Spa vacation prep

[cpd5215]

Hey all,

We will be going on a week long vacation next week. We will have someone here watching our dogs that can help out with the spa but I want to try to minimize the work they have to do to care for the spa while we are gone. From what I understand from reading on here, I should:

1.) Lower the temp(I can go down to 80)
2.) Raise FC to shock level(CYA is around 30, so FC maybe 12?)

Any other suggestions?

Also on a water chemistry note, I have been running the dichlor and bleach method now for 2.5 months. Not an issue at all to complain about. I love it.
My numbers when I started were
pH-7.6
TA-60
CH-125

Over the past two months TA and pH have slowly risen. Todays numbers:;
pH-7.8
TA-100(might be 90 The water is light red at 9 drops, but I do notice a stronger color intensity of red when I add that 10th drop)
FC-6
CC-.5


From what I remember reading on here, it is normal to have a slow rise of pH and TA over time.

So in preparation for vacation Id like to adjust these numbers if you guys think I should before I go. What do you guys think and what chemicals should I use to adjust if you think it is necessary?

Thanks again!

 

[pooldv]

Yes, raise FC to shock level with bleach, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. I would go ahead and lower TA back to 50. Also, lowering the temp to 90 or so will save you a few bucks on electricity and use less chlorine.

 

[cpd5215]

Yes, raise FC to shock level with bleach, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. I would go ahead and lower TA back to 50. Also, lowering the temp to 90 or so will save you a few bucks on electricity and use less chlorine.

So if I read correctly, to lower the TA I want to add sodium bisulfate, which I have on hand here. I need to add enough to lower pH to 7.0-7.2 which will lower the TA as well and then aerate for 30 minutes to get the pH back up and then check values again. According to Pool Math I need I need 1.3 oz by weight or .9 by volume of dry acid to lower pH from 7.8 to 7.2...Silly question...if I am using a simple kitchen measuring cup, is that volume or weight....I think volume right? Also, when you referred to lowering temp to 90, are you talking about all the time or when I go on vacation. I can get the temp to 80 for vacation in order to lower the chlorine consumption but obviously that is too low of a temp for the fall time coming up in Ohio. Do I have this right?

 

[pooldv]

Yes, that is correct. You can use dry acid or Muriatic acid. Yes, that is volume. You can use a kitchen scale to measure weight. But, volume is fine.

Yes, drop the temp to 90 while you are on vaca to reduce chlorine consumption.

Here is another version of the process for pools, Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

 

[cpd5215]

Yes, that is correct. You can use dry acid or Muriatic acid. Yes, that is volume. You can use a kitchen scale to measure weight. But, volume is fine.

Yes, drop the temp to 90 while you are on vaca to reduce chlorine consumption.

Here is another version of the process for pools, Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

Perfect. Thanks for the guidance!


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[cpd5215]

Yes, that is correct. You can use dry acid or Muriatic acid. Yes, that is volume. You can use a kitchen scale to measure weight. But, volume is fine.

Yes, drop the temp to 90 while you are on vaca to reduce chlorine consumption.

Here is another version of the process for pools, Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity

I added the dry acid and ran jets for 10 minutes. I tested immediately after and TA is 60 and pH is 7.4. What do you think?
Also, just out of curiosity, will the pH continue to rise throughout the day from the aeration I just did? What if we use the spa later today, will that cause the pH to continue to rise? At what point does the pH top off with my TA at 60.. I am starting to love this water chemistry stuff and trying to understand the science behind it.

Thanks again!

 

[pooldv]

60 is probably fine for now. No, the pH will not continue to rise from the aeration once it is turned off. But, the TA might push the pH up a bit. Having the cover on will help reduce the rise also. PH rise is all about carbon dioxide out gassing to the air. The lower the TA the closer the water and the air are to equilibrium. To a point. Usually 50 is as low as you want to go because less than 50 can allow pH to become erratic. It is possible that your pH will top out at 7.8 with TA at 60, but more likely 50 will be better for holding pH at 7.8.

 

[cpd5215]

Perfect. Thanks for the explanation!


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