Nervous about starting BBB

Jump to latest Follow Reply
D

darcNL

0
Jul 5, 2017
26
Canada
After owning my hot tub for the last 3 years, I'm only now reading about this BBB treatment option. I used to use Beachcomber brand chlorine; care free (whatever that is); and their "protect" (hardness increase). But I have used baking soda to adjust the TA - not worrying too much about the pH, as adjusting the TA seems to always keep the pH in check.

I also only use the color-change chem test strips for testing my water. And am very unsure if I really need anything else besides those. I also have a TDS meter I use to make sure I'm changing my water frequently enough. But from what I know, using bleach as oppose to the granulated chlorine, the TDS shouldn't rise as much?

I'll start my concerns with the Borax. I read it's used as a algaestatic agent. So, I guess I should chuck so much in the tub irregardless of the presence of algae. But I don't know how much and how often? Once per water change or once every so many weeks?

The baking soda I'm comfortable with. When I test my TA, I know how much to add depending on how low the TA is.

Now the bleach. I bought some unscented 12% bleach, and am a bit nervous to start using it. I changed my water about 2 months ago, and the tub has been lightly used since. But I've been using the granulated chlorine since then. I assume it's safe to just switch, but can I still use the test strips mentioned above when I switch to bleach? Checking the pool math, it seems like if I want to increase the FC by 2, then I add 24mls of 12% bleach. If that's the case, this stuff will last me forever.

As for the hardness, I'll buy some ice melting salt and use that? Seems weird to chuck ice melting salt in my hot tub, but I'll try anything to save a buck, lol.

And for the CYA (or stabilizer) - do I really need to worry about this? I almost never use the tub during the day and it's covered otherwise. Is the CYA only for sunlight protection?

And the Beachcomber 'Care Free' I use. They recommend a "cap full" every week or 2. Is there something I can use besides that, or is this unnecessary?

I also bought some TSP for cleaning the filters. How much TSP do I dissolve in a bucket of water to soak my filter in? I also got some Ahh-Some coming in the mail. Can't wait to try that stuff out on my next water change.

Thanks to whoever the kind soul is that takes the time to read this and help me feel more comfortable during this transition.
 
At my old house we maintained the tub the pool store way. Spent $30 or $40 a month on chemicals and stuff. Moved into a house with a pool, found this site and started doing the hot tub this way... i probably spend $20 a year now, and empty half as much. Here are some answers to your questions:

Liquid chlorine will add small amounts of salt. Which will raise your TDS, albeit much more slowly. Granular chlorine will add cya, which will eventually result in what the pool store calls chlorine lock (then you drain and fill).

In tfp pool care borax is only used to raise ph, instead of ph+. You only add it when you need to raise ph.

Borates can be added as an optional enhancement, but are not necessary: easiest way to do that is using boric acid from duda diesel online store. (you can also use borax to add borates, but then you will have to use acid to counteract the ph rise, which is why boric acid is easier). Make sure you're comfortable with everything else of the Tfp (BBB) method before worrying about borates.

It's perfectly safe to just switch to bleach and will show up just as well on your test strips. You may want to get a good test kit, as strips don't perform very well. The ones recommended by this site cost about $70 but will save you more than that in just a few months.

Make sure to get the right ice melting salt without any extra additives. For the amount you'll use, I just buy pool calcium plus. A 15$ container at Walmart will last me probably longer than the tub.

Cya is a must... It "softens" the harshness of the chlorine. Without any, even 1ppm of chlorine will damage your tub (and your skin!). Your solid chlorine likely had cya in it, so your tub water probably already has cya now. You'll need to test it with a proper test kit to figure out how much as your chlorine level is based on cya level.

I don't know what carefree is. Probably not useful if you maintain a proper cya to chlorine relationship.

The big things to know to start off with are:
*understanding the chlorine/cya chart-- higher cya needs higher chlorine to keep water clean and clear.
*knowing how to use the pool calculator to figure out chemical additions.
*managing ph using borax or acid
*having and using a good test kit.
 
As you are in Canada - you are limited in being able to get a good test kit.
How to Buy a K2006 or K2006C Outside the USA:
Canada: only Lowry & Associates in Newmarket, Ontario (905-836-0505) or [email protected].

Or, if you live near the US border, you can use a mail drop service and order a TF100 to be sent there and then you cross the border to pick it up.

Take care.
 
Didn't even notice you were in Canada too... Yes, finding the test kits locally will be impossible and ordering to a Canadian address expensive. If you know someone visiting the us, or you are, have it shipped to a parcel pickup in a border town. The extra hassle is worth the savings. It's made in the USA, so it's NAFTA exempt from duties, though depending on the customs guy you may get charged GST.... It won't count towards your customs exemption.

Cya is stabilizer.
 
Why so expensive to Canada and why won't TF sell there? And why doesn't TFP have a system for helping our Canadian friends? Surely someone can order them a kit, slap a new address and customs form on it, and put it back in the mail. I'd be willing to help
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
OP, I don't have a lot of comments that weren't already brought up, but regarding your apprehension about dumping ice melt into your tub, I know it can seem counterintuitive to be dumping industrial chemicals into your precious tub that you have $$$$ invested in. I know the look I got from my wife when I told her we would be maintaining the pool with bleach and household chemicals until I showed her some pool store chemicals and pointed out the active ingredients on their labels and the prices. Calcium Plus is just pure calcium chloride.
 
If you're uneasy about using bleach versus solid chlorine, just compare the labels. They are both sodium hypochlorite. The difference is that the granules or tablets will also contain some other stuff (either CYA or calcium) that is necessary to maintain the chlorine in a solid form. It's this other stuff that you don't want too much of in your pool.
 
In a small hot tub, you should actually be able to get by with just the Oto test and phenol red. You can get those at any pool store, or even Walmart. I realized that, other than when filling, I never use the good test kit on my hot tub.

In a hot tub, you'll be keeping your cya low enough that you will never need to test above 5ppm FC.

On a fresh fill, you have 0 cya in, then you can just add the correct amount and never test it again. If you know how much of your solid stuff you've put in, you could calculate how much is in there (or refill, the water here for mine costs about $5).

The only things you would have to rely on pool store to test are calcium and alkalinity, and being super accurate on those two isn't as important. Calcium is a one time thing so you add at fill and never again.


And you should never have to slam... Even if you do, it would likely be one addition to to get you up to the shock level and then done.
 
Thanks everyone for these replies. I've been super busy this week.

I did email Lowry & Associates, and they put me onto a local pool supply place here that apparently sells these kits. I haven't had a chance to pop in there yet tho. I'll update with what they say later.

JimMarshall: thanks for the info on the Ca Chloride. I'm going to order the stuff I linked above. I'll get over this nervousness soon enough lol. Also, I might take you up on your offer to ship me a kit. I'll PM you if it comes to that. Thank you for the offer.

Jezza: thank you for that link. Site looks promising for a cheaper kit.

Fingaling: this info is very interesting. I know exactly what you're saying. I've re-filled my hot tub enough now that I've calculated exactly what I need to balance the tub immediately (3 cups of this, 1 cup of that, 2 tbsp of that, etc) then boom! she's balanced. lol. So I'm sure I'll be able to do the same with these supermarket chemicals too. Exciting.

Would my simply test strips show a change at all if I use this bleach? Or, would this OTO kit be fine? Like, Fingaling said, it's a hot tub and doesn't need that tight of a balance.
http://www.poolvacparts.com/taylor-residential-troubleshoot-test-kit.html
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply