Stain & Scale and other non-TFP-protocol chemicals

[SpaWife]

I'm switching from PoolStore to DIY to finally TFP... and am wondering which chemicals I should toss (defoamers? - I bought 3 different brands, and none worked for me!), use up, or keep. Spa Store sold me on the need for using Stain & Scale and Cleanse (by Natural Chemistry) weekly. I don't see these 2 mentioned at all in TFP protocol. Should I toss them? Keep them in case a need arises?

I have well water, BTW. I use an RV filter when filling or topping off with water.

 

[kimkats]

I have a link for you. It is older but still spot on!

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

If you have a question about any information within this Sticky, please start a new thread for yourself where you will receive very quick responses to your specific questions. Thank you! Introduction There are two main things to consider when maintaining your hot tub water, Water Balance and...

www.troublefreepool.com

Here is a link to the chemicals we might use in our pools or spas. You do NOT have to go buy all of them. Only buy/use what your spa needs:

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

I will also tell you about awww-some which is a pipe cleaner that ALL spas have used on them before they are ever filled for the first time. This link talks about how well it works:

Ahh-some goes head to head with oh yuk

Greetings and biofilm solutions to everyone . I have just completed a head to head shootout between ahh- some and a "new to me" purge product called "oh yuk". You may recall that I performed a series of experiments a few years back and found that ahh-some handily beat out a few other...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[PoolStored]

Annnnnnd, the ones we don't recommend...

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Mdragger88]

Are you currently having foaming problems?
Have you ever noticed a metals problem in your spa or in your home? (Iron stains in the toilet/tub)
Can you post your latest test results
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya

 

[SpaWife]

Annnnnnd, the ones we don't recommend...

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you! The only one on there that I have used is Clarifier (which I've not needed since I ditched the Frog and began testing on my own).

Unless Phosphate Remover is a metal sequestrant? When I was having all sorts of green & cloudy problems, the spa store learned I have well water and they suggested Phosphate Remover. So I have used that every couple of weeks, and my primary problem with green & cloudy water has gone away.

 

[SpaWife]

I have a link for you. It is older but still spot on!

Here is a link to the chemicals we might use in our pools or spas. You do NOT have to go buy all of them. Only buy/use what your spa needs:

I will also tell you about awww-some which is a pipe cleaner that ALL spas have used on them before they are ever filled for the first time. This link talks about how well it works:

Thank you. I have read those links, but appreciate the reminders! I've been using Ahh-some after every purge since I bought the hot tub - it works great!

 

[SpaWife]

Are you currently having foaming problems?
Have you ever noticed a metals problem in your spa or in your home? (Iron stains in the toilet/tub)
Can you post your latest test results

I haven't really had foam since ditching the Frog. I'm light on the detergent when I do use it on swimsuits, and we're light on the toiletries too.

I don't know what metals problems look like in the spa (besides what my spa store told me, which I stated above). In my home, at the water line in the toilet we get a brown ring that doesn't go away with cleaning/scrubbing. Could that be iron stains? We have well water. We do get massive build-up from hard water, such that our sink valves get stuck and we have to replace them.

I went & tested it just for you.
7 FC
.5 CC
7.6 pH
70 TA
160 CH
I'm new to testing CYA. 40 I can decently clearly see the dot. 30 I can see the dot but it's extremely hazy. I filled my comparator all the way to the top (past 30) and could still kinda almost see the dot. So do you call that 30? I just bought liquid chlorine today (dated July 5, 2023 according to the Julian dating code), so I have it on hand once it's deemed it's time to switch from dichlor.

I purged, drained, & refilled on July 20th. Right before doing that, I found this website and learned about CYA - my CYA was so high it couldn't even register in the comparator with it dilluted in half, so I knew that was my sign to start over. And now I'm on the TFP protocol.

