Using the Clean cycle after a soak

[gores95]

OK so we had our first family soak tonight.  Everything went well but we have to work on getting the two daughters to RELAX.  It was nice though.

SO after our half hour soak I added 1 teaspoon of Dichlor (per package and dealer instructions).  Left cover open and pressed the clean button which activates Pump 1 for ten minutes.  Pump 2 and the air pump is not activated by pressing the clean button.

I was reading the Vermonter method where it states after adding Dichlor after a soak make sure ALL jets come on to sanitize all pumps/pipes, etc.  Now my tub has an automatic cleaning cycle every 24 hours and when that occurs both pumps and the air pump come on.  

My question is when adding the Dichlor am I OK with just pressing the clean button or should I turn both pumps and the air on for ten minutes?  I am guessing I am OK and some chlorine will probably be present when the auto clean cycle comes on.

Does this sound about right?  

Thanks,

Marc

[Brookenstein]

Did you add one tsp total or one tsp per person that was in the tub?  I do ~1tsp per person.

I never paid attention to what pumps/jets come on when I hit my clean button.  I do try to turn the diverter valves even if just a few seconds into it, so that most of the jets are flushed clean with the dichlor.

[Vinny]

At what time will the auto clean cycle come on? If it's an hour after you soak it's probably OK but 12 hours probably not. I usually turn on all the pumps for 3 to 5 minutes when adding dichlor to make sure they get the full amount of the dose. The other thing is you don't want any dichlor to sit on the acylic shell so the pumps being on creates flow everywhere.

1 teaspoon doesn't seem like a lot of dichlor for 4 (?) people. Depending on how many gallons you have it might be 3 PPM or 1 PPM. Since you quoted Vermonter, he does recommend not to go by a prescribed dose on the bottle but by the testing for 3 PPM of chlorine 20 minutes after adding the dichlor, it could very well be 1 teaspoon but it might not be.

I'm one of the people here that believe that adding a little more dichlor is better than skimping. I've done numerous tests on my tub and I can get away with 1 teaspoon and I did so for months but I now add 2 teaspoons to give me some extra muscle on bacteria.

[gores95]

I am not sure when the auto clean cycle comes on but I read in the manual that I could press the select and clean buttons simultaneously and the auto clean cycle would be reset and begin immediately.  Going forward I will try to run both pumps and turn the diverters a bit and then try to start the auto clean.

As for adding dichlor yes only one teaspoonful this time.  The dealer initially shocked the hell out of the tub yesterday and when we went i this evening there was still 3 ppm chlorine.  I figured one teaspoonful was fine this time.  Going forward I will probably add 2 tsp.

Thanks,

Marc

[In Canada eh]

Gores95

       Congratulations on the new tub

I think you should remove the soon to be part under you signature

[kervis]

I just read the part about you having daughters....

Don't be the least bit surprised to indeed be adding 1 tsp per person, so 4 tsp total.  

Like others have mentioned previously, you would not believe the thorough cleansing your newbie-spa pores will get.  Depending on the age of your girls, that's lotion and conditioner galore!  

I'd go out right now and check your ppms!

[tomsem]

     I just got a Caldera Niagra and the auto cycle runs five minutes after power up unless you reset it with the set-clean button combo. Then it will run twice per day with 12 hours between them.

      It runs the air pump for one minute, pump 2 for two minutes and pump 1 for 8 or 9 minutes.  It says only once per day in the manual but it isn't updated.  I confirmed mine runs twice per day. The dealer is the one that told me about this.

     I also have two kids and with the wife and I, I have to add about 1Tbs. and sometimes 1 Tps. in addition to get to the 3-5ppm level on the Niagra at 500 gallons.  

[Repeat_Offender]

Not sure I get this "clean cycle". Doesn't your tub clean continualy? Why would you need to initiate a clean cycle? For the first 10 mins of every filter cycle (programmable) my spa runs the jet pumps along with the filter pump. It sounds like this manufacturer operates differently. Can someone explain?

