Hello from Florida. New Hot Tub Owner

should we do the Ahhsome purge and refill the tub now?
Up to you. It's no worse than the bulk of folks who don't know it's a thing. If you go for it, it can only help maintain things going forward.
wait until May to do the 3 month water change to start over.
That's not a hard rule and is subject to usage and how diligent you maintain the chemistry. Light use and diligent maintenance may extend the date. Heavy use and/or less than stellar maintenance will shorten the date.

The tub will tell you when it starts getting away from you. If it's 1.7 months or 4, cut your losses and dump it. It's often easier said than done, like in February up north, but it's usually still less aggravation in the long run.
 
Since the CYA is crazy high, should we do the Ahhsome purge and refill the tub now?
Yes - with a cya of over 100 the bare minimum your fc should be at any time is 10+
slam/shock level is 40+
FC/CYA Levels
This is very impractical to maintain & will turn south very quickly.
Also, At fc levels above 10ppm ph testing is invalid which further complicates matters (keeping ph in line is important for swimmer comfort as well as protecting your equipment)
Waiting until May is not an option if you want sanitary water & properly maintained equipment.
Trying to save a few hundred gallons of water for months is not worth risking your health & expensive equipment.
Purge Now then follow the guide upon refill 👇
 
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Yes - with a cya of over 100 the bare minimum your fc should be at any time is 10+
slam/shock level is 40+
FC/CYA Levels
This is very impractical to maintain & will turn south very quickly.
Also, At fc levels above 10ppm ph testing is invalid which further complicates matters (keeping ph in line is important for swimmer comfort as well as protecting your equipment)
Waiting until May is not an option if you want sanitary water & properly maintained equipment.
Trying to save a few hundred gallons of water for months is not worth risking your health & expensive equipment.
Purge Now then follow the guide upon refill 👇
Thanks! I kind of figured that was the ideal thing to do. Now I’ve got to test our water using the softener vs using bypass. We did our initial fill with softened water then had to add calcium booster to bring up the CH.
 
Thanks! I kind of figured that was the ideal thing to do. Now I’ve got to test our water using the softener vs using bypass. We did our initial fill with softened water then had to add calcium booster to bring up the CH.
In a standalone spa you really don’t need much ch - just enough to prevent foaming if needed. Anywhere between zilch & 150 is plenty. Too much can cause scaling though. I personally have zilch & have no issues with foaming.
 
In a standalone spa you really don’t need much ch - just enough to prevent foaming if needed. Anywhere between zilch & 150 is plenty. Too much can cause scaling though. I personally have zilch & have no issues with foaming.
Interesting. I read a few articles that said to never used softened water to fill a hot tub because the water is “hungry” for calcium and will leach it from materials in the spa.
 
I read a few articles that said to never used softened water to fill a hot tub because the water is “hungry” for calcium and will leach it from materials in the spa.
Fiberglass pools used to be the same, but modern fiberglass doesn't have those concerns. You likely read old advice which no longer applies.
 
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If people buy it, the industry will sell it.
True, but an ineffective product quickly loses it's market. Heck, even effective but inconvenient ones do. I remember when UV/peroxide was all the rage. Everything has drawbacks, even bleach, and ultimately it comes down to preference.

We are not a spa forum.
Yet. But I'm working on it.😉
I've only been here for a year or so, but in that time I have answered many questions about spas. I have yet to see a thread in which minerals or ozone was the problem. I've seen plenty of them where everyone says they are useless, but offer absolutely no evidence to support that claim that did not originate here. I've seen chemical issues, and troubles with smartchlor that happens to come with a mineral component. But the only real complaints about them stem from the fact that they are not chlorine or bromine and don't do what chlorine does.

Back then the Frog and N2 were just a stick
Still are if you buy them that way, like me.

