When to Add Gentle Spa

[Krooz]

Going to do my first water change on our Bromine sanitized hot tub - it's been staying nice and clear using MPS and the occasional Chlorine hit but figure it's due.

So, I printed out the sticky on the setup to do it right (no Bromide bank to start on the first fill). I plan to add Gentle Spa on this go 'round and I was wondering when to add it? I'm guessing once I have everything balanced(?) but I'm not sure. I'm figuring this order:

1) Bromide Bank and chlorine to get the bromine to proper level
2) TA, then PH, then CH
3) Gentle Spa to "lock" things in

Thanks for any correction to my plan.....

 

[pooldv]

Check out this sticky, it references adding Gentle Spa/borates. I would add it last.

How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

I use chlorine and borates in my tub and the borates make the water a little nicer. I don't know why they do not recommend adding borates on the how to use bromine in your spa sticky.

 

[chem geek]

Gentle Spa is apparently not very pH balanced so will raise the pH quite a bit and need acid to bring it down (though not as much as if you used Borax instead). If you want to add something that is closer to pH neutral and is probably less expensive as well, consider using boric acid from DudaDiesel or The Chemistry Store.

 

[pooldv]

That is interesting, the how to chlorinate your spa sticky says: The easiest way to add Borates to your tub is to get a product called Gentle Spa. It is pH balanced, so there is no need to add acid to counter balance it.*

Maybe we need to change it?

 

[chem geek]

Yes, it should be changed. That's leftover from the original writeup from Nitro. Originally Gentle Spa was more pH balanced, possibly being more boric acid, but at some point it changed and we found better less expensie sources for boric acid.

 

[Krooz]

OK, well, I have Gentle Spa on the way already - so maybe I add it first and then adjust the PH?

 

[chem geek]

I'd add part of it, not all at once, then check the pH and adjust, etc.

 

[Krooz]

Makes sense - thanks!

 

[Krooz]

OK, did the water change out today. After filling I added the Bromide bank and tossed in 3.5 oz of 8.25%C. Added half of the Gentle spa and tested pH at 8. Lowered it per the Taylor guide targeting 7.6. Added the rest of the chemicals and the other half of Gentle Spa. Tested the pH again and again had to lower it. Anyway I end up with the following:

Br @ 5ppm
pH @ 7.4
TA @ 90
CH @ 160

I'm pretty pleased with how this went and anxious to see how things go with the Gentle Spa treatment.

Thanks for all the advice - this site is great!

 

[Krooz]

OK, did the water change out today. After filling I added the Bromide bank and tossed in 3.5 oz of 8.25%C. Added half of the Gentle spa and tested pH at 8. Lowered it per the Taylor guide targeting 7.6. Added the rest of the chemicals and the other half of Gentle Spa. Tested the pH again and again had to lower it. Anyway I end up with the following:

Br @ 5ppm
pH @ 7.4
TA @ 90
CH @ 160

I'm pretty pleased with how this went and anxious to see how things go with the Gentle Spa treatment.

Thanks for all the advice - this site is great!

 

[pooldv]

Alright! Here's to good hot tubbin!

 

[ScubaJules]

That is interesting, the how to chlorinate your spa sticky says: The easiest way to add Borates to your tub is to get a product called Gentle Spa. It is pH balanced, so there is no need to add acid to counter balance it.*

Maybe we need to change it?

I know this is old and has been answered. After reading this forum and seeing the borates topic in a variety of places, I decided to do some "research". Hopefully, this will provide some current information.

Currently (2018) ProTeam no longer lists the ingredients of Gentle Spa on their MSDS sheet, claiming "trade secret". So, if anyone else has been searching for ways to add borates - I would just take it that the formula has changed and go a different route.

I'm only basing this on reading the forum, comparing the dates of the posts, and current research of the product. I have not tried Gentle Spa.

 

[Wineguy5942]

I know this is old and has been answered. After reading this forum and seeing the borates topic in a variety of places, I decided to do some "research". Hopefully, this will provide some current information.

Currently (2018) ProTeam no longer lists the ingredients of Gentle Spa on their MSDS sheet, claiming "trade secret". So, if anyone else has been searching for ways to add borates - I would just take it that the formula has changed and go a different route.

I'm only basing this on reading the forum, comparing the dates of the posts, and current research of the product. I have not tried Gentle Spa.

View attachment 83768

I wanted to further update this information on this old thread with a different perspective. Even though the MSDS has changed, you should note that the two components are both listed under inorganic borate compounds for the exposure limits. So I'm sure its still adding borates to the water, even if the ratio has changed

 

[Mdragger88]

I wanted to further update this information on this old thread with a different perspective. Even though the MSDS has changed, you should note that the two components are both listed under inorganic borate compounds for the exposure limits. So I'm sure its still adding borates to the water, even if the ratio has changed

The issue isn’t that the borates aren’t still there it’s whatever else gets added as “trade secret “ & it’s unpredictable effects on ph.

 

[Wineguy5942]

The issue isn’t that the borates aren’t still there it’s whatever else gets added as “trade secret “ & it’s unpredictable effects on ph.

Ok that makes sense. I guess it would be easy enough to call up the company and ask if the formula has changed...?

 

[Mdragger88]

Ok that makes sense. I guess it would be easy enough to call up the company and ask if the formula has changed...?

They likely won’t give u tangible specifics - this is why most hide behind “trade secret” or “proprietary formula” type wording.
It has been noted in the past & quite recently that gentle spa is not ph neutral.
It’s much simpler & cheaper to just use boric acid as a means of adding borates.
You can easily determine the effects a boric acid addition will have on your water via PoolMath