First numbers from hot tub fill.

[kris77]

New to me hot tub i just restored. I've done 3 ahh-some treatements the past 2 days. Rinsed it once, then last night i filled it and put some bleach and stabilizer in it overnight.

Ran the jets 30 mins at a time for 3 cycles just to make sure everything worked correctly. Here are my numbers as of this morning....

FC - 6
CH - 125/150. Prob 135-140
TA - 100
pH - 7.8
CYA - 30

pH seems a little high. Anything I can do to adjust that? I fear it will just get higher with aeration. Should my TA be lower?

 

[Richard320]

A little acid will lower the pH and as a side benefit, lower TA slightly. Expect pH to rise quickly with use, because hot tubs have a lot of aeration. Just keep adjusting pH down when it rises. It'll take some adjustment to start measuring chemicals with measuring spoons, but I think you'll manage.

 

[kris77]

Do I need to take TA down to about 50 or 60? What about the Borates? You guys recommend Gentle spa. That will lower pH as well correct? Sorry for all the questions. I have my pool down to a science. But this hot tub is brand new to me.

 

[Richard320]

The TA will come down plenty fast as you deal with the pH. Like I said, there's a whole lot of aeration so you'll be doing the Lowering TA thing without really trying.

I have no experience with borates, and my spa is tied to the pool, so I've never had to deal with any of the uniquely spa stuff. I have no idea what Gentle Spa is.

 

[MPurcell]

Gentle Spa is Sodium Tetraborate Pentahydrate, or essentially the same thing as 20 mule team borax, along with some proprietary ingredients. Their literature claims it is pH neutral, so the other ingredients include presumably enough acid to exactly offset the pH increase caused by the borax. If you want borates in your water, you can use borax from the grocery store along with muriatic acid, or even better, purchase boric acid granules, which are relatively pH neutral. Some people put borates in the spa just for the softer feel of the water, as well as to stabilize pH.