D1 introduced a system of mineral stick along with something
Bromine. It was really no different than the spa frog floater, they just put an inline dispenser.

why use minerals when chlorine can take care of whatever quickly.
And that's the same logic used here today. I could just say "cryptosporidium" and be done with it, or mention it's effectiveness at preventing biofilm, or inquire if you have ever forgotten your weekly (or more) chlorine dose during periods of non-use, or point out that ANY "kill time" for pathogens indicates a cessation of growth (so it's like birth control for pathogens before it destroys them via hardening of the cell wall, incidentally preventing the very thing that makes 24/7 ozone ineffective), but instead let me ask you a few questions. How many ppm of chlorine are you going to turn to chloramines when you get in your spa? Will it be the same tomorrow, or next week? What if you have guests? What level of FC do you need to start with to have any left when you get out? Is it safe and not unpleasant? How much do you need to add after use to destroy any remaining pathogens if your FC is zero? And if your FC is reduced to 0, what exactly is protecting you anyway? If you can answer these questions, that logic may be nearly correct in your case. But in my experience, the fact that you are on this forum puts you leagues ahead of 99% of spa owners, and for them I recommend everything that does ANY good. If you had seen what I have I am sure you would agree. If there were more ways, I'd recommend those too.

with a stick eroding slowly
The majority is released in the first week, the rest maintains the level, theoretically. That's why you need a new one if you change your water even before the 4 month mark.

at that time a spa's ozone system was not the same type of system used for purifying drinking water
Yes, it was. That's where they borrowed it from. And in most cases, ozone is used after chlorine sanitation to remove the byproducts (cc) and any remaining excess fc, just as in a spa. The other sytems utilized much better (more expensive) equipment of course, as they were municipal water supplies treating millions of gallons. But the equipment used in a good ozone system is more than sufficient for a spa, and worth the cost for those who enjoy the benefits.

The microscopic analogy was similar to the space between the earth and the moon and yes things bump into them but that's few and far between.
That is the worst anology I've ever heard. Who told you that? I'd love a reference on that one.

the forum I was on there was a Microbiologist
Yeah, I've had this discussion with waterbear too. I know what I know from my own experience, from 26 years in the field and almost always owning several flip tubs (I have 4 right now). I am no chemist or microbiologist, but I know what works for me, and if you want to add more chlorine than I use it won't hurt a bit. Ozone, nature2, chlorine. Easy. I only treat it after use, or once a week (in the rare event my kids aren't in it for that long) when I balance (a splash of acid usually). Much different than the chemical slavery I experience when running a tub without ozone and nature2 or some type of feeder (which have their own list of problems). Though, if forced to choose, I'd pick 24/7 ozone over silver ion every time.

Ahhsome was very interesting as before that the only way to "clean" the pipes was with very high chlorine levels.
There are other purge products, they just don't work very well. When I started here I did not recommend them. @Ahhsomeguy talked a good talk, so I challenged him to put his money where his mouth was and prove it on an old leaker I had in that was going to be getting alot of pipes cut. I took before and after pics inside the pipes. You'll notice that I now recommend ahhsome.
Dealers or anyone who sells product need to sell stuff to people.
I do not sell these products, or most parts for that matter. I can't compete with online pricing. I have no interest in any of these companies success or failure. I recommend them because I use them and know they work, and like happy customers.

who were regulars seemed to have issues with their water
Anyone who takes the time to learn can do it, it's not chemistry or anything.😉 And as I have said before, people have been managing just fine forever with chlorine, you do not "need" these. But they sure are nice to have in the opinion of countless spa owners out there who have never nor will ever hear about this forum.

have to respectfully disagree with ozone .
I don't even know where to begin.
Ok, ozone started out in D1, where at first it was pumped by a small diaphram pump into a mixing chamber through a diffuser bulb and gassed off through a charcoal filter lid. It was moderately effective mainly due to the extremely low flow rate of the system, but ozone exposure was great in the chamber. Hot springs and Sundance used laing (or grundfos) circulation pumps to drive their 24/7 ozone systems, and these were so effective it became hard to sell a tub without one. So everyone started slapping in ozonators (to say they had one) without the necessary 24/7 injection, diffusers (mixing chambers), flow rate, and pipe length to make it work. These eat covers and pillows, and do almost nothing for your water (like your anology in space). If you look at any of my posts about ozone, you'll see that I specify a 24/7 system, which are all properly plumbed. Most new tubs that I'm aware of are plumbed ok, but still if running off of the main pump will be ineffective due to low flow and timed use.

