Is this method of chemicals overkill?

[hottubdan]

The Stain and Scale is protection.  It does not bring down the hardness.

[squale]

so that explains why they said to put stain and scale in once per week...  is there any products that actually REDUCE the hardness?  

[tony]

so that explains why they said to put stain and scale in once per week...  is there any products that actually REDUCE the hardness?  

No.  Only diluting with low calcium water.

[squale]

Well my Aquatest strips are reading in the 300ppm range, but it just says HARDNESS, does that automatically mean Calcium hardness?

what's weird is that on the back of the Aquacheck bottle it says the OK range is like 250-400 or something for Hardness..

but on my BioGuard print out and the stain and scale bottle it says the OK hardness is 100-150ppm

so this doesn't make sense to me, are we comparing apples to apples?

[tony]

Well my Aquatest strips are reading in the 300ppm range, but it just says HARDNESS, does that automatically mean Calcium hardness?

what's weird is that on the back of the Aquacheck bottle it says the OK range is like 250-400 or something for Hardness..

but on my BioGuard print out and the stain and scale bottle it says the OK hardness is 100-150ppm

so this doesn't make sense to me, are we comparing apples to apples?

That's calcium hardness.  Generally speaking, 100-250 for acrylic, fiberglass or vinyl pools, spas; 250-400 for plaster (concrete) pools.  You should be OK at 300 with your stain and scale.

[squale]

and so basically people like me with hard well water once hte water goes into the spa it will ALWAYS be hard, you just need to use the stain and scale chemical to protect the components from scale buildup?  or do most people with hard water actually try to dilute the water with soft water (no idea where they are supposed to get that amount of soft water from?)

[tony]

and so basically people like me with hard well water once hte water goes into the spa it will ALWAYS be hard, you just need to use the stain and scale chemical to protect the components from scale buildup?  or do most people with hard water actually try to dilute the water with soft water (no idea where they are supposed to get that amount of soft water from?)

Some people with water softeners will mix half and half.  100% soft water is not good for a spa.  Whatever you do, don't use one of the pH lock products with the calcium you have.

[hottubdan]

You really don't need to worry about your hardness.

Use the Stain and Scale.

Keep your pH in range.

High pH will cause calcium to precipitate out of the water...you won't like that/ :-/

[squale]

well after shocking 3 hours ago, it is now at ph of 8.8, free chlorine is 9.5 and alk is UP to 227 (not sure why the Alk and PH rose higher after putting the PH Decreaser in there?)

[tony]

well after shocking 3 hours ago, it is now at ph of 8.8, free chlorine is 9.5 and alk is UP to 227 (not sure why the Alk and PH rose higher after putting the PH Decreaser in there?)

Did you have these high pH and alk numbers when you used bromine?  Could be what caused your rash.

[squale]

well they weren't AS high, and they certainly come down rather quickly when I put PH Decreaser in.  This morning, I just checked and here are my numbers..

PH = 8.7
Free Chlorine = 3.5
Alk = 260

So the Alk actually went UP and the PH Stayed about the same from yesterday, this is AFTER I put PH Decreaser in.  I wonder if since I used bleach to clean the tub before I drained it, if any of that bleach was still in the pipes and might of been affecting the PH?  not sure, but I'm very surprised that the PH and Alk are actually still the same and going UP!

[hottubdan]

How much pH decreaser did you add?  With TA that high you need a lot.

[squale]

I added 2 ounces yesterday, 2 ounces this morning.  It's a 385 gallon tub.

[hottubdan]

Not nearly enough to knock dow your TA.  I don't have my charts here but I'm guessing you need at least 10 ounces.

Add 5 oz.  Mix for 15-30 minutes.  Repeat.  Test.  Add more as needed.

You small amounts will not be enough to make a difference.

[squale]

is it bad to add too much in one day?  I was told to add 1 ounce per day for 7 straight days.. not sure why they say to do it in little bits each day?