[drewstar]

Not sure I get this "clean cycle". Doesn't your tub clean continualy? Why would you need to initiate a clean cycle? For the first 10 mins of every filter cycle (programmable) my spa runs the jet pumps along with the filter pump. It sounds like this manufacturer operates differently. Can someone explain?

Typically a "clean cycle" is a timed pump feature that runs the big pumps for 10 mintues or so to ensure any chemicals added are fully dispersed and disolved.

After adding dichlor it is recomended that you run the pumps for several minutes, the clean cycle does this and then shuts them off for you (so you don't have to watch the clock and then come back out to turn them off or worse, forget)

It seems that some  tubs also have a daily  clean cycle programed into them, and runs the pumps on high to circualate and aggiatate the water, wether the tub was used or not.

[pg_rider]

Don't you want to leave the cover open during this "clean cycle" (if using dichlor), and therefore you'd need to go back out to the tub anyway to close the cover at which point you could shut off the pumps manually?  Or is it okay to just "dump and run" with the chemicals, closing the cover as soon as you add them?

[drewstar]

Don't you want to leave the cover open during this "clean cycle" (if using dichlor), and therefore you'd need to go back out to the tub anyway to close the cover at which point you could shut off the pumps manually?  Or is it okay to just "dump and run" with the chemicals, closing the cover as soon as you add them?

We debated this a few weeks ago, and most of us agreed the "Dump and Run" method is fine for a post soak dose.

[Gary]

Would it not be better to run a clean cycle about an hour after use and when the spa was off for a little while. That way all the nasty stuff could get to the surface and be skimmed easier. This would have to be automatic so the spa would have to know you used it.

Does anyone make something like that?

[tony]

I run all my pumps for about five minutes after adding dichlor to be sure all the water in the plumbing is sanitized with a fresh dose.  Waiting for the autoclean which turns all pumps and blowers on once per day for a couple of minutes may not do the trick because by the time it comes on, the residual chlorine level may be lower.  Same goes for a clean cycle that only turns one pump on.  Also, be sure diverters are in the mid position to get chlorinated water to all the plumbing.

[windsurfdog]

Don't you want to leave the cover open during this "clean cycle" (if using dichlor), and therefore you'd need to go back out to the tub anyway to close the cover at which point you could shut off the pumps manually?  Or is it okay to just "dump and run" with the chemicals, closing the cover as soon as you add them?

We debated this a few weeks ago, and most of us agreed the "Dump and Run" method is fine for a post soak dose.

I missed the dump and run thread, drewster, but I'd have to say that the intial off-gassing after a fresh dose of dichlor might be a bit stressful on cover and pillows.  I'd like to test your suggestion but my cover and pillows look so good after 2.5 years of venting after a dose that I'd hate to live with the results if they turned out otherwise.  BTW, how 'bout venting after a shock?  I know I do......

[drewstar]

Don't you want to leave the cover open during this "clean cycle" (if using dichlor), and therefore you'd need to go back out to the tub anyway to close the cover at which point you could shut off the pumps manually?  Or is it okay to just "dump and run" with the chemicals, closing the cover as soon as you add them?

We debated this a few weeks ago, and most of us agreed the "Dump and Run" method is fine for a post soak dose.

I missed the dump and run thread, drewster, but I'd have to say that the intial off-gassing after a fresh dose of dichlor might be a bit stressful on cover and pillows.  I'd like to test your suggestion but my cover and pillows look so good after 2.5 years of venting after a dose that I'd hate to live with the results if they turned out otherwise.  BTW, how 'bout venting after a shock?  I know I do......

I think we all agree that venting after shocking is pretty much the thing to do.  And yup, the best thing you can do to prolong the life of pillows and such is to always vent. even after a small dichlor dose.  However, the debate was more "Must you? Or how much damage would it do?  Most folks reported that they close the cover after a dichlor dose and feel comforatbale with it.  Is it the best thing? nah. Acceptable? I think so. But that's just my 2 cents.   Your pillows will probably outlast mine. But for me, I'd rather dump and run than be in the freezing cold. In the summer, I do leave the cover open more often than not when doing a dichlor dose, but in the winter, I close it up and get in the house.