Question about ph color

[amoses]

I have not kept up with my spa like I should. I mean, I shock it regularly and the bromine level is okay, but when I checked the ph tonight, the water never did turn red, it was yellow like the bromine color. I redid the test, adding 5 drops of the 0014 to the test kit and it was very yellow. Is this indicative of low ph? should I increase it? Water looks great!

Aaron

Morgan Spa - Malibu 375 gallons

 

[PaulR]

Yes, yellow does sound like really low pH. I would use borax to raise the pH; assume it's 6.8 for purposes of figuring out how much. Give it a couple hours after adding before you test pH again.

What do you use for shocking?
--paulr

 

[amoses]

I use Spa Gaurd products. The shock is "Enhanced Shock". I have never had problemes with my water in my spa so I have never bothered with converting to BBB in it like I did my pool. This is the first time my ph has been low like this. normally it is high rather than low.

I will get some borax and start raising it up. Thanks.

 

[PaulR]

"Enhanced Shock" appears to be basically dichlor, which is acidic; that might be one source of the pH problem. Also continuous use of dichlor will increase CYA which will eventually interfere with the effectiveness of the chlorine. In a bromine spa you don't use all that much chlorine, but eventually I think it would still become a problem. You should be able to use bleach as the chlorine source in a bromine spa, although the quantities would be relatively small.
--paulr

 

[amoses]

Okay, Thanks.

They are going to replace some jets today. I think I will drain it and try doing the bbb in it instead. Thanks.

 

[PaulR]

My impression is that bromine tends to cost more but require less day-to-day attention. A chlorine spa needs to be checked frequently (ideally every day, at least until you're familiar with its chlorine demand rate). As long as you're able to pay attention to it often enough, chlorine maintenance is pretty easy.
--paulr