Bleach was thought to be bad to use
More accurately, bleach (or any liquid chlorine) and often liquid acid are restricted by warranty and have been for decades. This is a result of warranty claims resulting from their use. Bromine was the recommended product for spas.
You likely read old advice which no longer applies.
Perhaps, but it's advice I still give as I have never heard anything to the contrary. And fiberglass/acrylic are not the only materials in a spa to be concerned with. I don't know that science, so feel it better to be safe than sorry.
 
. I could just say "cryptosporidium" and be done with it,
Crypto is incredibly rare, almost to the point of being rarer than rare. It will never matter for the overwhelming majority of users.

I know you prefer off forum verification but most legit studies are now hidden behind pay walls and that's all I ever find when i try. :(. This thread lists the various kill times from when it was all still free info.

 
Crypto is incredibly rare, almost to the point of being rarer than rare. It will never matter for the overwhelming majority of users.

I know you prefer off forum verification but most legit studies are now hidden behind pay walls and that's all I ever find when i try. :(. This thread lists the various kill times from when it was all still free info.

Do you have this bookmarked? I know I need to!😁
 
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True, but an ineffective product quickly loses it's market. Heck, even effective but inconvenient ones do. I remember when UV/peroxide was all the rage. Everything has drawbacks, even bleach, and ultimately it comes down to preference.


Yet. But I'm working on it.😉
I've only been here for a year or so, but in that time I have answered many questions about spas. I have yet to see a thread in which minerals or ozone was the problem. I've seen plenty of them where everyone says they are useless, but offer absolutely no evidence to support that claim that did not originate here. I've seen chemical issues, and troubles with smartchlor that happens to come with a mineral component. But the only real complaints about them stem from the fact that they are not chlorine or bromine and don't do what chlorine does.


Still are if you buy them that way, like me.


Bromine. It was really no different than the spa frog floater, they just put an inline dispenser.


And that's the same logic used here today. I could just say "cryptosporidium" and be done with it, or mention it's effectiveness at preventing biofilm, or inquire if you have ever forgotten your weekly (or more) chlorine dose during periods of non-use, or point out that ANY "kill time" for pathogens indicates a cessation of growth (so it's like birth control for pathogens before it destroys them via hardening of the cell wall, incidentally preventing the very thing that makes 24/7 ozone ineffective), but instead let me ask you a few questions. How many ppm of chlorine are you going to turn to chloramines when you get in your spa? Will it be the same tomorrow, or next week? What if you have guests? What level of FC do you need to start with to have any left when you get out? Is it safe and not unpleasant? How much do you need to add after use to destroy any remaining pathogens if your FC is zero? And if your FC is reduced to 0, what exactly is protecting you anyway? If you can answer these questions, that logic may be nearly correct in your case. But in my experience, the fact that you are on this forum puts you leagues ahead of 99% of spa owners, and for them I recommend everything that does ANY good. If you had seen what I have I am sure you would agree. If there were more ways, I'd recommend those too.


The majority is released in the first week, the rest maintains the level, theoretically. That's why you need a new one if you change your water even before the 4 month mark.


Yes, it was. That's where they borrowed it from. And in most cases, ozone is used after chlorine sanitation to remove the byproducts (cc) and any remaining excess fc, just as in a spa. The other sytems utilized much better (more expensive) equipment of course, as they were municipal water supplies treating millions of gallons. But the equipment used in a good ozone system is more than sufficient for a spa, and worth the cost for those who enjoy the benefits.


That is the worst anology I've ever heard. Who told you that? I'd love a reference on that one.


Yeah, I've had this discussion with waterbear too. I know what I know from my own experience, from 26 years in the field and almost always owning several flip tubs (I have 4 right now). I am no chemist or microbiologist, but I know what works for me, and if you want to add more chlorine than I use it won't hurt a bit. Ozone, nature2, chlorine. Easy. I only treat it after use, or once a week (in the rare event my kids aren't in it for that long) when I balance (a splash of acid usually). Much different than the chemical slavery I experience when running a tub without ozone and nature2 or some type of feeder (which have their own list of problems). Though, if forced to choose, I'd pick 24/7 ozone over silver ion every time.


There are other purge products, they just don't work very well. When I started here I did not recommend them. @Ahhsomeguy talked a good talk, so I challenged him to put his money where his mouth was and prove it on an old leaker I had in that was going to be getting alot of pipes cut. I took before and after pics inside the pipes. You'll notice that I now recommend ahhsome.