 

[Mdragger88]

I would call the cya 30 for chlorination purposes.
You can try to calculate how much dichlor you have used &
PoolMath effects of adding in the hamburger menu will show you how much cya that added.
Its almost 1:1 with fc.
You can switch to liquid chlorine now.
About 30/40ppm cya is enough. Don’t really wanna go higher as it makes it hard to follow FC/CYA Levels.
With your ch you shouldn’t have a problem with foaming.
I always extra rinse the suits too & no fabric softener.
Those stains do sound like iron so you do probably need a sequestrant but you don’t need a phosphate remover. There are some good ones recommended here

Sequestrant - Further Reading

www.google.com

Btw- Try some barkeepers friend in the toilet- plunge most of the water down , get it good & coated & let it sit a while before scrubbing.

 

[SpaWife]

I would call the cya 30 for chlorination purposes.
You can try to calculate how much dichlor you have used &
PoolMath effects of adding in the hamburger menu will show you how much cya that added.
Its almost 1:1 with fc.
You can switch to liquid chlorine now.
About 30/40ppm cya is enough. Don’t really wanna go higher as it makes it hard to follow FC/CYA Levels.
With your ch you shouldn’t have a problem with foaming.
I always extra rinse the suits too & no fabric softener.
Those stains do sound like iron so you do probably need a sequestrant but you don’t need a phosphate remover. There are some good ones recommended here

Sequestrant - Further Reading

www.google.com

Btw- Try some barkeepers friend in the toilet- plunge most of the water down , get it good & coated & let it sit a while before scrubbing.

Okay, I'll stop with the dichlor and just use bleach now. Now I *really* have to figure out the Effects of Adding! I have no clue how much liquid chlorine (10%) I'm supposed to put in. I assume the app will tell me.

From my log book, I've added (in total) 9 tablespoons of dichlor and 6 tablespoons of non-chlorine shock (MPS) since purging/draining/refilling this hot tub on July 20th.

Thanks for the tip on the toilets - I'll try that!

 

[Mdragger88]

Okay, I'll stop with the dichlor and just use bleach now. Now I *really* have to figure out the Effects of Adding! I have no clue how much liquid chlorine (10%) I'm supposed to put in. I assume the app will tell me.

From my log book, I've added (in total) 9 tablespoons of dichlor and 6 tablespoons of non-chlorine shock (MPS) since purging/draining/refilling this hot tub on July 20th.

Thanks for the tip on the toilets - I'll try that!

Yes- poolmath will tell you

If you get the poolmath subscription you can keep multiple logs. Otherwise it just keeps your last one.

No real need for mps - its a known irritant, it shows as cc’s on the test without the special interference reagent, & it’s only an oxidizer anyway. Chlorine is both an oxidizer and a sanitizer.
Keep fc above minimum at all times & you should be good to go!
FC/CYA Levels

 

[Mdragger88]

P.s. I know fluid ounces (by volume) is not the same as dry ounces (by weight) but the google calculator always works out for me anyway to convert to tsp/tbsp for things like dichlor

 

[SpaWife]

Yes- poolmath will tell you
View attachment 519345View attachment 519346
If you get the poolmath subscription you can keep multiple logs. Otherwise it just keeps your last one.

No real need for mps - its a known irritant, it shows as cc’s on the test without the special interference reagent, & it’s only an oxidizer anyway. Chlorine is both an oxidizer and a sanitizer.
Keep fc above minimum at all times & you should be good to go!
FC/CYA Levels

WOW!!!! Thank you for stepping me through that - I really appreciate it.

I've just experimented with the Effect of Adding, and it was so very helpful.

 

[Mdragger88]

If you have a poolmath subscription & keep logs of all your tests & additions there is also a summary function that you can select specific dates & it will tell you how much of what you have added & its cumulative effect during that time.

 

[SpaWife]

If you have a poolmath subscription & keep logs of all your tests & additions there is also a summary function that you can select specific dates & it will tell you how much of what you have added & its cumulative effect during that time.
View attachment 519863

That's fancy! Thank you. I signed up for the deluxe version of the app, so I will have to explore that part.