Old hot tub guy looking to learn new tricks...

[jseyfert3]

I see you have a Cal Spa... how do you like it ? We just got a Cal Spa Cancun and am loving it. I don't hear too many talk about having a Cal Spa.

We like it. It came with the house so we didn't pay for it which makes it the best type of hot tub. It's a 2008 model, replaced one pump recently due to bearings. Looks like the shaft seal failed, and caused a bearing failure. I'm currently working on swapping bearings so I can swap the old pump into the spa should a bearing die on the second pump.

If I was buying a tub I'd get a model with adjusting height neck jets, the fixed height neck jets are just too short on the two corner seats that have them. That's our only complaint with it though.

 

[A.O.]

We like it. It came with the house so we didn't pay for it which makes it the best type of hot tub. It's a 2008 model, replaced one pump recently due to bearings. Looks like the shaft seal failed, and caused a bearing failure. I'm currently working on swapping bearings so I can swap the old pump into the spa should a bearing die on the second pump.

If I was buying a tub I'd get a model with adjusting height neck jets, the fixed height neck jets are just too short on the two corner seats that have them. That's our only complaint with it though.

Oh, I’m sure you paid for it.
Never seen adjustable height neck jets. All 4 corner seats on this one have neck jets.. all at different heights

 

[jseyfert3]

Oh, I’m sure you paid for it.
Never seen adjustable height neck jets. All 4 corner seats on this one have neck jets.. all at different heights

Well I did and I didn't.

My spa has a lounge seat, so there's only two corner seats with neck jets. Having 4 at different heights would be one solution.

The adjustable neck jets I've seen at a spa store on some display models, but that dealer did not sell Cal Spa. Seemed like a clever idea though. If I recall they could be extended up above the height of the tub in use (unlike built-in that need to be below the height of the cover).

 

[A.O.]

Well I did and I didn't.
Interesting with those adjustable jets, seems like a good place to leak although I didn't actually see them.

And actually the neck jets on this tub are nothing to brag about but I'm not a big neck jet guy anyway.. now the foot jets, now those guys are great!
Not a big lounger fan either but I know a lot of people are.

Oh, another question.. will the MA bring down my TA also?

nice looking tub, well except the snow part! and looks like some great neck jets!

Tried to post a pic of mine about 5 times.. wont work for some reason.. Heres a little clip of my place

 

[jseyfert3]

And actually the neck jets on this tub are nothing to brag about but I'm not a big neck jet guy anyway.. now the foot jets, now those guys are great!
Not a big lounger fan either but I know a lot of people are.

Yeah I’m not usually a big fan of the neck jets. But with our design they wrap around your neck, which means if you’re tall at all you have to slouch to fit, or it’s uncomfortable. Even my wife at 5’6” cannot sit completely upright...and I’m 6’5”. The problem is those corner seats have the best back massage jets.

We have a single big foot jet in the middle, it’s amazingly powerful and nice to use.

Oh, another question.. will the MA bring down my TA also?

Yes, any acid will lower both pH and TA. You can use the Effects of Adding in PoolMath to see how much the TA will be affected by a certain amount of acid if you’re curious. Be sure to always calculate acid additions by desired pH drop and NOT desired TA drop though or you could easily drop the pH too much which can damage your heater and any other metals in the hot tub.

Heres a little clip of my place

Sweet setup! I like the drone, and that grill looks pretty awesome. Is that a pellet grill and/or other smoker by chance? Oh the spa and pool is nice too!

 

[A.O.]

Yeah I’m not usually a big fan of the neck jets. But with our design they wrap around your neck, which means if you’re tall at all you have to slouch to fit, or it’s uncomfortable. Even my wife at 5’6” cannot sit completely upright...and I’m 6’5”. The problem is those corner seats have the best back massage jets.

We have a single big foot jet in the middle, it’s amazingly powerful and nice to use.


Yes, any acid will lower both pH and TA. You can use the Effects of Adding in PoolMath to see how much the TA will be affected by a certain amount of acid if you’re curious. Be sure to always calculate acid additions by desired pH drop and NOT desired TA drop though or you could easily drop the pH too much which can damage your heater and any other metals in the hot tub.


Sweet setup! I like the drone, and that grill looks pretty awesome. Is that a pellet grill and/or other smoker by chance? Oh the spa and pool is nice too!