I do not sell these products, or most parts for that matter. I can't compete with online pricing. I have no interest in any of these companies success or failure. I recommend them because I use them and know they work, and like happy customers.


Anyone who takes the time to learn can do it, it's not chemistry or anything.😉 And as I have said before, people have been managing just fine forever with chlorine, you do not "need" these. But they sure are nice to have in the opinion of countless spa owners out there who have never nor will ever hear about this forum.


I don't even know where to begin.
Ok, ozone started out in D1, where at first it was pumped by a small diaphram pump into a mixing chamber through a diffuser bulb and gassed off through a charcoal filter lid. It was moderately effective mainly due to the extremely low flow rate of the system, but ozone exposure was great in the chamber. Hot springs and Sundance used laing (or grundfos) circulation pumps to drive their 24/7 ozone systems, and these were so effective it became hard to sell a tub without one. So everyone started slapping in ozonators (to say they had one) without the necessary 24/7 injection, diffusers (mixing chambers), flow rate, and pipe length to make it work. These eat covers and pillows, and do almost nothing for your water (like your anology in space). If you look at any of my posts about ozone, you'll see that I specify a 24/7 system, which are all properly plumbed. Most new tubs that I'm aware of are plumbed ok, but still if running off of the main pump will be ineffective due to low flow and timed use.


More accurately, bleach (or any liquid chlorine) and often liquid acid are restricted by warranty and have been for decades. This is a result of warranty claims resulting from their use. Bromine was the recommended product for spas.

Perhaps, but it's advice I still give as I have never heard anything to the contrary. And fiberglass/acrylic are not the only materials in a spa to be concerned with. I don't know that science, so feel it better to be safe than sorry.
My experience with one tub is nothing compared to your experience with 100's of tubs. My tub along with almost all the other tubs back in 2005 had an inefficient ozone system. I doubt back then with the possible exception of D1 that the ozone had enough time to work efficiently. My 30 second mixing time was probably overestimated as far as a bubble of ozone being in contact with water. My tub has a 24/7 circ pump so it injected ozone all the time. The question becomes how to measure the efficiency of the ozone system in any tub? The analogy of space was tossed around in a different forum.

It appears you are a tech so I wasn't referring to you but all industries sell things that aren't needed.

Is waterbear a Microbiologist? I wasn't talking about that person but a different person who was never on this forum. I don't know of any discussions about tub disinfection with waterbear. Chemgeek did speak of it. I believe Chemgeek have a discussion with the Microbiologist I am talking about at some point, I forget what was said.

I wasn't a slave to my tub as well following the advice of the Microbiologist. My regiment was different than what is given here so I'm not opening up that can of worms! Anyway, without ozone and minerals I would dose my water in between uses, water was always clean and had a residue of chlorine in it. If we were having people over and they were going to use it I would have enough chlorine before they got in and added more inbetween and once they got out. I made sure all my jets were on to get chlorine into nooks and crannies of the jet system. Once a week or so I would use more chlorine than normal to "super disinfect" the tub. Was this needed, who knows but it made me feel better. Once Ahhsome came along I included that every other refill. Speaking of refill, if the tub was used a lot for a party, a dump and refill was my go to solution for the water.

I 110% agree that people who seek good advice have a better experience and less issues than others who just buy something and don't educate themselves. I guess responding to a call and seeing a nasty looking tub I too would throw everything at it to get it safe. I remember many people coming to the forum I was on with hot tub rash due to improper sanitation. Like I said the regulars on that forum didn't have issues with their water only the newbies did and once they learned they didn't have an issue - which is exactly your point of participating in a forum like this

At this point in time my tub is drained and not used, I need to replace the therapy pumps. It is nasty looking and if/when I replace the pumps I will certainly do an Ahhsome purge X3 😅 along with a high bleach disinfection to kill everything (OK almost everything).
 
I guess responding to a call and seeing a nasty looking tub I too would throw everything at it to get it safe.
+1. Rdspaguy has a unique vantage point and I personally appreciate where he's coming from even when we disagree.

