Bleach

[Danhottub]

Hi new here. What kind of bleach can I use for my hot tub? Regular Clorox? Thanks!

 

[atttech-2]

Regular Clorox will certainly work you want the one that says concentrated not splash less or anything with a sent. In my area the 10% pool bleach at home depot is a bit cheaper than the 8.25% concentrated Clorox when you adjust for the increased strength of the pool bleach. Just have to do the math and see what works best for you.

 

[pabeader]

Also, watch the datecode. Bleach loses strength over time and that 10% might actually be lower then the 8.25%. Depending on turnover.

Here is a link: Breakdown of bleach over time by storage temperature - Page 2

 

[Danhottub]

Thanks guys!!! I noticed Clorox release a pool care line. Including chlorinating granules and shock. Anyone try this stuff? Wonder if the chlorinating granules may be better than the bleach. Or if it's the same thing just for more $

 

[pabeader]

Our suggestion is to only use liquid bleach or liquid chlorine. All powered chlorine products add extra stuff that you may not want.

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There is a use for the powdered forms. One type will add CYA, another will add calcium. There is a third kind but it is extra expensive and not much discussed.

There is a neat helper tool at the bottom of the Pool Math page that explains which adds what and how much.

 

[Danhottub]

Thanks!! I can also use bleach as a shock if my FC reached zero for a few weeks now right?

 

[pabeader]

Do you see algae? If not, you probably don't need to use any extra. Just get back to the proper amount for your CYA level. What are your current readings?

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I just realized that you are in a hottub! I'm not as good with those as others are so you might want to wait to see if there is somebody else that has a different opinion.

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This link might be helpful: How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

If your FC has been at 0 for weeks, shocking the tub may not be enough. You may need to use a product like Ahh-Some to clean out the pipes and pump. Biofilms resistant to chlorine can accumulate in hot tub plumbing. Biofilms can protect pathogens like pseudomonas (hot tub rash) and legionella (Legionnaire's disease) from chlorine.

I suggest you do an Ahh-some treatment followed by a flush and refill. Then chlorinate using the sticky the pabeader posted.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[Danhottub]

I just checked out pool math and adding bleach seems to not only increase FC, but also salt levels. Is that an issue? Will the hot tub become too salty as the salt levels seem to increase in higher increments than FC. Thanks!

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Yes I tried again and adding bleach will increase salt and the salt section says to replace 100% of water. I'm so confused

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The salt section says to replace water because you probably have a "0" in for your Target value. There's values you can input "NOW" and "TARGET". "NOW" is your currently measured value. "TARGET" is where you want that water parameter to go.

At the end of the day, you can ignore salt in a hot tub. Any chemical you add, bleach, acid, etc, will all raise the salt level to some extent. It is minimal and will not affect your hot tub equipment.

 

[JVTrain]

As Matt said, bleach will add salt and FC to your water. The FC is consumed, the salt is not. Most fill water has very low salt and even if you were to not drain and refill your tub for 6 months (3 months is typical) your salt never would never be high enough to even notice. You'd need to add over 12 gallons of bleach over time to a 500 gallon spa to approach the salt concentrations of a SWG pool.

 

[Danhottub]

Awesome!! I just asked a pool store if they had the Taylor k-2006 but they don't. Then I mentioned to him about adding bleach to shock my tub and he said NEVER use bleach. Only use chlorine. I'm pretty sure I trust the forums more but he seemed so adamant that I'm nervous about it now. Taylor k-2006 or tf100?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Awesome!! I just asked a pool store if they had the Taylor k-2006 but they don't. Then I mentioned to him about adding bleach to shock my tub and he said NEVER use bleach. Only use chlorine. I'm pretty sure I trust the forums more but he seemed so adamant that I'm nervous about it now. Taylor k-2006 or tf100?

Well, that just proves he's adamantly ignorant - bleach and liquid chlorine are all the same substance, solutions of sodium hypochlorite. LC sold in pool stores is typically 10-12.5% concentration while supermarket bleach (Clorox brand) is roughly 8.25%. Ignore the pool store fairy tales.