 

[A.O.]

I see what you mean on where your head has to go..
We have that big center foot jet also, we like it too, and the 4 corners each have their own pair of smaller foot jets.

Good to know on the MA I'll have to keep track on where PH and TA is going. Thanks.

I got that drone for my 65th birthday in November so I'm still learning how to fly it. Yes, smoker.. regular wood not pellets.. I couldn't find any pellet trees on my place!!

And we are very pleased the way this back yard turned out.

Nice talking with you...

 

[jseyfert3]

Pellet trees. That’s good!

 

[A.O.]

Pellet trees. That’s good!

I do a lot with wood, we have 100 acres here. we heat with wood, and cook with wood, heck I even have a little sawmill and make all my own lumber... but I have NEVER seen one of those elusive pellet trees!

OH, and another hot tub question.. 450 gal, gets used 2x a day by one or both of us. I check the tub after the morning visit so I have good light. I normally have to add about 2 oz Chlorine to get it up to 3-4 from the 1 where it is when I check, and about 1 oz of MA to get the PH down from 8-9 to the 7.4-7.6 range every day (I see today TA is down to 60).. so just continue this till things level off?

 

[A.O.]

So still working on this, TA is down to 50, PH up over 8 every morning , so i add the 1 0z of MA as pool math suggests, drops it to that 7.4 range and then its over 8 the next morning... doesn't seem to be stabilizing.. why not?
Also, does 2.3 oz of 10% chlorine every single day seem right?

 

[santacruzpool]

You could try a little more MA to drop it closer to 7.2 to see how it handles that - it sounds like you are getting closer to it stabilizing.

As far as chlorine goes - that doesn't sound out of the ordinary at all - I have a smaller tub and it needed around 1oz per before I added the SWCG.

 

[A.O.]

You could try a little more MA to drop it closer to 7.2 to see how it handles that - it sounds like you are getting closer to it stabilizing.

As far as chlorine goes - that doesn't sound out of the ordinary at all - I have a smaller tub and it needed around 1oz per before I added the SWCG.

So why does it sound like I’m getting closer to it stabilizing ?

 

[santacruzpool]

Adustments to PH get further and further apart - that means your equilibrium point is closer - but you aren't getting the pH low enough (aim for 7.2) to get there a little quicker.

 

[A.O.]

Adustments to PH get further and further apart - that means your equilibrium point is closer - but you aren't getting the pH low enough (aim for 7.2) to get there a little quicker.

Adjustments are still once a day, not farther apart.. And I'll try lowering to 7.2 and see how that does

 

[jimmythegreek]

Remember the tub had an ozone system so its eating up your free chlorine and combined chlorine all the time. You could add 15ppm and it will be gone in no time without even using the tub.

 

[A.O.]

Remember the tub had an ozone system so its eating up your free chlorine and combined chlorine all the time. You could add 15ppm and it will be gone in no time without even using the tub.

So then whats the point of the ozone? To eat the CC at the cost of eating the FC?

 

[A.O.]

So every day I'm pretty much at 0-1 FC, wondering if I should up my Chlorine content. I've been bringing it up to about 3, raise it to 4-5?
Ph was only up to 7.8 the last two days but my TA is down to about 30.. ok??

Again testing is done after two uses of the tub, I adjust it in the morning after a soak , then it gets used at night and again in the morning, then the new test...

 

[jseyfert3]

So every day I'm pretty much at 0-1 FC, wondering if I should up my Chlorine content. I've been bringing it up to about 3, raise it to 4-5?
Ph was only up to 7.8 the last two days but my TA is down to about 30.. ok??

Again testing is done after two uses of the tub, I adjust it in the morning after a soak , then it gets used at night and again in the morning, then the new test...

What’s your CYA level?

I’d leave the TA alone if the pH is fairly stable. Don’t try to lower the pH either until it gets to 8.

 

[A.O.]

What’s your CYA level?

I’d leave the TA alone if the pH is fairly stable. Don’t try to lower the pH either until it gets to 8.

CYA is about 35-40,
So if the PH is under 8 just leave it be... ok
What about the Chlorine levels? It gets down to almost nothing everyday.

 

[jseyfert3]

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

TFP recommends a target of 3-5 for a CYA of 40, minimum value of 2. To maintain FC levels I find it’s usually helpful to throw in some chlorine after a soak.