TFP isn't full of his regular service route customers, but that doesn't make him unsee all the things he's seen. :puker: :ROFLMAO:
 
will never matter for the overwhelming majority of users.
I can say that about many things, but who wants to be 1 in a million?

thread lists the various kill times from when it was all still free info.
Great link! From what I'm seeing, there are several pathogens that copper/silver is ineffective against, 2 that it's more effective than chlorine, one that compares different things (cysts vs amoeba), and a few that it apparently has not been tested on (noted by a ?), and most that it does in hours what chlorine does in minutes.
I remain unconvinced, and stand by my argument. It's not a chlorine replacement, but has use and value in a spa. Coupled with a good ozone system that's turning over the volume 5 times (for 99% exposure) in a couple of hours, and it's a wonder you need any chlorine in it at all when it's not in use with the cover closed.
doubt back then with the possible exception of D1
Hot Springs and Sundance. And they started using them in the early 90's. A tech friend of mine just called me yesterday to walk him through a '93 D1 with air pump ozone. He couldn't figure out what moved water through the heater, not realizing it is the air pump. It had a steel heater and bottom-mounted diffuser, so it's second gen on that system, in 1993. By 2005, everybody stuck in an ozone as a marketing strategy without doing it right, which is when ozone got a bad reputation. By 2005 you couldn't find a tub without ozone, but still it was D1, Sundance (bought by Jacuzzi for their system), and Hot Springs (technically hot springs parent company, watkins manufacturing, who were using this system in Caldera spas too by then).


The question becomes how to measure the efficiency of the ozone system in any tub?
Disconnect it. If you were following manufacturers recommendations you will notice it within days, a week at most, on a good system. The biggest thing ozone does is destroy cc and fc, so if you test the day after use/treatment (or several hours, really) you'll find both still present where before they would have been 0.5ppm fc and 0cc. If you're not watching for it (as in it burns out unexpectedly) you will have a mysterious issue (cloudy, smelly, foamy, etc), be told to use more chlorine, purge, shock, whatever, and have to maintain fc and shock more frequently (depending on use). After a week or two of playing with it, you'll have converted to straight chlorine (or whatever solution you find) and forget about it. Later when I'm at your house for something else I'll ask if you want to replace your ozonator, and you'll say "I never knew it went out.", which, while technically true, is not really the case.

wasn't referring to you but all industries sell
I understand, I just like to be clear for any future readers that I have no personal stake in whether or not you use anything in your spa. I am here to help people with my experience, for which I ask, and recieve, no compensation whatsoever. If I am recommending something it is because I believe in it.

I wasn't talking about that person but a different person
Sorry, my mistake. I thought I knew who you meant. He's a very knowledgeable guy, not sure his job title, who was around alot on those earlier forums, and still is some on another forum. Great guy. We've had many lengthy discussions on these topics.

My regiment was different than what is given here so I'm not opening up that can of worms!
🤣🤣🤣 I live in that can of worms. I'm slowly dragging a few others down with me.😉

more inbetween
With people in the water? Ok for bleach perhaps, but I wouldn't recommend it for higher concentrations or granules.

guess responding to a call and seeing a nasty looking tub I too would throw everything at it to get it safe.
Don't get me started. I have a strong stomach, but I've vomited on jobs more than once, and walked away from many that I refused to touch in that condition. People, in my experience, are gross, lazy, and forgetful. That's a recipe for trouble in a spa.
 
With people in the water? Ok for bleach perhaps, but I wouldn't recommend it for higher concentrations or granules.
HAHAHA, No but when they got out to eat or took a break from the tub.

Hot Springs and Sundance. And they started using them in the early 90's. A tech friend of mine just called me yesterday to walk him through a '93 D1 with air pump ozone. He couldn't figure out what moved water through the heater, not realizing it is the air pump. It had a steel heater and bottom-mounted diffuser, so it's second gen on that system, in 1993. By 2005, everybody stuck in an ozone as a marketing strategy without doing it right, which is when ozone got a bad reputation. By 2005 you couldn't find a tub without ozone, but still it was D1, Sundance (bought by Jacuzzi for their system), and Hot Springs (technically hot springs parent company, watkins manufacturing, who were using this system in Caldera spas too by then).
So my tub is 2005 vintage, I had a UV ozonator, no mixing chamber or anything other than the O3 bubbles being injected into the return tubing from the circ pump. I'm sure the output was weak from the start and as it got worse I didn't notice! Maybe things have changed for the better, back then on the forum nothing was said about a good ozone system other than D1. I was unaware that other manufacturers had good systems, it sounded like they were like mine except using electronic O3 generators.