As for which test kit, the TF-100 is probably you best bang for the buck. If you pair it with SpeedStir you might get free shipping. If you become a paying member of TFP, you'll get a coupon code for $ off the TF100. I'm a Taylor guy and shop heavily on Amazon but the chemicals used are exactly the same in both. Can't go wrong with either one.

Get some Ahh-Some too. Since this is an inherited hot tub, I would not want to go dipping in other people's bather waste...yuck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[Danhottub]

Joyfulnoise, thanks so much for your help. I plan on refilling, dichlor, then bleach continuously. However with the pool companies and manuals saying to stay away from bleach. What is the "supposed" right way to do it that doesn't involve bleach? I don't get it. Is it using chlorinating granules? But doesn't that also increase CYA? Shouldn't there be a designated spa chlorine product that works? So people who don't believe in using bleach, how do they do it?!

 

[JVTrain]

People who don't believe in using bleach are just buying into pool store propaganda which is just regurgitated pool chemical manufacturers rep propaganda. They are also people who have not found TFP, as you have. Here, unlike in the industry, we recognize the proven relationship between CYA and proper FC sanitation levels. The fact that someone, with a straight face, would tell you not to use bleach while likely at the same time be selling 10-12.5% liquid pool shock (aka bleach with a slightly higher concentration than household bleach) should tell you all you need to know about their "expertise."

 

[pabeader]

There really isn't a right way that doesn't involve bleach. No matter what you do to get your tub started, you will be using bleach at some point as part of the regular maintenance. I know it seems backwards, but YES, the pool $tore, the manufacture and the manuals are wrong. As Joyful and JV have said, there is no difference between bleach and liquid chlorine.

 

[Danhottub]

I'm so glad I found this site. Thank you all. The chlorine sticky says to also shock using an MPS weekly. Is this necessary if FC is maintained?

Also, if you don't want to chlorine daily can you raise FC a bit higher so you can do it every other day? Will it mess up anything else.

 

[JVTrain]

I don't use MPS at all in my tub, but it can be helpful after heavy bather loads. When I have been gone for several days, up to a week, I have raised the FC to 12 ppm and lowered the temperature. Came back to several FC in the tub each time. As long as you don't drop to 0 FC, no harm to sanitation but aim to keep it at at least 2-3 ppm before your next dose. With no use, 2 ppm per day FC loss is normal, could be higher at higher temps. If your CYA is at 30 ppm, it's not harmful to you or your tub at FC up to 12 ppm. You can use the same relationship as a pool from the CYA/Chlorine chart in my signature for shocking your spa after use or to elevate FC when unable to check for a couple days. Spas can be a bit more of a hassle to maintain because of the higher temperatures than most pools and the much higher bather waste load relative to the water volume.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

MPS is potassium monopersulfate. It's an oxidizer. It is not necessary. Chlorine is both a disinfectant AND a more powerful oxidizer (compared to MPS). Chlorine is more than capable of handling the oxidation of bather waste. Simply use chlorine.

As others have said, the pool and spa store industry is predicated on separating people from their money by selling them expensive chemicals that they do not need. For example, to raise alkalinity you can go to the pool store and buy AlkUp which is baking soda OR you can go to the supermarket and buy a box of Arm&Hammer baking soda for approximately 1/4th the price. The pool store will tell you that you can't use Arm&Hammer in your pool because {insert BS reason here} and then try to sell you the exact same chemical, i.e. Sodium bicarbonate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[chem geek]

Don't forget to start out using Dichlor until you build up the CYA level and then you switch to using bleach. The reason the spa dealers freak out about bleach is that if you were to use only bleach then the chlorine would be too strong/harsh on your spa. By building up CYA with Dichlor (or by adding CYA directly) you significantly moderate chlorine's strength. The other reason they worry about using bleach is that you need to be more careful about rising pH so need to lower the TA to 50 ppm and use 50 ppm Borates for additional pH buffering.