It's been a while since I had to fight high alkalinity but I'm pretty sure that hitting the tub with PH down will kill the alkalinity as well. Since you have stuff to lower both then you should be good to go. Think of it as - the PH tries to go down because of the PH down, the Alkalinity will be used up. Eventually the alkalinity will fall allowing the PH to fall as well. Alkalinity acts as the lock to keep PH where it is. Dichlor has a PH of around 7 so it won't do much to bring PH down initially.

Being a newbie expect the water to need a changing in about a month ... I think it's called Chas' Law.



 

[MissionHockey]

I just checked the water levels:

pH - 7.8
Alk - 100ppm
cH - 110ppm

I had to use quite a bit of the "Spa Down" formula to get the pH to drop. At least now it appears that the readings are beginning to go more into the proper range. When I run out of these chemicals, I plan on switching over to bromine. Do you recommend draining and refilling to switch to the bromine method? Also, any input on my user manual suggesting no bleach or floating devices? Thanks again for everyones advice.

[Vinny]

A chlorine tub can become a bromine tub but a bromine tub can't become a chlorine tub.

As far as bleach or a floater ... Bleach can be used but will void the warranty if it is found out but with bromine you won't be using too much chlorine. I think for bromine once you put the starter in and bromine crystals you're supposed to shock with non chlorine bleach. I always thought bromine was used in a floater but my tub is 9 YO ... things may have changed.

Bleach is a type of chlorine just like Dichlor, trichlor, Calcium hypochlorite and Lithium hypochlorite. I personally use Dichlor and bleach in my hot tub and use bleach, Cal Hypo and trichlor in my pool. BUT my tub is out of warranty and so if it breaks it's all on me anyway.

[hottubdan]

I just checked the water levels:

pH - 7.8
Alk - 100ppm
cH - 110ppm

I had to use quite a bit of the "Spa Down" formula to get the pH to drop. At least now it appears that the readings are beginning to go more into the proper range. When I run out of these chemicals, I plan on switching over to bromine. Do you recommend draining and refilling to switch to the bromine method? Also, any input on my user manual suggesting no bleach or floating devices? Thanks again for everyones advice.

Any reason you want to use bromine, other than already buying it?
The compressed tablets in the floater may void the warranty.  Read it.  It is on line if you do not have yours.
You also have an ozonator.  did your dealer give you AG+ (Nature2)?

[MissionHockey]

My dealer did not provide me with the AG+ Nature 2. I wanted to go the bromine route because it requires less maintenance than the chlorine route. However I do not want to void my warranty hence the reason I was asking about the bromine floater and using liquid bleach.

[wmccall]

I just tested the water again after adding more pH down and it's still high.

pH - 8.0
Alk - 120
Ch - 100

The only thing that seems to be in range is the chlorine hardness. It seems the pH and Alkaline have a direct correlation to each other. Should I continue to add more pH down until it falls within range?

How long are you waiting after changing PH to test again?   I see many newbies get caught up in a PH Yoyo adding and checking again before what they did really shows completely. I wait 48 hours after trying to change my PH and checking it again.  I've comfortably soaked in PHs of 7.0 to 8.0 with no problems.