Help getting started?

[Mermaid Mama]

I have a 350 galloon Coleman inflatable hot tub and it's only a couple months old. In past I did chemicals all wrong so trying to kicked it off on the right foot this time. I read all the pool school articles but still have a couple of questions.

What I have done thus far:
1) flushed system with Ahhsome while filters floated in water
2) filled tub with water
3) tested water
FC=1.5
CC=0.5
TC=2.0
PH=7.2
TA=200 for true red got a purplish color at 180
CH=100 and did get redish color from R-10 and R-11L
CYA=20...I guess. Did it 4 times read articles about "glance" and batching the pours but never couldn't see and did it at 11:45 and had full sun.

Is my next step to shock (is that the same as slam) the water or plug my numbers despite wonky CYA into pool math and add based on that? Also what should I be testing daily and can I used the abridged chorine test or do I need to do the FC, CC and TC break out one?

I have young children so I want to make sure water is safe for them and in the past the water quickly went all over the place and I felt like I wasn't managing the process well. The hot tub is in the garage so no direct sun light and older kiddo routinely jumps in tub with little caution to getting debris off them.

Thank you so much!

 

[Mermaid Mama]

I have a 350 galloon Coleman inflatable hot tub and it's only a couple months old. In past I did chemicals all wrong so trying to kicked it off on the right foot this time. I read all the pool school articles but still have a couple of questions.

What I have done thus far:
1) flushed system with Ahhsome while filters floated in water
2) filled tub with water
3) tested water
FC=1.5
CC=0.5
TC=2.0
PH=7.2
TA=200 for true red got a purplish color at 180
CH=100 and did get redish color from R-10 and R-11L
CYA=20...I guess. Did it 4 times read articles about "glance" and batching the pours but never couldn't see and did it at 11:45 and had full sun.

Is my next step to shock (is that the same as slam) the water or plug my numbers despite wonky CYA into pool math and add based on that? Also what should I be testing daily and can I used the abridged chorine test or do I need to do the FC, CC and TC break out one?

I have young children so I want to make sure water is safe for them and in the past the water quickly went all over the place and I felt like I wasn't managing the process well. The hot tub is in the garage so no direct sun light and older kiddo routinely jumps in tub with little caution to getting debris off them.

Thank you so much!

Also, TA question. Pool math says btn 50-90 but test kit says manually added chlorine systems should be 100-120. Which range is correct for me? And it's not telling me how much to add like it does with FC and amount of bleach to add.

 

[Mermaid Mama]

Found some calculations on back of pH reducer that said to add 0.6 oz (18 mls) so added it and turned on the bubbler bc there aren't jets. I also added the 1 oz of bleach pool math. Will retest TA and pH in 30 minutes? That's my understanding on the next step?

 

[Mermaid Mama]

After an hour, I retested and my pH is at the top of the scale at 8.2 and TA is the exact same as it was 200 ppm and I tested it twice. The pH reducer is used was "pH Down" (0.6 oz) and added original bleach (1 oz). I really don't know what to do next? I would really appreciate anyone's help. Is the water even safe to go in now? The kids have been begging all day.

 

[Mermaid Mama]

The results don't make any sense based on what i am reading. It's a brand new kit and I have kept it in a cool place.

My pH is/was normal but indicated a TA problem. Added pH reducer to bring down TA but pH went way up and TA stayed the same.

Just moved to new house with community well and flushed with Ahhsome. Refilled and these were results in tub after filling with my new tap water

FC 1.5
CC 0.5
TC 2.0
PH 7.2
TA 200
CH 100
CYA 20?? didn't get an accurate reading after doing four times. Did at noon in full sun and made sure to glance but dot was clearly there at waist level.

I retested at the tap and got same results as the water originally in the tub.

 

[mknauss]

What did you add to lower your pH? The chemical name. You do not want to lower your pH any lower than 7.2

 

[mknauss]

Read your earlier posts. pH down is normally sodium bisulfate. It will lower pH and eventually, if you lower our pH to 7.2 when it gets to 7.5, will lower TA. Aeration raises pH.

The water is safe for the kids with a bit more FC. Minimum of 3 ppm with your low CYA.

Are you using Poolmath? Have you read How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

 

[Mermaid Mama]

Read your earlier posts. pH down is normally sodium bisulfate. It will lower pH and eventually, if you lower our pH to 7.2 when it gets to 7.5, will lower TA. Aeration raises pH.

The water is safe for the kids with a bit more FC. Minimum of 3 ppm with your low CYA.

Are you using Poolmath? Have you read How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

I had read that you could use acid or "pH reducer" to lower TA. My kit says after doing that my pH actually went up which led me to think I must have a defective kit unless the bubbles would have brought it up despite the pH down.

 

[mknauss]

With high TA and the aeration in a spa, your pH will rise quickly.