Chlorine different in pool and spa

[Cena_sea]

We’ve had rain last week and more coming this week. The pool was clean and sparkling (due to daily vacuum program) but the attached level spa wasn’t. Besides debris there was additional dirt from a dog digging nearby and even a couple inedible wild mushrooms. But the water looked fine.

I cleaned the spa. Then I tested the water—twice. I had dialed down the swg to 15% and let the pump 5 hours a day but the pool water has been staying at 10 fc and 0 cc (got sample near spillway). The spa test was first 7.5 fc. Second test was 8.0 fc. Both had 0.0 for cc. Do I need to dose the spa with chlorine or just let the spillway water run longer? Thanks.

Edit: In pool mode the spillway runs too. I do not have it setup for a separate spillway run.

The spa is being used but not in the past two weeks. The pool is not being used by humans but one dog does a lap or two daily even in the rain.

 

[mas985]

If the spillway is running all the time while the pump runs, the FC should be about the same in the pool as in the spa. Are you testing at the beginning of the pump run cycle? Next time try testing near the end of the pump cycle rather than at the beginning. There should be no difference in the FC levels at that point.

 

[Cena_sea]

Hi. I tested on Friday and realized after I posted this morning I should test again. This time it was the same. I tested four times (twice pool and twice spa) and all times got 8.5 fc.

 

[Cena_sea]

Off subject I am considering adding borates due to high ph. Also because last year I accidentally bought too many boxes of mule on amazon for laundry use (had no clue it was used in pools). I have about 8 boxes left so I was thinking of using a box a month (along with muriatic acid) to slowly add borates because I’m nervous. If this seems like a terrible idea please let me know. Thanks.

 

[mas985]

I did the borax thing one year and didn't see much of a difference in PH rise. The reason for me, and likely for you too, is that that fill water here is very high in PH as TA (aquafers are main water source) and because of high evaporation and very low rain fall in summer months, the dependency on fill water negates any benefit the borax provided. But since you have it, you can give it try.

What I ended up doing was to install a DIY acid dosing system (see signature). It has evolved some since that post as I am now using a DIY peristaltic pump I built.

 

[wireform]

Your spillway is adding to the PH rise If I would we're to guess.

 

[Cena_sea]

Huh—I never thought the high ph could be due to the spa. I like the constant rippling water on the spillway whenever the filter runs. I now see spillover mode was not set up on the equipment. Saw directions I need to turn on a dip switch so I’ll try to figure that out.

I am hoping borates could help the ph but I didn’t realize the fill water is an issue. I think I’ll still try thanks to my overbuying.

 

[wireform]

You should have it running twice daily for a half hour to mix the water in the spa but recommended is to have it used only when the pool's being used.

 

[Bperry]

Huh—I never thought the high ph could be due to the spa. I like the constant rippling water on the spillway whenever the filter runs. I now see spillover mode was not set up on the equipment. Saw directions I need to turn on a dip switch so I’ll try to figure that out.

I am hoping borates could help the ph but I didn’t realize the fill water is an issue. I think I’ll still try thanks to my overbuying.

The borates will just help slow the pH rise a bit, but won't reduce the total amount of acid needed. But if you have a spa spillover aerating the water, shutting that off would be a free way to slow the pH rise.

 

[Cena_sea]

Hi. Haven't yet put in borates but I noticed something on the electric bill that it appeared we used almost the same amount of electricity this past Dec as last Dec (pre pool). I finally logged online to check actual usage numbers and less electricity was used in Nov, Dec, and it appears will also be for Jan. The builder set up the pool at 1750/pool and 2750/spa. Pool and spa are now run a combo of 6 hours a day at those speeds. We leave the booster pump vacuum in the pool and it's run two hours daily (at the spa speed I think). Oct was higher but the pool was used more then and it wasn't that much higher.

Pre-pool there was led landscape lighting but that has been replaced with even more led lights set on program too but I'm assuming the older led lights must not be as efficient as the new ones (no solar lights--everything wired).

With a swg when it gets warmer I'd like to run the vsp at longer times--and read on here that even running the pool at 24/7 on a lower rpm could save even more wattage. Initially I am thinking 8-12 hours a day.