Chemical Necessity?

[Max78]

As a new spa owner (Optima), I'm just trying to sort out which chemicals are necessary and which ones are not.  Obviously, you need some type of sanitizer (bromine, chlorine).  I know that sometimes less is better but I wondered what kind of luck others had with just the "basics" (chlorine, ph increaser, ph decreaser, baking soda for alkalinity).  This is what my dealer suggest as a guideline:
Metal Gone (one bottle with each new fill)
2 oz. chlorine after use of 3 or more people
2 oz. Activate after use of 1-2 people
Spa Defender (2 oz. weekly)
Natural Clear (1/2 cap weekly 24 hrs. after Defender)

I have an ozonator and a spa frog so I thought the doses of chlorine and Activate sounded a little high.  I thought the chlorine needed to be maintained around 1 ppm with the ozonator.  I think 2 oz. is around 3 tablespoons.  I had not been putting that amount in.  More like a tablespoon after use of 3 people.  Is there some type of "magic"  number like 1 teaspoon per person after use?  My calcium hardness is not high (160) so I was wondering if the 2 oz. of Spa Defender was necessary every week.  I have a test kit that measures everything (chlorine-free and combined, ph, calcium, alkalinity, CYA) and have used it with much success with my pool the last few years.  My spa water was a lovely shade of florescent green (very similar to the color of the spa defender but diluted) but after a healthy dose of chlorine and running both pumps for 3 cycles, it is now cleared up.  Also, after you add your chlorine after use, what cycle do you run?  Just the filter cycle (pump 1 on low) or do you run it on high and run pump 2 also and for how long?  Thanks for any help.  I know it will be old hat after awhile. I'm just trying to get to that point.

[tony]

With the products you have, I would use 1 tsp per person of dichlor after use.  Use the activate to shock weekly.  Use the whole bottle of Metal Gon at fill time and alternate 2 oz of Spa Defender and the 1/2 capful of Natural Clear every other week if the Natural Clear is an enzyme product.  If Natural Clear is only a flocculant, I would only use it when your water seems hazy and you can't get it clear with shock.  I run my jets and air blower on high for about five minutes with the cover off.

What you want to do is get your free chlorine level up to +2ppm after use and then let it drop from there.

[windsurfdog]

Max,
I use more of a KISS method--the fewer chems, the better.  Dichlor for both sanitization and shock, sodium bisulfate for pH/TA down, sodium bicarbonate for pH/TA up, sodium carbonate for pH up, defoamer mixed 50/50 with water in a spritz bottle to be used only as needed.  I do have mineral filters and an ozonator.  With a 450 gallon tub, 2 tsp. dichlor is a normal sanitization dose though I will sometimes use 3 if the load is high or use 1 if the load is low.  2 tbsp. is a good shock qty. usually once a week.  Since my water source is a municipal water utility, I have no metal worries at fillup so Metal Gon type chems are not necessary.  I'm passing on all the Spa Perfect, Spa Defender, Natural Clear products--just more chems to buy and in which to soak.  Excellent water balance utilizing only the chems to achieve it are all that's necessary to keep the "innards" in good shape, IMHO.  Hope this helps--good luck!

[CalicoskiesNC]

We've had our Optima for 9wks now and this is what works really well for us:
1/2bottle SwirlAway before each tub drain
8oz Metal Gon each fill up
2oz Spa Defender each week
1TBL dichlor daily
3TBL dichlor for a weekly shock
2oz Scum Gon every other week

I tend to have to up my pH and ALK about once a week, so I use an increaser for both of those.  

I just ordered some MPS, I think I'm going to do an MPS shock weekly too.  Any thoughts on this?

The Bright n Clear product caused too much foaming for me, I dont use it anymore.  I also do not use any foamaway stuff, we rinse our suits in a soapless wash cycle and I keep my hair products out of the tub, not had much of a foam problem anymore.  

[Brewman]

Callico-

How often do you replace the micro filter?
How often/how do you clean the pleated filter?

TIA

Brewman

[tony]

I have just tried something new as a shock this weekend.  This comes from Northman's routine at rhtubs FAQ.  I used two tblspoons MPS and 1 tblspoon dichlor for a shock.  This also seems in line with stuarts enhanced shock.  From what I've read, chlorine and mps oxidize differently and neither does the "complete job."  Its like Ad-aware and Spy-bot.  They both do the same thing, but there is always some adware that each misses and the other picks up.

[Max78]

Thanks for everyone's input.  It helps to know what others are doing.  I was always a fan of the KISS method with the pool.  Have used it the last few years with much success.  Went the Baquacil route the first summer but after reading a lot of negative things about it (not to mention the expense), I made the switch to chlorine a few years ago.  How long do you keep the cover off the hot tub after you shock?  Do you keep the cover off for any amount of time after adding daily doses of chlorine?  How were we able to do anything before the internet?

[ttodd1]

I usually leave my cover off for a cycle on mine, that would be 20 minutes.

[Max78]

Hi TTodd,
 Do you leave the cover off for 20 minutes  after shocking and after daily doses of chlorine or just after shocking?

[bulmer4nc]

Its like Ad-aware and Spy-bot.

Now you're talking language I understand...  

[CalicoskiesNC]

Brewman:  the micro gets changed every 3mo, we've got till Oct for that. You do not rinse the micro at all. I've been told they run $45 for replacement.  

The pleated filter we rinse out every week with the hose and once a month we use a spray cleaner on it.  The filter looks like its not even been used, after 2+months.  I probably will do an overnight soak in late Oct/Nov, after I buy a spare one.

We also take the filter socks off and clean about every other week, and once a month we are letting them soak in a bleach/water solution.  

Max: we leave our cover off for an hour after shocking and after the daily dichlor, just 10-15 min.  

[Brewman]

You may want to check on the price of that micro filter.
We pay about $15 for that one, which is probably close to suggested retail.  The pleated filter may cost around $45, I think I paid $60 for mine.  
Brewman

[Max78]

Calico:  I was not aware you were not supposed to rinse the micro filter.  I did this once already.  Hope I didn't do any damage.  Wonder why you can rinse the pleated and not the micro?

[ttodd1]

Hi TTodd,
  Do you leave the cover off for 20 minutes  after shocking and after daily doses of chlorine or just after shocking?

Usually both, then of course there was the day I just forgot for about an hour.    

[ttodd1]

You may want to check on the price of that micro filter.
We pay about $15 for that one, which is probably close to suggested retail.  The pleated filter may cost around $45, I think I paid $60 for mine.  
Brewman

I have seen this one online for $15 also and the pleated one for $45.