New spa user needs help

I am fairly new to this forum and very new as the owner of a new 500gal Master spa with Eco Pur system. I have purchased the TF-100 testing kit to help me in keeping the spa in check. However all this has my head spinning faster that the SpeedStir, lol. I think these figures are correct as I attempted to follow the only instructions for the use of the TF-100 on youtube. These are my readings: Spa temp is 100, FC=3.0, CC=2.5, TC=5.5, PH= +8.2 as this was to the top, TA=200, CA was less than 20, and CH=70. The instructions with the ECO PUR system do not recommend the use of Bromine. I want to use the BBB method and have read pool school.

Recommended levels of chemicals according to Master Spa are Chlorine 1.0-3.0ppm, pH 7.2-7.8, TA 80-150PPM, CH 180-250. I have also tried to use the pool calculator but just cant figure it out.

Thanks in advance for your assistance
 
Welcome to TFP! :wave:

The Eco-Pur system uses filters and mineral system (cartridge?). Some people replace the filter with a Pleatco one at lower cost, but that's up to you. Either way, you manage your spa in the same way using chlorine.

Currently your CC is high, possibly because you have gotten behind in maintenance or because you did your measurements soon after a soak. Generally, you should take your measurements just before your soak or in between soaks, not right afterwards. When you add chlorine after a soak, it will create CC initially and that will go away usually within 12 hours or so.

So I suggest you add more chlorine at this point -- say another 7 ppm FC to get to 10 ppm FC -- and see how your FC and CC measurements look tomorrow. Did you put in your spa volume into the pool calculator? You would then put in 3 in the "Now" column for FC and put in 10 in the "Target" column. If you are using 8.25% bleach (that's what Clorox has switched to and other manufacturers may follow -- they might still be at 6% so see what it says on the bottle), then it says to add 5.1 ounces of bleach, so just figure 5 fluid ounces. Does that make sense?

Your pH is clearly too high so you need to add dry acid to lower it, but the reason your pH is high is that your TA is too high. That should be lowered by significant additions of acid. If I put in 8.2 under "Now" and 7.0 under "Target" on the pH line then I get 3.4 ounces volume of dry acid to add. You'll need to add multiple times to get the TA lower by aerating (i.e. use spa jets) to get the pH back up after you add the acid. The 3.4 ounces volume (5.1 ounces weight) of dry acid will lower the TA by about 30 ppm. So you'll do this multiple times to get your TA at least below 80 ppm though we usually recommend 50 ppm if you are going to use the Dichlor-then-Bleach method (you'll also add 50 ppm borates at that point once you get your TA down to around 50 ppm).

You might test your fill water since if the TA is significantly lower you might consider a drain/refill to sort of start over and would require less acid addition to get things into balance. If you decide to do that, you should also consider doing a biofilm/grease removal procedure if you have never done that. You would use a product such as Seaklear Spa System Flush or Ahh-Some you would add to your water (I believe they recommend removing the filters first) before you then dump and replace the water. This way, you start off with a clean slate.
 
Chem geek,

Thank you for the short chemical lesson. I get the part with the chlorine or Clorox. I am using 8.5%. Today I tested as follows:
FC=1, CC=1.5, TC=2.5, TA 130, CYA= 20+, CHLORINE= .5, PH=8.2. I added approximately 6 ounces of Clorox and added what came with the spa called PH Down, (it lowers ph and alkalinity). The active ingredient is Sodium Bisulfate 96%. After 30 minutes I checked the water using the K1000 and Chlorine was at 5.0 and Ph=7.5. You recommended using dry acid, is that what the Sodium Bisulfate was? Also is Borax (20 mule) a substitute for the dry acid or is this something extra I need to buy at the spa store? I would like to follow the BBB method so the technical names get the best of me :hammer: .

I failed to mention in the first post that yes, there was neglect as we were out of town for one week and nothing was done. The previous week was the first week of use. Thanks for your response.
 
Welcome to tfp, mpogca :wave:

mpogca said:
You recommended using dry acid, is that what the Sodium Bisulfate was?
Yes

mpogca said:
Also is Borax (20 mule) a substitute for the dry acid or is this something extra I need to buy at the spa store?
Chem geek was refering to "Borates" not Borax, though Borax can be used to raise borates, if you use Borax then that also requires adding Muriatic acid. For now hold off on adding "borates"...once you TA is down to about 50 ppm, then you can add the borates. Adding borates is easiest using Boric Acid. You can also find Boric acid (although it probably won't be called that) at many spa stores, one such brand is called: ProTeam Gentile Spa
 
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