Sorry, my mistake. I thought I knew who you meant. He's a very knowledgeable guy, not sure his job title, who was around alot on those earlier forums, and still is some on another forum. Great guy. We've had many lengthy discussions on these topics.
🤣🤣🤣 I live in that can of worms. I'm slowly dragging a few others down with me.😉
No problems, I know the name and if I remember correctly he is a wealth of information. The Microbiologist I'm talking about had his own lab and tested his water to come up with the system he used. Back then most people who knew of him used his system. If I can get my tub up & running I plan on still using his system. The only difference would be instead of using strictly dichlor like we did back in 2005 I would use the dichlor/bleach method which I used after speaking to chemgeek.

Don't get me started. I have a strong stomach, but I've vomited on jobs more than once, and walked away from many that I refused to touch in that condition. People, in my experience, are gross, lazy, and forgetful. That's a recipe for trouble in a spa.
I don't blame you for refusal, people sometimes think it's your job to take care of their stupidity! I work on medical equipment and I have seen it there too ... it's amazing what they think I should do, when I tell them nope they do get quite upset!😂
 
like they were like mine except using electronic O3 generators.
Early on they were all UV. Cal introduced the first cartridge ozone to spas, on a system that destroys covers. But again, effectiveness is about more than just ozone output, it's about water contact. A high concentration in large bubbles, or not kept in contact long enough, does no good. That's why so many ozone systems don't work. It takes the right equipment plumbed and operated the right way. Also, if output is too high for the rate of injection it can damage the equipment in a variety of ways.

work on medical equipment
Did a bit of that on the side for a guy who bought from hospitals here and shipped overseas. Took apart an MRI machine once. That was fun.🙄
 
Short recommendation - stop using the frog. Stop using dichlor on a regular basis - use it only when you need to add CYA.

When you get your test kit, you are going to measure FC and CC, and have a heart attack. The type of chlorine used in the frog system registers as CC in the Taylor tests, you are going to measure CCs off the chart. There is a chemical you can add to the test to remove the interference from the Frog chlorine, but it is not going to come with your k2006.

Many people on these forums, myself included, tried the Frog system. It is easier, cheaper, and much more reliable to just measure your spa chemistry and add what it needs. Dichlor to bring up both FC and CYA until CYA reaches an acceptable level, and then bleach for FC after that. Muriatic acid to get your pH in check until your TA settles in. pH in a tub tends to rise on it's own because of the aeriation.

If you have foaming issues, boosting your CH can help.

Purge with AhhSome

That is really all there is to it.
We purged with Ahhsome yesterday and are in the process of getting the water balanced. Our source water has 180 ppm alkalinity, so I’m currently trying to lower that with a product from Pinch A Penny for spas called Solus pH Down . (It is liquid Sodium Bisulfate.) My pH is 8. I added some dichlor last night and my FC is 5ppm right now. I have a question regarding calculating CYA based on the dosage of dichlor rather than testing, as I’ve seen this mentioned. I know that it says that 10ppm of FC is equal to 9 ppm CYA. When I’m adding the dichlor, is the only way to know how many ppm of FC I added is to test for the FC reading after dosing? Or does a certain amount of dichlor equate to a particular number of FC? I checked the “Effects of Adding” on the Pool Math app and I had added 3 Tablespoons of Dichlor…the equivalent in ounces is was 1.5. The app said that that would have increased FC by 12 and CYA by 11.

I hope that isn’t too stupid of a question! Thank you!!
 
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We purged with Ahhsome yesterday and are in the process of getting the water balanced. Our source water has 180 ppm alkalinity, so I’m currently trying to lower that with a product from Pinch A Penny for spas called Solus pH Down . (It is liquid Sodium Bisulfate.) My pH is 8. I added some dichlor last night and my FC is 5ppm right now. I have a question regarding calculating CYA based on the dosage of dichlor rather than testing, as I’ve seen this mentioned. I know that it says that 10ppm of FC is equal to 9 ppm CYA. When I’m adding the dichlor, is the only way to know how many ppm of FC I added is to test for the FC reading after dosing? Or does a certain amount of dichlor equate to a particular number of FC? I checked the “Effects of Adding” on the Pool Math app and I had added 3 Tablespoons of Dichlor…the equivalent in ounces is was 1.5. The app said that that would have increased FC by 12 and CYA by 11.

I hope that isn’t too stupid of a question! Thank you!!
Count your current cya as 11 - then add to that what effects of adding says for the next dichlor dose or two. Then you should have enough to actually test.
For fc you do wanna test afterwards to see that you got what you’re expecting so you know it will last you until you test/dose again.
To be clear- using the effects of adding cya estimate is fine for cya until you think there’s enough to test for.
For fc & ph you wanna confirm with testing.
 
We purged with Ahhsome yesterday and are in the process of getting the water balanced. Our source water has 180 ppm alkalinity, so I’m currently trying to lower that with a product from Pinch A Penny for spas called Solus pH Down . (It is liquid Sodium Bisulfate.) My pH is 8. I added some dichlor last night and my FC is 5ppm right now. I have a question regarding calculating CYA based on the dosage of dichlor rather than testing, as I’ve seen this mentioned. I know that it says that 10ppm of FC is equal to 9 ppm CYA. When I’m adding the dichlor, is the only way to know how many ppm of FC I added is to test for the FC reading after dosing? Or does a certain amount of dichlor equate to a particular number of FC? I checked the “Effects of Adding” on the Pool Math app and I had added 3 Tablespoons of Dichlor…the equivalent in ounces is was 1.5. The app said that that would have increased FC by 12 and CYA by 11.

I hope that isn’t too stupid of a question! Thank you!!

CYA pretty much never changes until you change your water. It will drift down in a hot tub over time, but not at a very fast rate.

It is not so much that 10 ppm of FC = 9 of CYA. It is that the chemical composition of dichlor is such that adding one ounce of it to 350 gallons will increase FC by 12 ppm, CYA by 11 ppm, lower pH by 0.5 and raise salt by 9.7

Now those changes will take effect pretty much right after you add the dichlor. However 4 hours from that time, your CYA and Salt will still be changed by the same amount - they pretty much do not change. Your FC will likely have gone down, as it does over time. And your pH may or may not have changed (depending on if your jets were on, and where your TA is at)

What this means, is that if you use poll math, and you add a certain amount of Dichlor, you will know at that moment, how much CYA and FC you have added. However, after a certain amount of time, you will no longer know where your FC is at. It will drop on it's own, it will drop more if you have something organic consuming it, it will also drop if you are running ozone.

I myself never test right after adding chemicals. I test before hand quite often, but not after. Based on pool math, I know what things should be after I add stuff.
 
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CYA pretty much never changes until you change your water. It will drift down in a hot tub over time, but not at a very fast rate.

It is not so much that 10 ppm of FC = 9 of CYA. It is that the chemical composition of dichlor is such that adding one ounce of it to 350 gallons will increase FC by 12 ppm, CYA by 11 ppm, lower pH by 0.5 and raise salt by 9.7

Now those changes will take effect pretty much right after you add the dichlor. However 4 hours from that time, your CYA and Salt will still be changed by the same amount - they pretty much do not change. Your FC will likely have gone down, as it does over time. And your pH may or may not have changed (depending on if your jets were on, and where your TA is at)

What this means, is that if you use poll math, and you add a certain amount of Dichlor, you will know at that moment, how much CYA and FC you have added. However, after a certain amount of time, you will no longer know where your FC is at. It will drop on it's own, it will drop more if you have something organic consuming it, it will also drop if you are running ozone.

I myself never test right after adding chemicals. I test before hand quite often, but not after. Based on pool math, I know what things should be after I add stuff.
Thanks!
 
I notice that in Pool Math, my choices when adding a chemical to lower pH and TA is either, “Dry Acid” or Muriatic Acid. I have a liquid product from Pinch a Penny for spas called pH Down that is sodium bisulfate. I’ve seen that sodium bisulfate is commonly called “dry acid.” I’ve been selecting that even though I have a liquid form. I wonder if it is diluted, though since it is liquified. I’m almost out of it and wondering if I should buy muriatic acid instead? Thanks!
 

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